Hawaii
Overall Free to Give Index 4.67/10
Rank 32nd
Category Score (0–10) Rank (50 states)
Overall Free to Give Index 4.67 32nd
Broad Policy Environment 3.95 38th
Nonprofit Freedom 6.69 17th
Donor Confidence 3.38 40th

Highlights

  • Above-average nonprofit freedom: Hawaii ranks 17th in Nonprofit Freedom. While it has no charity registration fees, it’s annual reporting fees can be steep and it imposes quite a few regulatory requirements on paid solicitors. It does not have an annual audit requirement however.
  • Weak broad policy environment: Hawaii ranks 38th in the Broad Policy Environment, reflecting a less competitive tax structure and low levels of economic freedom.
  • Poor mandates, protections and incentives: Hawaii ranks 40th in Donor Confidence, offering no donor privacy protections, no donor standing, only very weak UPMIFA protections, and an unpredictable regulatory environment.

Detailed Scorecard

1. Broad Policy Environment

1A. Occupational Freedom (rescaled 0 to 10) 5.00
1B. Tax Competitiveness (rescaled 0 to 10) 2.23
1C. EFNA (0 to 10) 4.63

2. Nonprofit Freedom

2A. Charitable Startup Regulations

Requires charitable registration? Yes
Top Registration Fee $0.00
Minimum Registration Fee $0.00
Top Incorporation Fee $25.00
Minimum Incorporation Fee $25.00

2B. Charitable Reporting Regulations

Requires Annual Report? Yes
Top Annual Fee $600.00
Minimum Annual Fee $10.00
Requires Additional Corporate Filings Yes
Other Fees $2.50
Tiered Fee Structure Yes
Overlapping Regulators No

2C. Paid Solicitor Requirements

Commercial Fundraisers Must Register with the State Yes
Paid Solicitor Registration Fee $250.00
Paid Solicitor Renewal Fee $250.00
Surety Bond for Professional Fundraisers $25,000.00
Must Paid Solicitors Required to Report to the State in Order to Start Fundraising? Yes
Fundraising Consultant Registration Required Conditionally
Annual Financial Reporting by Commercial Fundraisers Required Yes
Must File Contracts Between Charities and Commercial Fundraisers Yes
Individual solicitors employed by professional fundraisers must register separately? No

2D. General Audit threshold (revenue)

General Audit threshold (revenue) N/A

3. Donor Confidence

3A. State has Never Introduced Disclosure No
3B. State has Privacy Law No
3C. State gives Donors Standing No
3D. State has UPMIFA Protections Yes (very weak)
3E. Donations are Generally Deductible Limited
3F. General Sales Tax Exemption Yes
3G. State has Never Proposed DAF Restrictions Yes
3H. New Regulations Require Legislative Approval No