I'm pleased to announce the Paubox Kahikina Scholarship has submitted an application to the IRS for a 501(c)(3) non-profit status.
What's happening: Paubox Kahikina Scholarship advisors have asked when the scholarship will become a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity.
The application we submitted to the IRS puts on track to achieve that.
The Paubox Kahikina Scholarship: The mission of the Paubox Kahikina Scholarship is to encourage Native Hawaiians to pursue careers in STEM or technology in general.
The scholarship is recurring in nature. In other words, recipients receive $1,000 per year until they graduate.
The fine print: The Paubox Kahikina Scholarship organization has submitted an application for recognition of tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is currently awaiting IRS determination.
If approved as expected, our exemption will be retroactive to 1 April 2025, and donations will be tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.
What this means: As per the IRS site, "Organizations described in section 501(c)(3) are commonly referred to as charitable organizations. Organizations described in section 501(c)(3), other than testing for public safety organizations, are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions in accordance with Code section 170."
The takeaway: We are now able to accept donations to the scholarship in a manner that allows donors to deduct the amount from taxes.
Q: How much of my donation will be applied to scholarships for students?
A: For every dollar you donate, 100% of your donation will go towards scholarships.
Q: With the ability to accept donations, will more recipients be selected in 2026, or will existing recipients get more money per year?
A: More recipients in 2026.
Selfie with Paubox Kahikina Scholarship recipient Colton Mills and his makana