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Ka Ohana O Kalaupapa

EIN 72-1595460 · Kalaupapa, HI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood87 out of 100GovernanceGood82 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

KA OHANA O KALAUPAPA, AN OHANA OF KALAUPAPA PATIENTS, AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS, ARE DEDICATED TO PROMOTING THE VALUE AND DIGNITY OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL EXILED TO KALAUPAPA SINCE 1866. AS AN OHANA, WE CHERISH AND LOOK FOR GUIDANCE FROM OUR KUPUNA OF KALAUPAPA AND WE BELIEVE IN THE VALUES OF ALOHA, LOKAHI, MALAMA, KOKUA, AND PONO. THE GOAL OF THE OHANA IS TO ENSURE THAT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS ARE CARRIED OUT TO GUARANTEE THAT ALL PATIENTS CAN LIVE OUT THEIR LIVES IN KALAUPAPA WITH ALL THE NECESSARY SUPPORT AND SERVICES. WE WILL ALSO WORK WITH AND SERVE AS A RESOURCE FOR OTHER ENTITIES TO HELP SHAPE THE COMMUNITYS FUTURE, ASSIST WITH THE INTERPRETATION OF HISTORY, EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE LEGACY OF KALAUPAPA WILL REMAIN A LIVING INSPIRATION AND TESTAMENT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

Income
$93,050
Spending
$91,941
Spent on programs
73%
Reserves
46.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 91%
Employees
0
Volunteers
100
Highest pay
$28,850, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 87 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 46.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 34% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 98% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    73% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

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

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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. $4,780 spent. KALAUPAPA MONTH -- IN 2021, KA 'OHANA O KALAUPAPA INTRODUCED A BILL TO THE HAWAI`I STATE LEGISLATURE TO DESIGNATE JANUARY ANNUALLY AS KALAUPAPA MONTH. FOR OUR THIRD KALAUPAPA MONTH IN JANUARY 2024, KA 'OHANA HOSTED TWO EVENTS AT KALAUPAPA: A CEREMONY REMEMBERING THE FIRST 12 PEOPLE WITH LEPROSY WHO ARRIVED ON JAN. 6, 1866 AND A WALK IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS TO KALAWAO AND AN EVENING EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATION THAT INCLUDED A MEAL FOR THE COMMUNITY. KA 'OHANA ALSO DISTRIBUTED INFORMATIONAL BROCHURES TO SCHOOLS AND THE PUBLIC WITH WAYS TO COMMEMORATE THE EVENT; HOSTED TWO PUBLIC WEBINARS AND DISTRIBUTED SIX ESSAYS ABOUT THE VARIOUS DATES.
  2. $12,156 spent. WEBINARS - KA 'OHANA HOSTED THREE PUBLIC WEBINARS, PRESENTED GUEST WEBINARS TO THE STAFF OF THE HAWAI`I STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ABOUT HOW THE KALAUPAPA MEMORIAL GOT STARTED AND, LATER, THAT SAME WEBINAR FOR STATE HEALTH DIRECTOR DR. KENNETH FINK;, AND GAVE PRIVATE WEBINARS TO AHAHUI O NA KAUKA AND A CLASS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LAS VEGAS. KALAUPAPA PRESENTATIONS/EVENTS - KA 'OHANA HOSTED A COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATION WITH A MEAL FOR THE COMMUNITY IN JULY AS WELL AS A THREE-DAY EVENT OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, MUSIC AND MEALS COMMEMORATING THE 140TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VISIT OF QUEEN KAPI`OLANI AND THEN-PRINCESS LILIU`OKALANI TO KALAUPAPA. ESSAYS - RESEARCHED AND WROTE 12 ESSAYS ABOUT VARIOUS EVENTS IN KALAUPAPA HISTORY, ELECTRONICALLY DISTRIBUTED TO 1,300 E-SUBSCRIBERS. NEWSLETTER -- PRODUCED A 12-PAGE NEWSLETTER FOCUSING ON QUESTIONS SURROUNDING THE FUTURE OF KALAUPAPA; DISTRIBUTED TO 1,400 MAIL SUBSCRIBERS AND POSTED ON OUR 'OHANA WEBSITE. WEBINARS - KA 'OHANA HOSTED THREE PUBLIC WEBINARS, PRESENTED GUEST WEBINARS TO THE STAFF OF THE HAWAI`I STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ABOUT HOW THE KALAUPAPA MEMORIAL GOT STARTED AND, LATER, THAT SAME WEBINAR FOR STATE HEALTH DIRECTOR DR. KENNETH FINK;, AND GAVE PRIVATE WEBINARS TO AHAHUI O NA KAUKA AND A CLASS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LAS VEGAS. KALAUPAPA PRESENTATIONS/EVENTS - KA 'OHANA HOSTED A COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATION WITH A MEAL FOR THE COMMUNITY IN JULY AS WELL AS A THREE-DAY EVENT OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, MUSIC AND MEALS COMMEMORATING THE 140TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VISIT OF QUEEN KAPI`OLANI AND THEN-PRINCESS LILIU`OKALANI TO KALAUPAPA. ESSAYS - RESEARCHED AND WROTE 12 ESSAYS ABOUT VARIOUS EVENTS IN KALAUPAPA HISTORY, ELECTRONICALLY DISTRIBUTED TO 1,300 E-SUBSCRIBERS. NEWSLETTER -- PRODUCED A 12-PAGE NEWSLETTER FOCUSING ON QUESTIONS SURROUNDING THE FUTURE OF KALAUPAPA; DISTRIBUTED TO 1,400 MAIL SUBSCRIBERS AND POSTED ON OUR 'OHANA WEBSITE.
  3. $45,210 spent. KALAUPAPA MEMORIAL - PLANNING FOR THE MEMORIAL CONTINUED. KA 'OHANA HIRED NEW ATTORNEYS (OUR PREVIOUS ATTORNEY RETIRED) AND A PROJECT MANAGER TO HOPEFULLY STREAMLINE AND SPEED UP THIS PROCESS. KA 'OHANA HOSTED MEETINGS WITH STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES ON RELEASING THE FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND CONTINUED WORK ON COMPILING THE NAMES THAT WILL BE DISPLAYED ON THE MEMORIAL. PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS CONTINUED WORK ON THE DESIGN PLANS FOR THE MEMORIAL.
  4. $5,308 spent. DIGITAL ARCHIVE - THANKS TO A GRANT FROM THE MELLON FOUNDATION, KA 'OHANA O KALAUPAPA HIRED A DIGITAL ARCHIVIST WHO BEGAN WORK IN SEPTEMBER, 2024, TO CREATE A DIGITAL ARCHIVE OF ALL THE INFORMATION GATHERED BY KA 'OHANA OVER THE YEARS ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF KALAUPAPA. IN THE FUTURE, SOME OF THIS INFORMATION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND OTHER INFORMATION WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO FAMILIES ONLY. FAMILY VISITS, RESTORATION OF FAMILY TIES - WE CONTINUED TO HELP DESCENDANTS LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR ANCESTORS BY CONDUCTING RESEARCH OF OUR RECORDS FOR THEM AND, ON A MORE LIMITED BASIS, ARRANGED FOR FAMILIES TO VISIT KALAUPAPA.
  5. DIGITAL ARCHIVE - THANKS TO A GRANT FROM THE MELLON FOUNDATION, KA 'OHANA O KALAUPAPA HIRED A DIGITAL ARCHIVIST WHO BEGAN WORK IN SEPTEMBER, 2024, TO CREATE A DIGITAL ARCHIVE OF ALL THE INFORMATION GATHERED BY KA 'OHANA OVER THE YEARS ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF KALAUPAPA. IN THE FUTURE, SOME OF THIS INFORMATION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND OTHER INFORMATION WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO FAMILIES ONLY. FAMILY VISITS, RESTORATION OF FAMILY TIES - WE CONTINUED TO HELP DESCENDANTS LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR ANCESTORS BY CONDUCTING RESEARCH OF OUR RECORDS FOR THEM AND, ON A MORE LIMITED BASIS, ARRANGED FOR FAMILIES TO VISIT KALAUPAPA.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.

    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 September 2005.

    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.