The Alexander & Baldwin Foundation was chartered in 1992, but the company's philanthropic mission dates back to its founding by Samuel T. Alexander and Henry Perrine Baldwin, and corporate records starting in 1900 reflect donations to many causes.

The Foundation is funded entirely by Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., and its operating companies, including Matson Navigation Company, Inc. and its subsidiaries; A&B Properties, Inc. and its subsidiaries; and A&B's agricultural operations including (on Maui) Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company, East Maui Irrigation Company, Ltd. and Kahului Trucking and Storage Company, as well as (on Kauai) Kauai Coffee Company and Kauai Commercial Company.

Over the years, the A&B Foundation has worked hard to establish a responsive, far-reaching program of support in the areas of health & human services, education, the community, culture and arts, the maritime arena and the environment.