Hui O Laka

aka HoL, Kokee Natural History Museum, Kokee Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp   |   Kekaha, HI   |  www.kokee.org

Mission

Hui o Laka serves visitors to Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Parks by engaging all in a spirit of appreciation and service.

Hui o Laka runs Koke'e Natural History Museum that operates a 2,000 square foot interpretive center in Koke'e State Parks. Exhibits include forest flora and fauna including threats. Trail information and assistance is provided to 89,000 annual visitors on a daily basis. Two HoL sponsored festivals held in May – Banana Poka RoundUp! - and October – Eo e Emalani i Alaka'i. HoL operates the historic Koke'e Civilian Conservation Corps Camp as accommodations for research, educational, and volunteer groups. HoL's volunteer program Kokua Koke'e teaches groups about invasive plant species and how to safely eradicate them, allowing natives to flourish.

Notes from the nonprofit

We are struggling, like many other institutions due to COVID. Here on Kauai Island, we have had tough travel restrictions since March. We are doing better than most businesses on the island. Our membership has been supportive. We are working on an online store to capture more business in 2021. Formerly, we had 99,800 daily visitors at the museum in 2019. We have about 90% less people since reopening in July. It is the first time the Museum has been unable to support the organization since Hurricane Iniki in 1992.We are fortunate that we have our local community support which is why we spent our closure renovating the museum to provide a reason to come visit us again. We already had some contracted funds available for other work and managed to keep some of it. Our operations aren't bringing enough to cover the State-mandated insurance and we have applied for all the Cares Act funds we qualified for including a SBA loan.

Ruling year info

1954

Executive Direccor

Ms Christine Faye

Main address

P.O. Box 100

Kekaha, HI 96752 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

99-0085977

NTEE code info

Museum & Museum Activities (A50)

Forest Conservation (C36)

Citizen Participation (W24)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

For the first time in decades, we are facing serious financial issues and no idea of when we will be allowed to recover due to Covid-19. We have survived two hurricanes in the past quarter of a century which affected the islandʻs economy for years. We are fortunate to be located in a major State Park and, in normal times, have the foot traffic and venue to provide all the income we need to operate. Our foot traffic is down 90% and our income derived from the museum is down about 35-50%. We have been open to the public 4 of 7 days a week during peak traffic hours. The schedule designed for one full-time position to manage until we see the traffic improve.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Kokua Kokee

HoL’s volunteer program Kokua Koke‘e teaches groups of children to adults about invasive plant species and how to safely eradicate them, allowing natives to flourish.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Hui o Laka runs Koke‘e Natural History Museum that operates a 2,000 square foot interpretive center in Koke‘e State Parks. Exhibits include forest flora and fauna including threats. Trail information and assistance is provided to 89,000 annual visitors on a daily basis.

Population(s) Served

Hui o Laka operates the historic Koke‘e Civilian Conservation Corps Camp as accommodations for research, educational, and volunteer groups.

Population(s) Served

Historical commemorative event honoring Queen Emma's 1871 trek to Kokee and the Alaka'i Swamp. Scores of hula halau from Hawaii and elsewhere pay homage to this intrepid Queen. First Saturday in October

Population(s) Served
Adults

Environmental Family Fair held during Memorial Day Weekend each year. Education focuses on identifying and utilizing invasive plant species to reduce their impact on the native forest.

Population(s) Served
Families

Monthly themes related to Kokee State Park and our museum - 50 handouts and stickers are given away to elementary-age children that physically come into the museum.

Population(s) Served

In 2021 we will be introducing a journaling program on our website for free downloadable activities. It is a way to discover the unique natural environment of Kauai forests. Activities will range from school-age children to adults. Materials will be formatted to fit in 3 ring binders which are readily available in a rural community. Although we could have a wide audience due to the online nature of the activity, our primary goal is to reach out to our local community.

Population(s) Served
Non-adult children
Parents
Age groups
Non-adult children
Parents
Age groups

Where we work

Videos

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

1. Pivot from being a visitor center based on park information, primarily hiking.
2. Reinforce our primary focus as a museum and our relevance as an educational resource.
3. Align our operations and activities with our mission.
4. Develop new streams of income and provide online activities.

1. Redesign and enhance the museum. Continue prioritizing and completing the work through 2021.
2. Limit our hiking information - put new trail map outside and insist on people using it. Change our marketing.
3. Develop online resources - shopping and educational activities.
4. More robust communications with members and the community by expanding our contact lists.

We are operating at a half staff level and have hesitated on rehiring staff and opening the museum fully because of the stringent and unknown levels of quarantining we are dealing with in the pandemic. We are facing some attrition and will be focusing on finding the right people with talents that can help us move forward in the new direction which will be healthier for the organization. I believe we have the capacity and have the time to weather some of the worst of the pandemic caused lack of people.

We do need more board members with energy and that is something that also needs to be addressed with some vacancies.

When the county (island) had reopened to air traffic without quarantine, we saw dramatic increases in visitors and income. It is currently in a reinstated quarantine again (Dec 2020). This is much better than having all businesses and parks closed to the public.

We applied for all cares act funding that was made available so we bought a lot of time with the assumption in May 2020 that this would be a year or more of difficulties.

The refurbished museum is doing the job we want - visitors are spending a lot more time in the museum.

Our email list is now over 500, with 300 members. We have sent out two communications since we improved the list.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback

Financials

Hui O Laka
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

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Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

Hui O Laka

Board of directors
as of 12/10/2020
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Ms Billi Smith-Topp

Retired Principal, Department of Education, State of Hawaii

Term: 2020 - 2021

Frank O. Hay

Retired

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 12/10/2020
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

No data

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Transgender Identity

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 12/10/2020

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.