Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Malo Motivating Action Leadership Opportunity

EIN 82-4711809 · Ontario, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair56 out of 100GovernanceGood86 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

M.A.L.O. MOTIVATING ACTION LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY, THE ONLY TONGAN-LED TONGAN SERVING NON-PROFIT SERVING THE INLAND EMPIRE AND TARGETING PRIMARILY THE TONGAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS (NHPIS) COMMUNITY AND CONNECTING THEM TO LOCAL RESOURCES SPANNING SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY. MALO'S VISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY GROWTH AND EMPOWERMENT IS RESPONSIVE AND RESPECTFUL, MAINTAINING AT THE CENTER THE UNIQUE, COMPLICATED AND NUANCED HISTORIES OF THE NHPI COMMUNITIES IN THE US IN A WAY THAT BRIDGES THE EXPERIENCES OF OUR ELDERS TO THE EVOLVING EXPERIENCES AND GROWTH OF THE YOUNG LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. MALO'S SUPPORT TO INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS FOCUSED ON DIRECT SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY THROUGH YOUTH MENTORSHIP AND LEADERSHIP, HEALTH INITIATIVES AND RESOURCES, CULTURAL PRESERVATION, JOB READINESS AND RESOURCE LITERACY, RECOGNIZING THAT ALL OF THESE SUPPORTS ENABLE OUR COMMUNITY TO OVERCOME SYSTEMIC BARRIERS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE ADVOCACY AND ACTIVISM.

Income
$376,017
Spending
$678,911
Spent on programs
61%
Reserves
7.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 53%
Employees
0
Volunteers
50
Highest pay
$127,190, founder/exec. director

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

Fair: 56 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 81% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 59% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    61% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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: 86 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 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 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 (3)
  1. $285,725 spent. OUR EDUCATION AND YOUTH PROGRAMS PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF SERVICES FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS, FOCUSING ON EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. WE OFFER TUTORING SUPPORT, COLLEGE PREPARATION, AND STUDY SKILLS ENHANCEMENT TO HELP STUDENTS ACHIEVE ACADEMIC SUCCESS. IN ADDITION TO EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, WE RUN VARIOUS YOUTH PROGRAMMING INITIATIVES AIMED AT DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP SKILLS THROUGH DIRECT SERVICE AND ADVOCACY. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE MALO YES, TAIMI TONGA, THE SATURDAY TONGAN EDUCATION PROGRAM, YOUTH AMBASSADORS, AND KISINA HEALTH, EACH DESIGNED TO EMPOWER YOUTH AND FOSTER THEIR GROWTH AS LEADERS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
  2. $107,968 spent. HEALTH INITIATIVES ENCOMPASS BOTH DIRECT SERVICES AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS AIMED AT IMPROVING COMMUNITY WELL-BEING. AS PART OF OUR DIRECT SERVICES, MALO HOSTS FREE ZUMBA SOCIALS, PROVIDING LOCAL RESIDENTS WITH ACCESSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SOCIAL CONNECTION. EACH YEAR, MALO ALSO ORGANIZES KISINA HEALTH, A COMMUNITY HEALTH CONFERENCE THAT SERVES AS BOTH A NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND A FORUM FOR SHARING FINDINGS AND DISCUSSING COMMUNITY-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS. IN ADDITION, MALO DISTRIBUTES FOOD ANNUALLY TO FAMILIES IN NEED DURING THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY, HELPING TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY RESILIENCEHEALTH INITIATIVES ENCOMPASS BOTH DIRECT SERVICES AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS AIMED AT IMPROVING COMMUNITY WELL-BEING. AS PART OF OUR DIRECT SERVICES, MALO HOSTS FREE ZUMBA SOCIALS, PROVIDING LOCAL RESIDENTS WITH ACCESSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SOCIAL CONNECTION. EACH YEAR, MALO ALSO ORGANIZES KISINA HEALTH, A COMMUNITY HEALTH CONFERENCE THAT SERVES AS BOTH A NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND A FORUM FOR SHARING FINDINGS AND DISCUSSING COMMUNITY-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS. IN ADDITION, MALO DISTRIBUTES FOOD ANNUALLY TO FAMILIES IN NEED DURING THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY, HELPING TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.
  3. $20,915 spent. CULTURAL APPRECIATION PROGRAMMING INCLUDES AN INTERGENERATIONAL APPROACH TO WORKING WITH ELDERS AND YOUTH. DIRECT SERVICES OFFERED FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS INCLUDE TAIMI TONGA WHEREBY YOUTH AND FAMILIES PARTICIPATE IN TONGAN CULTURAL GROUNDING WITHIN TONGAN SONG, PERFORMANCE, LANGUAGE (READING, SPEAKING, WRITING), AND TRADITIONAL CEREMONIAL KNOWLEDGE AND IMPLEMENTATION.

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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since September 2018.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.