Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Kanehunamoku Voyaging Academy

EIN 46-5563571 · Kaneohe, HI

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PERPETUATE THE KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE OF TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN NAVIGATION AND VOYAGING CULTURE AND TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO NATIVE HAWAIIAN YOUTH FOR ADVANCEMENT IN CONTEMPORARY OCEAN-BASED CAREERS.

Income
$2.0 million
Spending
$1.7 million
Spent on programs
94%
Reserves
7.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 61%
Employees
18
Volunteers
1,000
Highest pay
$104,326, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 74% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    94% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 5 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (5)
  1. $366,026 spent. HOAKEA: MAUKA TO MAKAI NAVIGATING OUR FUTURE HONORS THE RICH HISTORY AND TRADITIONS OF HAWAIIAN VOYAGING. SPONSORED BY THE DOE, VARIOUS WAA (CANOE) AND ALOHA AINA (LAND AND OCEAN BASED) ORGANIZATIONS WILL PROVIDE HAND-ON LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT PERPETUATE FOUNDATIONAL VALUES AND PERSPECTIVES OF THE CANOE AND THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US. IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE UPCOMING MOANANUIAKEA VOYAGE OF OUR BELOVED WAA HOKULEA, WE HOPE THIS EVENT INSPIRES OUR STUDENTS, SCHOOLS, AND LARGER COMMUNITY TO EMBRACE THE "NAVIGATOR MINDSET AND BECOME THE LEADERS, STEWARDS, AND CRITICAL THINKERS" THAT CAN NAVIGATE US INTO A BETTER FUTURE.
  2. $782,239 spent. PAPAHANA HOOLAUNA PROGRAM - PAPAHANA HOOLAUNA IS A SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY- BASED OUTREACH PROGRAM. FOCUS IS ON THE PERPETUATION OF HAWAIIAN VOYAGING CULTURE THROUGH HANDS-ON LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM AND ABOARD THE CANOE, KANEHUNAMOKU. PAPAHANA HOOLAUNA PROVIDES SERVICES TO A WIDE VARIETY OF POPULATIONS OF ALL AGES, INCLUDING PUBLIC, CHARTER, AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS FROM GRADES PRE-K TO POST-SECONDARY SCHOOLS. PARTICIPANTS IN THIS PROGRAM LEARN THE HISTORY OF HAWAIIAN VOYAGING, AS WELL AS METHODS USED IN WAYFINDING AND SAILING. WE WORK WITH SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS TO CUSTOMIZE INSTRUCTION AND LEARNING OUTCOMES.
  3. $336,483 spent. HOA MAU COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IS AN ADULT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO FILL A NEED FOR MORE LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND EXPAND THE KNOWLEDGE OF TRADITIONAL VOYAGING TO THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED. THE PROGRAM TRAINING IS BASED ON THE PROGRESSION FROM HAUMANA (STUDENT/INTERN) TO AUKAI (CREW) TO KAPENA (CAPTAIN) AND DEFINES THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS BASE NEEDED FOR EACH LEVEL. PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE SAIL, CULTURAL, AND TEACHER TRAINING WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO TEACH WAA SKILLS TO OUR PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY. HOA MAU ALSO PREPARES ADULTS WITH THE EDUCATION NEEDED FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT IN EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY.
  4. $104,358 spent. KU I KA MANA - KU I KA MANA IS A PROGRAM OF DEPTH DESIGNED TO NURTURE CONTEMPORARY STUDENTS OF WA'A CULTURE WHO ARE COGNIZANT OF THEIR PLACE AND KULEANA AS TORCH-BEARERS IN AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE UNFOLDING HAWAIIAN RENAISSANCE. KU I KA MANA IS CURRENTLY REFINED FOR GRADE 9 STUDENTS AT HALAU KU MANA PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL WHERE CAPTAIN AND CREW VISIT ON A WEEKLY BASIS FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR.
  5. KU I KA MANA - KU I KA MANA IS A PROGRAM OF DEPTH DESIGNED TO NURTURE CONTEMPORARY STUDENTS OF WA'A CULTURE WHO ARE COGNIZANT OF THEIR PLACE AND KULEANA AS TORCH-BEARERS IN AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE UNFOLDING HAWAIIAN RENAISSANCE. KU I KA MANA IS CURRENTLY REFINED FOR GRADE 9 STUDENTS AT HALAU KU MANA PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL WHERE CAPTAIN AND CREW VISIT ON A WEEKLY BASIS FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 2014.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.