Pahoa Lava Zone Museum

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
843932219
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2022–2024
Forms available
Form 990-EZ 2024, Form 990-N 2020
Location
Pahoa, HI, USA
Phone
8089374146
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Natural History, Natural Science Museums

Reported finances

Revenue
$199,436
Expenses
$199,658
Assets
$322,892
Liabilities
$313,889

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

3 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • AMEDEO MARKOFF (PRESIDENT)
  • JON OLSON (VICE PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • AMEDEO MARKOFF (PRESIDENT)
  • JON OLSON (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • STEVE SCHAEFLE (SECRETARY)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

It is the mission of pahoa lava zone museum to provide public, historic, scientific, and educational information to tourists and residents regardingthe geology and impacts of Hawaii island's volcanic events for the benefitof the pahoa community and to promote responsible tourism in the punadistrict. It is also the mission of plzm to help facilitate a safe, strong, sustainable community and economy in puna and on the big island ofhawaii.

What it reported doing in 2024

The organization operates the phoa lava zone museum, a volunteer-run educational center providing exhibits and public education on volcanic activity, geological history, and the 2018 lower east rift zone eruption. The museum maintains interpretive displays, artifacts, photographs, and community narratives that help visitors understand the environmental and cultural significance of living in a lava zone. Through regular open hours, guided interpretation, and outreach to local residents and visitors, the museum promotes hazard awareness, supports community resilience, and preserves the region's geological and cultural heritage.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 92% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and liabilities are high compared with assets.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 89
  • Transparency & Controls: 82
  • Sustainability: 46
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 88.5%; rating input score 89
  • Program expense ratio: 88.4%; rating input score 88

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Limited

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -0.1%; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.62; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.97; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 13.8% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.9% per year; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 44.3% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 88.5% of revenue deployed · 88.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 4 filed program accomplishments · $177K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 3 people listed
  • Consistency: 8 of 8 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 2 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 3 filing years from 2022 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 33/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 5/100.