True Initiative is an educational nonprofit that will assist hawaii individuals and businesses to better use, integrate, and adopt technology with its mission to develop a technologically capable workforce in the state of hawaii.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
81¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$87K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 3
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $39K a year · 11% of revenue · last 3 filings
Fine: a surplus in 2 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 filings
Spent on programs
81%
of spending
Looks good: 81% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$87K
to officers and key staff · 30% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 30% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.5 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $10K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$218K
-48% vs prior year
Spent
$288K
To programs
81%
Net assets
$86K
By yearFY2023–FY2025
Revenue
$218K
FY2024▼ -48%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$419K
FY2024$218K
FY2025$423K
Expenses
$288K
FY2024▲ +10%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2023$261K
FY2024$288K
FY2025$394K
Net assets
$86K
FY2024▼ -45%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$156K
FY2024$86K
FY2025$86K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Sep 2022.

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

Where the money goes

81 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 81% · $234K Management & general 19% · $54K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $87K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Ed to 12/24
$79,935Pt VII · Sec A
Ed Since 12/
$6,756Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director Unt
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Nicole Cacal’s $158K as Executive Di is at the 96th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M education 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023
Nicole Cacal$158,049$6,756—
Leilani Farinas—$79,935$157,068

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.

See True Initiative executive salaries →

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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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Builds a skilled tech workforce in Hawaii.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $234K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

True will host seminars and workshops, and will also sponsor pilot projects to encourage a better understanding of technology and its uses in hawaii. Hawaii has traditionally be slow to adopt technology, and true intends to reverse that trend to help local organizations succeed, diversify hawaii's economy, and help hawaii become a place…

$234Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$10K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $10K · 2023–2023
Unitemized GrantFY2023$10,000

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$218K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$129K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$89K
Money outPt IX
$288K
Ln 25
Programscol B$234K
Managementcol C$54K
Owns and owesPt X
$86K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$36K
Total assetsLn 16$86K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$129K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$89K
Total revenueLn 12$218K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$36K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$36K
Total assetsLn 16$86K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$86K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 68
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$82K$36K
Total assetsLn 16$170K$86K
LiabilitiesLn 26$13K$0
Net assetsLn 32$156K$86K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$87K$54K$33K
Accounting feesLn 11c$15K$15K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$182K$179K$3K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$270$270
Office expensesLn 13$1K$550$598
Information technologyLn 14$782$47$735
InsuranceLn 23$507$507
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$288K$234K$54K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $423K$394K$30K$86K 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $218K$288K−$70K$86K 990 PDF
FY2023 $419K$261K$158K$156K 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 O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $217,550 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $371,485$128,975
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $48,000$88,575
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $10$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $419,495$217,550
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $10,000$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $157,068$86,691
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $94,377$201,194
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $261,445$287,885
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $158,050−$70,335
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $217,550 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1b Membership dues$128,975
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$128,975
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $88,575$88,575
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $88,575$217,550
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $287,885 across 8 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $53,612 · Management $33,079$86,691
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $14,766$14,766
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $179,049 · Management $3,129$182,178
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $270$270
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $550 · Management $598$1,148
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $47 · Management $735$782
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $507$507
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Management $1,543$1,543
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $233,528 · Management $54,357 · Fundraising $0$287,885
Part X · Balance sheet $86,144 assets, 7 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $81,550$35,994
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $88,090$50,150
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $169,640$86,144
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $13,161$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $156,479$86,144
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $156,479$86,144
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $169,640$86,144
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $86,144 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$217,550
XI-2 Total expenses$287,885
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$70,335
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$156,479
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$86,144

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

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