Hoa Aina O Makaha
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
HOA AINA O MAKAHA (LAND OF MAKAHA SHARED IN FRIENDSHIP) IS MORE THAN A DESTINATION FARM OR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. THE EMBRACE OF A SANCTUARY IS FELT BY WHOEVER ENTERS THE GATES AND A SENSE OF BELONGING USUALLY FOLLOWS. ONCE A BARREN PIECE OF LAND FROM THE PAST AND NOW A THRIVING EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER, HOA AINA O MAKAHA HAS BEEN A VILLAGE COMMITMENT SINCE THE BEGINNING. OUR MISSION FOCUSES ON COMMUNITY SELF-RELIANCE, SUPPORTING FAMILY, AND PEACE-MAKING ON THE WAIANAE COAST.
- Income
- $588,030
- Spending
- $512,740
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 8.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 76%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 700
- Highest pay
- $77,375, 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.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% 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: 71 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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 (1)
- $383,515 spent. NA KEIKI O KA'AINA (CHILDREN OF THE LAND) - IS THE CORE PROGRAM OF THE ORGANIZATION, ITS PRINCIPLES ARE BASED ON THE TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN VALUES OF MALAMA AINA: CARING FOR THE LAND AND EACH OTHER. RESOURCES AND PRACTICAL HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES ENHANCING CLASSROOM LESSON PLANS ARE OFFERED AS CURRICULUM. THIS PROGRAM HAS INSPIRED THOUSANDS OF MAKAHA ELEMENTARY STUDENTS FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND HAS ALSO BEEN USED AS A TEMPLATE FOR THE FARM TO SCHOOL GARDEN INITIATIVE POPULARIZED 20 YEARS LATER BY SEVERAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT HAWAII. KE ALA (THE WAY) - THE LEARNING CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1996 AS AN EXTENSION OF THE NA KEIKI O KA 'AINA PROGRAM TO VISITING SCHOOLS. KE ALA IS A CLASSROOM WITHOUT WALLS HOLDING SPACE FOR OVER 4,000 STUDENTS EVERY YEAR. A DELICATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT IS OBSERVED BY BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS ALL OVER OAHU WHEN THEY LEARN HOW TO RESPECT THE LAND THROUGH HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES AT THE FARM. THE CURRICULUM HIGHLIGHTS THREE SUBJECTS: ANIMAL + PLANT CARE, CULTURAL HISTORY OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE SOLUTIONS. U-PICK (FARM TO BASKET EXPERIENCE) - GROWING YOUR OWN FOOD BECAME A POPULAR TOPIC IN 2020 WHEN THE WORLD WAS ON LOCKDOWN. THE FARMS SMALL YET MIGHTY STAFF CULTIVATED AND SOLD 400 LBS OF PRODUCE EVERY WEEK FOR ONE YEAR TO SUSTAIN WAIANAE COAST COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CENTERS KEIKI PANTRY PROGRAM. THIS EMERGENCY DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD STOPPED AT THE END OF MAY 2021 AS THE FARM TRANSITIONED INTO THEIR THIRD SUCCESSFUL U-PICK EXPERIENCE. A TOTAL OF EIGHT DONATION-BASED EDUCATIONAL EVENTS TOOK PLACE WITHIN ITS PILOT YEAR OF OPERATING. GUESTS ARE WELCOME TO HARVEST FROM DESIGNATED FIELDS, ASSIST FARMERS WITH PLANTING, LEARN HEALTH BENEFITS/RECIPES OF WHATEVER IS IN THEIR BASKETS, AND TAKE STARTERS HOME FOR THEIR GARDENS. PLACES (PLACED-BASED LEARNING AND COMMINUTY ENGAGEMENT IN SCHOOL) AND PALS (PLACED-BASED AFTERSCHOOL LITERACY SUPPORT) PROGRAMS - THE WAIANAE COMMUNITY HOLDS AN INCREDIBLE WEALTH OF SPIRITUAL, CULTURAL, AND INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL. WHEN STUDENTS, THROUGH THE GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY MENTORS, ARE CONNECTED TO THAT WEALTH INCLUDING ITS HISTORIES, STRENGTHS, AND CHALLENGES THEY LEARN TO LOVE THEIR PLACE AND THEIR PEOPLE. AND WHEN PEOPLE LOVE SOMETHING, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO TAKE CARE OF IT. THIS IS THE TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN VALUE KNOWN AS ALOHA `AINA, MEANING LOVE FOR THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE. IT IS A PRACTICE THAT UTILIZES THE SKILLS AND TALENTS OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, ALL RESPONSIBLY WORKING TOGETHER IN HARMONY, WITH A COMMITMENT FOR THE PRESENT AND A HEART FOR THE GENERATIONS YET TO COME. NA KEIKI O KA'AINA (CHILDREN OF THE LAND) - IS THE CORE PROGRAM OF THE ORGANIZATION, ITS PRINCIPLES ARE BASED ON THE TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN VALUES OF MALAMA AINA: CARING FOR THE LAND AND EACH OTHER. RESOURCES AND PRACTICAL HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES ENHANCING CLASSROOM LESSON PLANS ARE OFFERED AS CURRICULUM. THIS PROGRAM HAS INSPIRED THOUSANDS OF MAKAHA ELEMENTARY STUDENTS FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND HAS ALSO BEEN USED AS A TEMPLATE FOR THE FARM TO SCHOOL GARDEN INITIATIVE POPULARIZED 20 YEARS LATER BY SEVERAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT HAWAII. KE ALA (THE WAY) - THE LEARNING CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1996 AS AN EXTENSION OF THE NA KEIKI O KA 'AINA PROGRAM TO VISITING SCHOOLS. KE ALA IS A CLASSROOM WITHOUT WALLS HOLDING SPACE FOR OVER 4,000 STUDENTS EVERY YEAR. A DELICATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT IS OBSERVED BY BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS ALL OVER OAHU WHEN THEY LEARN HOW TO RESPECT THE LAND THROUGH HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES AT THE FARM. THE CURRICULUM HIGHLIGHTS THREE SUBJECTS: ANIMAL + PLANT CARE, CULTURAL HISTORY OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE SOLUTIONS. U-PICK (FARM TO BASKET EXPERIENCE) - GROWING YOUR OWN FOOD BECAME A POPULAR TOPIC IN 2020 WHEN THE WORLD WAS ON LOCKDOWN. THE FARMS SMALL YET MIGHTY STAFF CULTIVATED AND SOLD 400 LBS OF PRODUCE EVERY WEEK FOR ONE YEAR TO SUSTAIN WAIANAE COAST COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CENTERS KEIKI PANTRY PROGRAM. THIS EMERGENCY DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD STOPPED AT THE END OF MAY 2021 AS THE FARM TRANSITIONED INTO THEIR THIRD SUCCESSFUL U-PICK EXPERIENCE. A TOTAL OF EIGHT DONATION-BASED EDUCATIONAL EVENTS TOOK PLACE WITHIN ITS PILOT YEAR OF OPERATING. GUESTS ARE WELCOME TO HARVEST FROM DESIGNATED FIELDS, ASSIST FARMERS WITH PLANTING, LEARN HEALTH BENEFITS/RECIPES OF WHATEVER IS IN THEIR BASKETS, AND TAKE STARTERS HOME FOR THEIR GARDENS. PLACES (PLACED-BASED LEARNING AND COMMINUTY ENGAGEMENT IN SCHOOL) AND PALS (PLACED-BASED AFTERSCHOOL LITERACY SUPPORT) PROGRAMS - THE WAIANAE COMMUNITY HOLDS AN INCREDIBLE WEALTH OF SPIRITUAL, CULTURAL, AND INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL. WHEN STUDENTS, THROUGH THE GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY MENTORS, ARE CONNECTED TO THAT WEALTH INCLUDING ITS HISTORIES, STRENGTHS, AND CHALLENGES THEY LEARN TO LOVE THEIR PLACE AND THEIR PEOPLE. AND WHEN PEOPLE LOVE SOMETHING, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO TAKE CARE OF IT. THIS IS THE TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN VALUE KNOWN AS ALOHA `AINA, MEANING LOVE FOR THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE. IT IS A PRACTICE THAT UTILIZES THE SKILLS AND TALENTS OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, ALL RESPONSIBLY WORKING TOGETHER IN HARMONY, WITH A COMMITMENT FOR THE PRESENT AND A HEART FOR THE GENERATIONS YET TO COME.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1996.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.
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