The Mana O Maui Surf Campus
Mana O Maui runs free surf, hiking, and wilderness camps for Maui youth ages 11 to 17. We are building a basecamp in Kahului to give those camps a permanent home.
This is the plan: the site, the first five years, the budget, and what we are asking of you.
to build the basecamp and run its first two years
Three programs delivered in our first full year
A spring Surf-N-Turf pilot, a fall Surf-N-Turf season, and our first Rite of Passage camp at Hōlua Campsite in Haleakalā Crater. Free to every family, with transportation, gear, and food provided.
Programs run in 2026
Of surveyed parents would recommend us
Saw a positive shift in mood or behavior
Cost to families
"Caring and encouraging staff who nurtured her out of her comfort zone, giving her tools to handle her anxiety in facing new challenges."
The basecamp
A walled lot of about 7,770 square feet, across the road from Kahului Harbor and central to every side of the island. The rear gate opens onto open land that runs to the shoreline.
Phase one adds one tiny home, a hale, and two gear sheds to what is already there. Every tiny home sits on a trailer and belongs to Mana O Maui.
Tiny Home 1
On a trailer beside the rear gate. Sleeps 3 to 5.
Tiny Home 2
Trailer unit up to 8.5 by 40 feet. Sleeps 3 to 5.
Hale
Open air gathering and teaching space with shade.
Two gear sheds
Boards, packs, and camp gear, stored by the gate.
Concept only. Positions are schematic until the lot is surveyed and the plan is reviewed by Maui County.
Three milestones
Site secured, team hired
Long term lease signed, lot surveyed, permits cleared, first core staff hired.
Basecamp built
Tiny Home 2, the hale, and the gear sheds complete. First camps run on site.
Camps hosted
Partner organizations book the basecamp for their own camps, creating revenue that pays staff.
Funded by this gift
Build the basecamp, hire core staff, and run the first camps.
Funded by the model
Hosting fees, foundation grants, and annual giving carry operations, and we prepare for a larger campus.
Where $350,000 goes
Every dollar is assigned to building, people, or programs.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Campus build | $150,000 |
| Tiny Home 2Trailer unit, delivered and connected | $75,000 |
| HaleBuilt to county rules for traditional Hawaiian structures | $30,000 |
| Gear sheds and site work | $15,000 |
| PredevelopmentSurvey, architect, permits, lease, and legal | $30,000 |
| People, 2027 and 2028 | $150,000 |
| Director of Communications and DevelopmentFrom 2027, 25 hours a week, with benefits | $120,000 |
| Program DirectorSeasonal from 2028, with benefits | $30,000 |
| Programs, 2027 and 2028 | $50,000 |
| Instructors, transportation, food, and permitsSurf-N-Turf, Rite of Passage, and the first camps on site | $50,000 |
| Total | $350,000 |
Draft figures. Final numbers will be confirmed against the survey, county review, and contractor quotes.
Core staff
| Role | Starts | Starting salary | 2031 salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive DirectorDustin Tester | 2029 | $45,000 | $70,000 |
| Director of Communications and Development | 2027 | $45,000 | $70,000 |
| Program Director | 2028 | $45,000 | $70,000 |
| Seasonal instructors | Ongoing | $350 per day | Per season |
Core roles start part time and grow to full time by 2031. Every core role includes employer health insurance, paid time off, and a retirement match.
How your gift is protected
The Kahului lot is owned by our founder. Mana O Maui will hold a recorded lease of 20 years or more, approved by our board with the founder recused from the vote.
Because every tiny home sits on a trailer, the structures your gift builds belong to the nonprofit, not to the land.
501(c)(3)
Founded in 2023, built on 25 years of Maui Surfer Girls.
Independent board
A licensed therapist, a nonprofit finance leader, and a child development researcher.
Foundation backed
Fred Baldwin Memorial Foundation and Atherton Family Foundation.
Proven model
Maui Surfer Girls continues its teen camps at Olowalu. The basecamp adds free community camps alongside it.
Two founding partners
We are asking two founding partners for $175,000 each, as a single gift or pledged over three years.
Founding partners are recognized on the basecamp for as long as it stands.
Your gift builds the basecamp, hires the team, and runs the first camps. From year three, the basecamp helps pay its own way.