State's nonprofit sector grew 42.5% in 10 years

In the decade from 1996 to 2006, the number of Hawaii nonprofit organizations increased by 42.5 percent to 7,273 from 5,103, according to the Internal Revenue Service and the Urban Institute. Those figures include 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charities and private foundations and other 501(c) nonprofit organizations.

The number of private foundations in the state increased during the decade to 559 from 317, or by 76.3 percent, while the number of public charities grew to 5,001 from 3,025, or 65.3 percent.

Meanwhile, the number of other 501(c) nonprofits declined slightly by 2.7 percent to 1,713 from 1,761. These include civic leagues, social welfare organizations, fraternal societies, chambers of commerce, labor and agricultural organizations, social and recreational clubs, veterans organizations and other types of nonprofits.

Hawaii charities with less than $25,000 in annual gross receipts now outnumber those with revenues exceeding $25,000 by a margin of 3,203 to 1,798.

Among the largest nonprofits, nine enjoy annual revenues that exceed $100 million; 71 have revenues between $10 million and $100 million; 64 have revenues of $5 million to $10 million; and 263 fall into the $1 million to $5 million bracket.

Smaller nonprofits include 195 with annual revenues between $500,000 and $999,999; 199 with revenues between $250,000 and $499,999; and 385 in the $100,000 to $249,999 range. The IRS reports 4,705 registered Hawaii nonprofits with less than $100,000 in total annual revenue.

Twenty-two Hawaii nonprofits reported assets exceeding $100 million. The combined assets of all Hawaii nonprofits totalled $17.9 billion as of April 2009, according to the IRS.