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Civil Air Patrol

EIN 75-6037853 · Maxwell Afb, AL

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak44 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SUPPORTING AMERICA'S COMMUNITIES WITH EMERGENCY RESPONSE, DIVERSE AVIATION AND GROUND SERVICES, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTION OF AIR, CYBER, AND SPACE POWER.

Income
$95.0 million
Spending
$103.2 million
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
-12.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 77%
Employees
211
Volunteers
69,992
Highest pay
$225,373, executive secretary/coo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 44 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (6)
  1. $41.8 million spent. EMERGENCY SERVICES: CAP SUPPORTED SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) MISSIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. CAP SAVED LIVES ON THESE SAR MISSIONS TASKED BY THE AIR FORCE RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER AND JOINT RESCUE COORDINATION CENTERS. PERSONNEL SUPPORTED HOMELAND SECURITY EFFORTS BY FLYING CAP AIRCRAFT IN INTERCEPT TRAINING FOR THE AIR FORCE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. CAP ALSO FLEW IN SUPPORT OF FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. CAP ALSO RESPONDED TO NUMEROUS NATURAL DISASTERS, PRIMARILY TAKING AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS FOR USE BY LOCAL OFFICIALS AND RESPONDERS TO ASSESS DAMAGE, ALLOCATING THEIR OWN FUNDS AND RESOURCES EFFECTIVELY. WITH VOLUNTEER MEMBERS FROM VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS AND CAP'S EXTENSIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING, CAP DELIVERS QUALITY AND RELIABLE SERVICES THAT ARE ALSO COST-EFFECTIVE.
  2. $18.1 million spent. CADET PROGRAMS: THE CAP CADET PROGRAM TRANSFORMS YOUTH AGED 12 TO 20 INTO RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS AND AEROSPACE LEADERS. CADETS DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS, EXPLORE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN AEROSPACE AND CYBER, BECOME PHYSICALLY FIT, AND EMBRACE A SET OF LIFELONG CORE VALUES THROUGH SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS, MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES, AND HIGH ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS OPPORTUNITIES TO FLY POWERED AIRCRAFT AND GLIDERS, MAKING THE PROGRAM EXCITING AND MOTIVATING THE YOUTH TO EXCEL ACADEMICALLY AND AS YOUNG ADULTS. THE CADET EXPERIENCE CHALLENGES AND INSPIRES YOUTH UNLIKE ANYTHING AVAILABLE THROUGH SCHOOL, SPORTS, OR CLUBS. TODAY'S CADETS ARE TOMORROW'S AEROSPACE LEADERS.
  3. $6.8 million spent. AEROSPACE EDUCATION AND TRAINING: CAP'S AEROSPACE EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND RESOURCE MATERIALS, EMPHASIZING THE STEM SUBJECTS OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH, WERE USED BY STUDENTS AND TEACHERS NATIONWIDE. NEW STEM KITS, TO INCLUDE ROBOTICS, REMOTE-CONTROLLED AIRCRAFT, FLIGHT SIMULATORS, ASTRONOMY, WEATHER STATIONS, ROCKETS, QUAD COPTERS, AND HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING WERE DEVELOPED TO EXPAND CAP MEMBERS' KNOWLEDGE OF STEM-RELATED AREAS. CAP OFFERS EDUCATORS A SPECIAL AEROSPACE EDUCATION MEMBERSHIP (AEM) THAT INCLUDES ACCESS TO OVER 35 EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTS, ORIENTATION FLIGHTS, GRANTS, AWARDS, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. CAP AEMS FLEW IN ORIENTATION FLIGHTS TO LEARN FIRST-HAND ABOUT THE FLIGHT PRINCIPLES AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, AND TO SHARE WITH STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. THE UNIQUE "AEROSPACE CONNECTIONS IN EDUCATION" (ACE) PROGRAM FOR GRADES K-6 IMPACTED STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IS INTRODUCING AEROSPACE AND STEM TO YOUNG STUDENTS.
  4. $9.3 million spent. COUNTERDRUG: THE PROGRAM SERVES TO AUGMENT CAPABILITIES OF FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, PRIMARILY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, THROUGH JTFN FOR AERIAL TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT MISSIONS. THE MAIN BENEFICIARIES OF CAP SERVICES IN THIS PROGRAM ARE FEDERAL LEAS AND STATE AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
  5. $311,244 spent. DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION: CAP'S DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION (DDR) PROGRAM HAS ASSISTED REGIONS, WINGS, GROUPS, AND SQUADRONS IN INSTILLING AN AGGRESSIVE, POSITIVE, DRUG-FREE ATTITUDE IN CAP MEMBERS, AIR FORCE FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CIVILIANS, AND SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN. TO THAT END, CAP'S DDR PROGRAM PROVIDES LEADERSHIP, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, AND PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO REACH THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH A DRUG-FREE MESSAGE.
  6. $1.4 million spent. COMMUNICATION MAINTENANCE: CAP MAINTAINS AN EXTENSIVE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK INCLUDING VHF LAND MOBILE RADIOS SUPPORTED BY REPEATERS AND HF RADIOS WHICH ARE INFRASTRUCTURE INDEPENDENT. THIS SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO BE SECURE, SURVIVABLE YET INTEROPERABLE WITH THE DOD AND OTHER FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AGENCIES, THEREBY ENSURING MESSAGES CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY RELAYED DURING CRISIS SITUATIONS. CAP HAS MADE A STRONG EFFORT TO REBUILD OUR HF RADIO NETWORK OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS SO THATOUR INCIDENT COMMAND POSTS AND GROUND TEAMS ARE NOT LIMITED DURING NATURAL DISASTERS WHERE CELL PHONE AND OTHER COMMERCIAL COMMUNICATIONSRESOURCES ARE DAMAGED OR OVERLOADED

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 1947.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.