The Charles W Harris Foundation concentrates its giving on general aviation and aviation education, funding museums, vintage aircraft associations, and local airport infrastructure. Grants are large and targeted, often supporting educational programming and community aviation facilities in Oklahoma and the broader vintage/general aviation community. The foundation appears to make repeat, high-dollar gifts to a small set of aviation-focused organizations rather than many small awards across causes.
A $225,000 grant to the Charles W Harris Pawhuska Airport F in 2023 points to the Charles W Harris Foundation’s core pattern: substantial, targeted support for aviation-related community assets. The foundation’s recent giving also reaches aviation education, with grants to the EAA Aviation Foundation in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and to the Vintage Aircraft Association, indicating sustained interest in both training and aircraft preservation. Across the recent grants list, the foundation also appears in local service fields such as food access, end-of-life care, homebound services, and homelessness, but those awards are secondary to its aviation-centered identity. The grant list shows a mix of large project gifts and repeated support for a small set of organizations, suggesting a focused portfolio rather than broad, dispersed philanthropy. Recipients are mostly in Tulsa, with additional awards to Oklahoma communities and a small number of aviation grantees outside the state. The overall picture is of a foundation that combines aviation preservation and education with selected local human-services support, using relatively few grants at meaningful dollar levels.
In aviation education, the foundation gave $197,500 in 2024 and $62,500 in 2025 to the EAA Aviation Foundation in Oshkosh for educational purposes. It also supported the Vintage Aircraft Association with a $67,500 grant in 2023 for education, showing attention to both flight learning and aircraft heritage. Community aviation infrastructure is another clear theme: the foundation made a $225,000 grant in 2023 to the Charles W Harris Pawhuska Airport F for community support. Beyond aviation, the foundation funded local human services with a $50,000 grant in 2025 to the Community Food Bank Eastern Oklahom for food bank work and a $50,000 grant the same year to Clarehouse for end-of-life care. It also supported Meals on Wheels for homebound services.
The foundation’s typical grant size sits at $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $15,000 at the 75th percentile, even though several recent awards are much larger. The list suggests repeat giving rather than one-time gifts: EAA Aviation Foundation, Meals on Wheels, Community Food Bank Eastern Oklahom, Clarehouse, Revitalize T-town, Life Senior Services, Iron Gate, and Wwii Airborne Demonstration Team all appear more than once. The foundation does not fund individuals and makes no program-related investments. Its recent pattern is best described as direct grant support for specific projects, services, and operating needs within a relatively small recipient set.
$512K
$10.2M
$573K
$732K
Most grants fall between $5K and $15K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$15K
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small number of aviation-focused grantees with evidence of repeat support; emphasis on programmatic education and community/infrastructure projects rather than broad diversified giving.
Notable grantees: EAA Aviation Foundation Inc., Charles W Harris Pawhuska Airport Fund, VAA Vintage Aircraft Association
Grantmaking is highly concentrated in Oklahoma, with 94% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Tulsa accounts for most awards, including gifts to Community Food Bank Eastern Oklahom, Clarehouse, Meals on Wheels, Catholic Charities, Iron Gate, John 316 Mission, Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless, and Tulsa Boys Home. Outside Tulsa, recent grants reached Oshkosh, Wisconsin; Frederick, Oklahoma; Bartlesville, Oklahoma; Foyil, Oklahoma; and Kansas, Oklahoma. By count, Wisconsin is the top state for giving because of repeated grants to aviation organizations there.
Its most visible focus is general aviation and aviation education, including support for aviation education programs, vintage aircraft preservation, and airport-related community assets. Recent grants also include Tulsa-area food access, end-of-life care, homebound services, homelessness services, and senior assistance.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution centers at $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $15,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards include several much larger project gifts, including a $225,000 airport grant and six-figure support for aviation education.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including EAA Aviation Foundation, Meals on Wheels, Community Food Bank Eastern Oklahom, Clarehouse, Revitalize T-town, Life Senior Services, Iron Gate, and Wwii Airborne Demonstration Team. That pattern suggests ongoing support for a small set of organizations.
Most grants go to recipients in Oklahoma, especially Tulsa. The grant list also includes repeated giving in Wisconsin through aviation-related organizations in Oshkosh, which is why Wisconsin ranks as the top state by grant count.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals, and the recent grants list shows institutional recipients such as airports, museums, food banks, and service organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAA AVIATION FOUNDATION INC | OSHKOSH, WI | $62,500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| MEALS ON WHEELS | TULSA, OK | $50,000 | 2025 | HOMEBOUND SERVICES |
| COMMUNITY FOOD BANK EASTERN OKLAHOM | TULSA, OK | $50,000 | 2025 | FOOD BANK FOR NEEDY |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES | TULSA, OK | $50,000 | 2025 | END OF LIFE CARE |
| CLAREHOUSE | TULSA, OK | $50,000 | 2025 | END OF LIFE CARE |
| IRON GATE | TULSA, OK | $25,000 | 2025 | FOOD BANK |
| REVITALIZE T-TOWN | TULSA, OK | $20,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY PROGRAMS |
| WWII AIRBORNE DEMONSTRATION TEAM | FREDERICK, OK | $15,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| LIFE SENIOR SERVICES | TULSA, OK | $15,000 | 2025 | SENIOR ASSISTANCE |
| TULSA DAY CENTER FOR THE HOMELESS | TULSA, OK | $15,000 | 2025 | HOMELESS SERVICES |
| TULSA BOYS HOME | TULSA, OK | $15,000 | 2025 | CHILD PROTECTION |
| JOHN 316 MISSION | TULSA, OK | $15,000 | 2025 | HOMELESS SERVICES |
| COOKSON HILLS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | KANSAS, OK | $15,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| COFFEE BUNKER | TULSA, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | VETERAN SUPPORT |
| PROJECT SANTA-SALVATION ARMY | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| BARTLESVILLE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | BARTLESVILLE, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| YOUTH SERVICES OF TULSA | TULSA, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | AT RISK YOUTH SERVICES |
| ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF TULSA | TULSA, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY PROGRAMS |
| FLOURISH HOMES | TULSA, OK | $7,500 | 2025 | COMMUNITY PROGRAM |
| COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES | TULSA, OK | $7,500 | 2025 | CHILD PROTECTION |
| NEIGHBORS ALONG THE LINE | TULSA, OK | $7,500 | 2025 | COMMUNITY PROGRAMS |
| LINDSEY HOUSE | TULSA, OK | $5,500 | 2025 | HOMELESS SERVICES |
| PALMER CONTINUUM CARE INC | TULSA, OK | $5,500 | 2025 | SUBSTANCE ABUSE & ADDICTION CARE |
| THE LITTLE LIGHTHOUSE | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| TFI FAMILY SERVICES INC | TOPEKA, KS | $5,000 | 2025 | FOSTER CARE SUPPORT |
| FOSTERING CONNECTIONS | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2025 | CHILD PROTECTION |
| ONE HOPE TULSA INC | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY PROGRAMS |
| THE SPRING SHELTER INC | SAND SPRINGS, OK | $5,000 | 2025 | CRISIS SHELTER |
| BOYS GIRLS CLUB | CHELSEA, OK | $3,500 | 2025 | COMMUNITY PROGRAMS |
| TULSA BOTANIC GARDEN | TULSA, OK | $2,500 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| EAA AVIATION FOUNDATION INC | OSHKOSH, WI | $197,500 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL |
| CLAREHOUSE | TULSA, OK | $35,000 | 2024 | END OF LIFE CARE |
| COMMUNITY FOOD BANK EASTERN OKLAHOM | TULSA, OK | $35,000 | 2024 | FOOD BANK FOR NEEDY |
| MEALS ON WHEELS | TULSA, OK | $35,000 | 2024 | HOMEBOUND SERVICES |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES | TULSA, OK | $35,000 | 2024 | END OF LIFE CARE |
| BARTLESVILLE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | BARTLESVILLE, OK | $20,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL |
| REVITALIZE T-TOWN | TULSA, OK | $15,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY PROGRAMS |
| WWII AIRBORNE DEMONSTRATION TEAM | FREDERICK, OK | $15,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL |
| IRON GATE | TULSA, OK | $12,500 | 2024 | FOOD BANK |
| UP WITH TREES | TULSA, OK | $10,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY PROGRAMS |
| TULSA DAY CENTER FOR THE HOMELESS | TULSA, OK | $10,000 | 2024 | HOMELESS SERVICES |
| PROJECT SANTA-SALVATION ARMY | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $10,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| TULSA BOYS HOME | TULSA, OK | $10,000 | 2024 | CHILD PROTECTION |
| YOUTH SERVICES OF TULSA | TULSA, OK | $10,000 | 2024 | AT RISK YOUTH SERVICES |
| LIFE SENIOR SERVICES | TULSA, OK | $10,000 | 2024 | SENIOR ASSISTANCE |
| JOHN 316 MISSION | TULSA, OK | $10,000 | 2024 | HOMELESS SERVICES |
| COFFEE BUNKER | TULSA, OK | $7,500 | 2024 | VETERAN SUPPORT |
| NEIGHBORS ALONG THE LINE | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY PROGRAMS |
| PALMER CONTINUUM CARE INC | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2024 | SUBSTANCE ABUSE & ADDICTION CARE |
| FOSTERING CONNECTIONS | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2024 | CHILD PROTECTION |
MEALS ON WHEELS
$50,000HOMEBOUND SERVICES
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
$50,000END OF LIFE CARE
FOOD BANK
WWII AIRBORNE DEMONSTRATION TEAM
$15,000EDUCATIONAL
JOHN 316 MISSION
$15,000HOMELESS SERVICES
COOKSON HILLS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
$15,000EDUCATIONAL
COFFEE BUNKER
$10,000VETERAN SUPPORT
PROJECT SANTA-SALVATION ARMY
$10,000CHARITABLE
YOUTH SERVICES OF TULSA
$10,000AT RISK YOUTH SERVICES
FLOURISH HOMES
$7,500COMMUNITY PROGRAM
COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES
$7,500CHILD PROTECTION
FOSTERING CONNECTIONS
$5,000CHILD PROTECTION
ONE HOPE TULSA INC
$5,000COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
BOYS GIRLS CLUB
$3,500COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
TULSA BOTANIC GARDEN
$2,500EDUCATIONAL
MEALS ON WHEELS
$35,000HOMEBOUND SERVICES
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
$35,000END OF LIFE CARE
WWII AIRBORNE DEMONSTRATION TEAM
$15,000EDUCATIONAL
UP WITH TREES
$10,000COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
PROJECT SANTA-SALVATION ARMY
$10,000CHARITABLE
YOUTH SERVICES OF TULSA
$10,000AT RISK YOUTH SERVICES
JOHN 316 MISSION
$10,000HOMELESS SERVICES
COFFEE BUNKER
$7,500VETERAN SUPPORT
FOSTERING CONNECTIONS
$5,000CHILD PROTECTION