Home Countries United States Arts & Culture Polynesian Voyaging Society
Polynesian Voyaging Society logo

Polynesian Voyaging Society

The polynesian voyaging society has launched (through the renovation of our voyaging canoe, hokule'a) sail plans for hawai'i-wide educational programs/voyages and a sail plan for a worldwide voyage. …

Arts & Culture Honolulu, HI EIN: 237302232 (IRS) Sign up to see website
Claim this charity
Ready to give?
100% goes to Polynesian Voyaging Society

GiveRadar doesn't take a cut. Donate directly on their site.

Make your donation
80
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
80/100 · methodology

About Polynesian Voyaging Society

Founded in 1973, the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s mission is to perpetuate the art and science of traditional Polynesian voyaging and the spirit of exploration through experiential educational programs that inspire students and their communities to respect and care for themselves, each other, and their natural and cultural environments.

Founded
Headquarters
Honolulu, HI
Foundation type
Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2))
NTEE code
A200
IRS subsection
501(c)(03)
Ruling date
Size
medium

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 1974

Mission

The polynesian voyaging society has launched (through the renovation of our voyaging canoe, hokule'a) sail plans for hawai'i-wide educational programs/voyages and a sail plan for a worldwide voyage. The purpose of the worldwide voyage is to become a catalyst for positive change in hawai'i by constantly learning from and nuturing relationships worldwide that share the values and responsibility of caring for island earth, her oceans and children, while honoring our heritage and perpetuating our culture.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
Cause tags
SDG alignment The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the global agenda for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity by 2030. We tag each charity to the goals its work advances.

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar arts & culture in United States
Program spending This charity: 74%
Peer average: 75%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 3.75%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 80
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for IRS revocation history, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every $1 goes

· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)
$0.73
Program$0.73

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

Based on the records currently verified by GiveRadar, Polynesian Voyaging Society has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 3 independent sources including the IRS.

  • It is one of the better-documented arts & culture charities in the United States GiveRadar currently tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. Most of those have little verified data on record yet. View this cohort
  • By reported annual revenue, it is larger than 87% of the 55,580 arts & culture charities in the United States with financial records on GiveRadar. See the filings
  • Established in 1973, it predates 79% of the arts & culture charities in the United States GiveRadar has a founding year for. View this cohort
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a contact email
  • a donation page
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Polynesian Voyaging Society is a registered arts & culture nonprofit based in Honolulu, HI, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1973 and has been operating for 53 years. Its EIN is 237302232. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 80/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $4M in annual revenue. 77 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Polynesian Voyaging Society's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 237302232. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

Polynesian Voyaging Society has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 80/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 80 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for arts & culture charities in United States is 90/100.

Polynesian Voyaging Society is located in Honolulu, HI, United States. The organization was established in 1973 and has been active for 53 years.

Based on official tax filings, Polynesian Voyaging Society has $4M in annual revenue. It allocates 74% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 75% for arts & culture charities in United States. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of $1M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Polynesian Voyaging Society is classified as an Arts & Culture organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a medium organization. It has $4M in annual revenue. The organization has 77 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Polynesian Voyaging Society. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

According to GiveRadar's records, Polynesian Voyaging Society holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 74% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 75%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

Founded in 1973, the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s mission is to perpetuate the art and science of traditional Polynesian voyaging and the spirit of exploration through experiential educational programs that inspire students and their communities to respect and care for themselves, each other, and their natural and cultural environments. Polynesian Voyaging Society is classified as an arts & culture organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1973.

Among arts & culture charities registered in United States: It allocates 74% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 75%. Its annual revenue of $4M is well above the peer average of $1M.

Yes, donations to Polynesian Voyaging Society are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Polynesian Voyaging Society is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 237302232, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$1M-$10M
74% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021, FY2020.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.

Sign up to view
Already have an account? Log in
No credit card · Takes 20 seconds

Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
11

Leadership

From FY2024 filing

ER
Eric C•
Treasurer

Officers & trustees (21)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

21 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

Already have an account? Log in
Sign up to view

Latest news

From global news sources

No recent news coverage found

News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
$3.8M revenue
FY2024
IRS 990
Form filed
$2.9M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
Form filed
$1.6M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Form filed
$1.1M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990
Form filed
$1.0M revenue
FY2020
IRS 990

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience.

Have you donated or volunteered here?

Share your experience - it takes 30 seconds. Verified reviews help other donors decide.

Sign up to write a review

Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services 322,679
Education 195,586
Arts & Culture this charity 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development 56,086
Youth Development 53,450
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 77 disclosed in the public registry.
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
90%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 10
  • Financial data · FY2024 on record
  • Named leadership · 77 officers on file
  • Executive pay · Disclosed
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 1973
Not available · 1
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Polynesian Voyaging Society

What is Polynesian Voyaging Society?
Polynesian Voyaging Society is a arts & culture publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Honolulu, United States. Founded in 1973, the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s mission is to perpetuate the art and science of traditional Polynesian voyaging and the spirit of exploration through experiential educational programs that inspire students and their communities to respect and care for themselves, each other, and their natural and cultural environments.
When was Polynesian Voyaging Society founded?
Polynesian Voyaging Society was founded in 1973.
Who leads Polynesian Voyaging Society?
Eric Co serves as Treasurer.
Where is Polynesian Voyaging Society located?
Headquartered in Honolulu, HI, United States.
What is Polynesian Voyaging Society's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $1M-$10M. 74% of expenses go to program services.
Is Polynesian Voyaging Society trustworthy?
Polynesian Voyaging Society has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 80 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Polynesian Voyaging Society's registration number?
IRS EIN: 237302232.
What is Polynesian Voyaging Society's website?
http://hokulea.com