Aerial Recovery
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
AERIAL RECOVERY'S MISSION IS TO SAVE LIVES AND STOP EVIL. THROUGH THE CREATION AND DEPLOYMENT OF HUMANITARIAN SPECIAL OPERATORS, AERIAL RECOVERY BRINGS TOGETHER SELECTED VETERANS, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND MISSION-QUALIFIED CIVILIANS WHO, THROUGH THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES AND HEALING, ARE EQUIPPED TO SERVE OTHERS ON A GLOBAL SCALE ACROSS DISASTER RELIEF, ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING, ANIMAL RESCUE, AND HUMANITARIAN MISSIONS WORLDWIDE.
- Income
- $5.4 million
- Spending
- $4.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 4.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $38,846, vice president/coo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 25% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 78% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 70 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 258 of 10 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (4)
- $524,183 spent. AERIAL RECOVERY DEPLOYS HUMANITARIAN SPECIAL OPERATORS TO DISASTER-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, PROVIDING SEARCH AND RESCUE, MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, LOGISTICS COORDINATION, SUPPLY DISTRIBUTION, AND DIRECT SURVIVOR SUPPORT. OPERATORS INCLUDE VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS DEVELOPED THROUGH AERIAL RECOVERY'S HEAL THE HEROES PROGRAM, AS WELL AS MISSION-QUALIFIED VOLUNTEERS AND CIVILIAN SPECIALISTS, ALL TRAINED, SCREENED, AND EQUIPPED TO FUNCTION IN AUSTERE, HIGH-RISK, AND RAPIDLY EVOLVING ENVIRONMENTS WHERE CONVENTIONAL AID ORGANIZATIONS HAVE DIFFICULTY EFFECTIVELY OPERATING.AERIAL RECOVERY DOES NOT OPERATE PRIMARILY AS A SUPPLY-DISTRIBUTION ORGANIZATION. ITS MODEL IS TO DEPLOY TRAINED HUMAN OPERATORS CAPABLE OF FUNCTIONING IN HIGH-RISK, RAPIDLY EVOLVING ENVIRONMENTS. THIS OPERATOR-FIRST APPROACH REQUIRES SUSTAINED INVESTMENT IN RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, AND READINESS THAT PRECEDES AND ENABLES EVERY FIELD RESPONSE.DISASTER RESPONSE DEPLOYMENTS ALSO FUNCTION AS ACTIVE RECRUITMENT ENVIRONMENTS WITHIN THE AERIAL RECOVERY IMPACT ENGINE. IN THE FIELD, TEAMS IDENTIFY VETERANS, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH THE CAPABILITY AND CALLING TO SERVE, INCLUDING THOSE WHO MAY BENEFIT FROM AERIAL RECOVERY'S HEAL THE HEROES REINTEGRATION PROGRAM. EVERY DEPLOYMENT BUILDS THE NEXT ONE.SINCE INCEPTION, AERIAL RECOVERY HAS AIDED OVER 8,000 PEOPLE ACROSS MISSIONS RESPONDING TO HURRICANES, TORNADOES, FLOODS, EARTHQUAKES, VOLCANIC EVENTS, AND MAN-MADE CRISES IN HAITI, HONDURAS, THE BAHAMAS, THE UNITED STATES, TAJIKISTAN, ST. VINCENT, THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, UKRAINE, PAKISTAN, CUBA, AND ADDITIONAL COUNTRIES.
- $919,887 spent. HEAL THE HEROES IS AERIAL RECOVERY'S FOUNDATIONAL PROGRAM AND THE ENGINE THAT POWERS EVERY MISSION. THE PROGRAM ADDRESSES A DOCUMENTED NATIONAL CRISIS: MORE THAN 6,200 U.S. VETERANS TAKE THEIR OWN LIVES EACH YEAR (ONE EVERY 84 MINUTES). THE PRIMARY DRIVERS INCLUDE THE LOSS OF MISSION, COMMUNITY, AND PURPOSE THAT FOLLOWS SEPARATION FROM SERVICE. HEAL THE HEROES CONFRONTS THESE DRIVERS DIRECTLY BY REPLACING THEM WITH SOMETHING REAL: A NEW MISSION, A NEW TEAM, AND A NEW CALLING.THE HEAL THE HEROES PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE TO VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS, WHETHER ALREADY SERVING ON AERIAL RECOVERY'S TEAMS OR NEWLY IDENTIFIED THROUGH FIELD RECRUITMENT, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, OR PARTNER REFERRALS. PARTICIPATION IS NOT A PREREQUISITE FOR JOINING AERIAL RECOVERY'S TEAMS; IT IS A RESOURCE ACTIVELY MADE AVAILABLE TO ELIGIBLE TEAM MEMBERS, AND A PIPELINE THROUGH WHICH MANY OPERATORS ARE DEVELOPED. AERIAL RECOVERY ALSO PROVIDES MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, RESILIENCE RESOURCES, AND PEER CARE TO TEAM MEMBERS WHO DO NOT MEET THE VETERAN OR FIRST RESPONDER CRITERIA BUT WHO SERVE IN DEMANDING OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS.THE PROGRAM OPERATES THROUGH AERIAL RECOVERY'S FIVE-PHASE IMPACT ENGINE:RECRUIT: VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS SEEKING RENEWED PURPOSE ARE IDENTIFIED AND INVITED THROUGH FIELD OPERATIONS, PARTNER REFERRALS, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH.RETRAIN: PARTICIPANTS UNDERGO STRUCTURED, TRAUMA-INFORMED PROGRAMMING THAT REBUILDS DISCIPLINE, TRUSTED COMMUNITY, AND MISSION-READINESS. NON-VETERAN TEAM MEMBERS RECEIVE PARALLEL PREPARATION APPROPRIATE TO THEIR ROLE.REPURPOSE: SKILLS FROM MILITARY, EMERGENCY SERVICE, OR CIVILIAN BACKGROUNDS ARE REDIRECTED INTO HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS, INCLUDING SPECIALIZED TRACKS SUCH AS ANIMAL RESCUE AND EQUINE THERAPY AT REDEMPTION RANCH.RESCUE: PARTICIPANTS AND TRAINED OPERATORS DEPLOY GLOBALLY TO CONDUCT DISASTER RELIEF, ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING OPERATIONS, AND ANIMAL RESCUE MISSIONS.RECOVER: OPERATORS RECEIVE TRAUMA-INFORMED RESILIENCE AND RECOVERY CARE POST-DEPLOYMENT. SURVIVORS RECEIVE SUPPORT, COMMUNITIES REBUILD, AND NEW CANDIDATES ARE IDENTIFIED TO RESTART THE CYCLE.INVESTMENT IN OPERATOR RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, RESTORATION, AND READINESS IS DIRECT PROGRAM EXPENDITURE, NOT ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD. THE OPERATORS WHO DELIVER EVERY MISSION ARE HEAL THE HEROES PARTICIPANTS AND MISSION-QUALIFIED CIVILIANS BUILT WITH THIS SAME INTEGRATED SYSTEM IN MIND. THERE IS NO PROGRAM DELIVERY WITHOUT THE PEOPLE THIS PROGRAM BUILDS.
- $1.4 million spent. AERIAL RECOVERY'S ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING INITIATIVE DEPLOYS HUMANITARIAN SPECIAL OPERATORS AND TRAINING VOLUNTEERS IN COORDINATION WITH DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, INTELLIGENCE PARTNERS, AND VETTED NGOS TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING NETWORKS, SUPPORT VICTIM IDENTIFICATION, ASSIST IN RESCUE OPERATIONS, AND PROVIDE OR FUND SURVIVOR AFTERCARE SERVICES. WITH AN ESTIMATED 49.6 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING IN MODERN SLAVERY GLOBALLY, INCLUDING 12.4 MILLION CHILDREN, AND AERIAL RECOVERY DEPLOYS PRIMARILY OPERATORS WITH MILITARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND SPECIALIZED CIVILIAN BACKGROUNDS BECAUSE THE ENVIRONMENTS WHERE TRAFFICKING OCCURS REQUIRE THAT LEVEL OF CAPABILITY AND DISCRETION.OPERATIONAL TEAMS INCLUDE VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS DEVELOPED THROUGH HEAL THE HEROES, AS WELL AS CIVILIAN SPECIALISTS, ANALYSTS, AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL WITH RELEVANT EXPERTISE OR CAPABILITY. ALL TEAM MEMBERS ARE SCREENED, TRAINED, AND OPERATE UNDER ESTABLISHED PROTOCOLS DESIGNED TO PROTECT VICTIM SAFETY, DIGNITY, AND IDENTITY.IN SOME CASES, AERIAL RECOVERY'S ANTI-TRAFFICKING WORK INCLUDES FUNDING OR COORDINATING WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE SPECIALIZED REHABILITATION, LEGAL SUPPORT, FAMILY REUNIFICATION, AND CARE FACILITATION FOR RESCUED OR AT-RISK INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING VULNERABLE CHILDREN. ALL ACTIVITIES ARE CONDUCTED UNDER STRICT PROTOCOLS TO PROTECT VICTIM IDENTITY AND SAFETY IN ALL PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS AND DISCLOSURES.
- $372,054 spent. AERIAL RECOVERY'S ANIMAL RESCUE INITIATIVE, PRIMARILY OPERATED THROUGH ITS REDEMPTION RANCH PROGRAM, RESCUES AND REHABILITATES ANIMALS DISPLACED, INJURED, OR ENDANGERED BY DISASTER, NEGLECT, AND HUMAN CRUELTY. ANIMAL RESCUE OPERATIONS ARE FREQUENTLY CONDUCTED IN DIRECT CONNECTION WITH DISASTER RESPONSE DEPLOYMENTS, AS NATURAL DISASTERS DISPROPORTIONATELY HARM ANIMALS ALONGSIDE HUMAN SURVIVORS.REHABILITATED ANIMALS ARE INTEGRATED INTO THERAPEUTIC PROGRAMMING SERVING VETERANS WITH POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS, CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, SURVIVORS OF ABUSE AND OTHERS. REDEMPTION RANCH ALSO PROVIDES ANIMAL-ASSISTED SUPPORT AND EQUINE THERAPY ACCESS TO TEAM MEMBERS WHO DO NOT QUALIFY FOR HEAL THE HEROES, EXTENDING AERIAL RECOVERY'S COMMITMENT TO WELLBEING ACROSS ITS FULL TEAM.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 2018.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.