Charter for Charity operates a financially self-sustaining air charter business that converts its profits into charitable flight hours to serve people in need of air transportation.
Charter for Charity Inc turns profits from a for-profit charter business into charitable flight hours, making air transportation the core of its philanthropy. The foundation’s recent grants show a clear pattern of support for organizations that move people in critical need, especially hospitals, veteran-serving nonprofits, and medical-research institutions. In 2024, the largest gift in the recent list went to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis for air transportation, reflecting the role flights can play in accessing care and services. Other major awards support institutions such as the University of California Regents in Los Angeles and Veterans Airlift Command in Wayzata. The giving profile also includes organizations serving children and families, such as Make-A-Wish Foundation in Phoenix and Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital in Orlando. Across the grant list, the foundation’s work is tied to transportation access rather than general operating support alone, with flight capacity used as the philanthropic tool. That makes the funder distinct among transportation-oriented grantmakers: the charitable asset is not cash alone, but flight hours delivered through a charter operation.
Medical and critical transport sits at the center of the foundation’s giving. It awarded $5,662,962 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis for air transportation, and $4,077,333 to University of California Regents in Los Angeles for the same purpose. The pattern suggests direct support for organizations that need reliable flight access for patients and related needs. Veteran-serving groups are another visible theme. Veterans Airlift Command in Wayzata received $3,185,550 in 2023 and $2,491,703 in 2024, with the later grant marked for air transportation. The foundation also supported Wounded Warrior Foundation in Topeka with $3,171,259 in 2024 for air transportation and an additional $687,500 in 2023. Children’s and family-facing organizations appear as well. Make-A-Wish Foundation in Phoenix received $3,171,259 in 2024 for air transportation, while Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital in Orlando received $906,074 in 2024 for the same purpose.
Typical grants are in the multimillion-dollar range: the 25th percentile is $2,718,222, the median is $3,171,259, and the 75th percentile is $3,985,750. The grant list also shows repeat recipients across years, including Veterans Airlift Command, Wounded Warrior Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Pepperdine University, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards. Charter for Charity Inc is structured around a for-profit charter operation that generates charitable flight capacity, and the active programs describe pre-paid hourly flight cards to selected partner organizations. Those programs are not open to unsolicited applications.
$42.1M
$342K
$43.4M
$43M
Most grants fall between $2.7M and $4M, with a median of $3.2M.
25th Percentile
$2.7M
Median
$3.2M
75th Percentile
$4M
About 0% of grants go to recipients in CA.
STEPHEN BIRCH
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Grant recipients are all in the United States, and the foundation gives most often in Tennessee by grant count. Memphis appears multiple times through St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while Los Angeles also shows up repeatedly through University of California Regents and UCLA. Other recipient cities in the recent list include Wayzata, Phoenix, Topeka, Malibu, and Orlando. Although Charter for Charity Inc is headquartered in Dallas, none of the listed grants go to recipients in Texas.
The recent grants point to hospitals, universities, veteran-serving nonprofits, and children’s organizations that need air transportation. Examples in the list include St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Veterans Airlift Command, Wounded Warrior Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital.
The grant-size distribution is high and fairly tight: the 25th percentile is $2,718,222, the median is $3,171,259, and the 75th percentile is $3,985,750. That places most awards in the multimillion-dollar range rather than small project grants.
Yes. Several organizations appear in more than one year, including Veterans Airlift Command, Wounded Warrior Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Pepperdine University, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. That suggests recurring relationships rather than one-time support only.
No. Both active programs say they do not accept unsolicited requests. The charitable flight hours and pre-paid hourly flight cards are provided to selected partner organizations.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Judes Medical Center | — | $10,741,218 | 2026 | Air Transporation |
| UCLA | — | $7,733,677 | 2026 | Air Transportation |
| Wounded Warriors | — | $6,015,082 | 2026 | AIr Transportation |
| Make-A-Wish Foundation | — | $6,015,082 | 2026 | Air Transporation |
| Shriners Childrens Hospital | — | $5,155,784 | 2026 | Air Transporation |
| Veterans Airlift Command | — | $4,726,136 | 2026 | Air Transportation |
| Arnold Palmer Childrens Hosp | — | $1,718,595 | 2026 | Air Transportation |
| St Judes Childrens Research Hospital | Memphis, TN | $5,662,962 | 2024 | Air Transportation |
| University of California Regents | Los Angeles, CA | $4,077,333 | 2024 | Air Transportation |
| Wounded Worrior Foundation | Topeka, KS | $3,171,259 | 2024 | Air Transportation |
| Make-A-Wish Foundation | Phoenix, AZ | $3,171,259 | 2024 | Air Transportation |
| Pepperdine University | Malibu, CA | $2,718,222 | 2024 | Air Transportation |
| Veterans Airlift Command | Wayzata, MN | $2,491,703 | 2024 | Air Transportation |
| Arnold Palmer Childrens Hospital | Orlando, FL | $906,074 | 2024 | Air Transportation |
| Pepperdine University | Malibu, CA | $4,168,500 | 2023 | — |
| St Jude Childrens Hospital | Memphis, TN | $3,985,750 | 2023 | — |
| UCLA | Los Angeles, CA | $3,425,680 | 2023 | — |
| Veterans Airlift Command | Wayzata, MN | $3,185,550 | 2023 | — |
| Make-A-Wish Foundation | Phoenix, AZ | $3,159,750 | 2023 | — |
| Wounded Warrior Foundation | Topeka, KS | $687,500 | 2023 | — |
St Judes Medical Center
$10,741,218Air Transporation
UCLA
$7,733,677Air Transportation
Wounded Warriors
$6,015,082AIr Transportation
Make-A-Wish Foundation
$6,015,082Air Transporation
Shriners Childrens Hospital
$5,155,784Air Transporation
Veterans Airlift Command
$4,726,136Air Transportation
Arnold Palmer Childrens Hosp
$1,718,595Air Transportation
St Judes Childrens Research Hospital
$5,662,962Air Transportation
University of California Regents
$4,077,333Air Transportation
Wounded Worrior Foundation
$3,171,259Air Transportation
Make-A-Wish Foundation
$3,171,259Air Transportation
Pepperdine University
$2,718,222Air Transportation
Veterans Airlift Command
$2,491,703Air Transportation
Arnold Palmer Childrens Hospital
$906,074Air Transportation
Pepperdine University
$4,168,500St Jude Childrens Hospital
$3,985,750UCLA
$3,425,680Veterans Airlift Command
$3,185,550Make-A-Wish Foundation
$3,159,750Wounded Warrior Foundation
$687,500