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Polynesian Voyaging Society

Tax-deductible

Honolulu, HI501(c)(3)Arts & Culture EIN 23-7302232Revenue $3.8M in FY2024

On file with the IRShokulea.com10 Sand Island Pkwy, 96819-4355 · Honolulu, HITax-exempt since Feb 1974Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The Polynesian Voyaging Society has launched (through the renovation of our Voyaging canoe, hokule'a) sail plans for hawai'I-wide educational programs/voyages and a sail plan for a worldwide voyage. The purpose of the worldwide voyage is to become a catalyst for positive change in hawai'I by constantly learning from and nuturing relationships worldwide that share the values and responsibility of caring for island earth, her oceans and children, while honoring our heritage and perpetuating our culture.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
74¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 90 volunteers and 11 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $448K a year · 22% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
74%
of spending
Fine: 74% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$355K
to officers and key staff · 17% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 69% of similar orgs
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 17% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
14 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 13.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $502K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$139K
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
14
of 16 voting members
Looks good: 14 of 16 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.8M
+34% vs prior year
Spent
$2.1M
To programs
74%
Net assets
$3.9M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$3.8M
FY2024▲ +34%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.0M
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$1.6M
FY2023$2.9M
FY2024$3.8M
Expenses
$2.1M
FY2024▼ -13%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.0M
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$2.5M
FY2024$2.1M
Net assets
$3.9M
FY2024▲ +76%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$1.6M
FY2022$1.8M
FY2023$2.2M
FY2024$3.9M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Feb 1974.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

74 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 74% · $1.6M Management & general 24% · $516K Fundraising 2% · $51K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

18 people listed on the 990; $355K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Charles Nainoa Thompson
Cheif Executive Officer
$155,948Pt VII · Sec A
Sonja Swenson
Director of Communications
$119,583Pt VII · Sec A
Elsie Graham
Controller
$79,877Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Dennis Fern
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Eric Co
Secretary/Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Hardy Spoehr
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Charles Nainoa Thompson’s $156K as Cheif Executive Officer is at the 69th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 7 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Charles Nainoa Thompson$155,948$142,796$163,745$155,948$155,948
Sonja Swenson$119,583—$108,800—$108,800
Erica Lehua Kamalu—$90,000$94,500$90,000—
Elsie Graham$79,877$75,000$75,625——
Bruce Blankenfeld—$68,328———
Clyde Namuo———$1,846$38,000
Rae Lee———$27,746—

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Sails educational programs and worldwide voyages to nurture relationships and care for the planet.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $1.6M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The Pae 'aina Statewide Sail

This seven-month voyage around hawai'I was one of the organization's most impactful community engagement efforts to date, visiting 34 communities, hosting over 15,000 canoe visits, and partnering with 133 schools and 82 organizations.

$1.6Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
National Geographic SocietyFY2025$500K
Gates Family FoundationFY2025$2K
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$502K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$65K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Money outPt IX
$2.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.6M
Managementcol C$516K
Fundraisingcol D$51K
Owns and owesPt X
$3.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.5M
Total assetsLn 16$4.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$139K
PeoplePt VI, VII
18
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a16
IndependentVI 1b14
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$195K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Other incomeLn 4–11$65K
Total revenueLn 12$3.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.5M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.0M
Other assetsLn 15$180K
Total assetsLn 16$4.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$139K
Net assetsLn 32$3.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 511
VolunteersI 690
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.3M$2.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.1M$1.0M
Total assetsLn 16$2.5M$4.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$316K$139K
Net assetsLn 32$2.2M$3.9M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$253K$196K$57K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$586K$423K$163K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$48K$28K$20K
Payroll taxesLn 10$88K$59K$29K
Legal feesLn 11b$6K$3K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$56K$32K$24K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$507K$369K$95K$42K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K$500
OccupancyLn 16$24K$12K$12K
TravelLn 17$91K$81K$9K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$80K$44K$31K$5K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$92K$87K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$99K$83K$16K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$186K$139K$44K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$26K$17K$7K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.1M$1.6M$516K$51K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $3.8M$2.1M$1.7M$3.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.9M$2.5M$376K$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.6M$1.4M$174K$1.8M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.1M$1.1M$586$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.0M$1.0M$25K$1.6M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,807,876 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,499,777$3,741,369
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$1,586
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $352,059$64,921
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,851,836$3,807,876
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $847,222$975,323
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,628,651$1,168,331
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,475,873$2,143,654
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $375,963$1,664,222
Part VI · Governance 14 of 16 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body16
VI-1b Independent voting members14
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $3,807,876 across 7 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $49,753 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$117,456
VIII-1e Government grants$195,088
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,428,825
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,741,369
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,586$1,586
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $15,168$15,168
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $64,921 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,586$3,807,876
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,143,654 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $196,000 · Management $57,279$253,279
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $423,193 · Management $162,865$586,058
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $27,755 · Management $20,114$47,869
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $58,629 · Management $29,488$88,117
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $3,158 · Management $2,383$5,541
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $32,066 · Management $24,191$56,257
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $369,208 · Management $95,469 · Fundraising $41,885$506,562
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,988 · Management $500$2,488
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $12,102 · Management $12,102$24,204
IX-17 TravelPrograms $81,324 · Management $9,246$90,570
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $44,260 · Management $31,234 · Fundraising $5,000$80,494
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $87,432 · Management $4,276$91,708
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $82,609 · Management $15,969$98,578
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $139,280 · Management $44,051 · Fundraising $2,200$185,531
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $17,458 · Management $6,740 · Fundraising $2,200$26,398
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,576,462 · Management $515,907 · Fundraising $51,285$2,143,654
Part X · Balance sheet $3,995,563 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,295,055$2,475,228
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $0$158,984
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $101,279$126,013
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $23,295$30,495
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $17,225$6,328
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,065,529$1,018,515
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$180,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,502,383$3,995,563
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $89,111$79,587
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $2,663−$4,706
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $74,050$64,007
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $315,824$138,888
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,633,280$3,322,701
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $553,279$533,974
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,186,559$3,856,675
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,502,383$3,995,563
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $3,856,675 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,807,876
XI-2 Total expenses$2,143,654
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,664,222
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,186,559
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$5,894
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$3,856,675

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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