The University of Hawaii Foundation is pushing forward with a $1 billion fundraising campaign that will shore up the university’s ability to fund workforce education, research, student support and Native Hawaiian-centered programs, staying on a steady course when state funding fluctuates with the economy.

The “For UH • For Hawai‘i” effort kicked off its public fundraising phase at the new UH-Manoa Residences for Innovative Student Entrepreneurs building, itself funded by the Hunt Development Group Hawaii and donations to the UH Foundation. Already, about $570 million in private donations has been raised since the campaign’s 2018 launch.