The highly successful international architectural design competition for the Mālama Learning Center was conducted in 2003. This competition was funded by a prestigious $75,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, with more than $75,000 in privately-raised funds from local sources. Designs were submitted by more than 230 entrants from 36 countries and 28 U.S. states. Submissions were reviewed "blind," without information identifying the entrants so that judging could be done on a completely fair basis.