PLATINUM2024

Civil Air Patrol HQ

Volunteers serving America's communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.

Montgomery, AL   |  http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com

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Mission

Volunteer's serving America's communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.

Ruling year info

1947

Chief Executive Officer, National Commander

Maj Gen Edward D. Phelka

Chief Operations Officer

Mr. John Desmarais Sr.

Main address

P.O. Box 9251

Montgomery, AL 36108-2342 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

75-6037853

NTEE code info

Youth Development Programs (O50)

Search and Rescue Services (M23)

Educational Services and Schools - Other (B90)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Blog

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

1) Airlines around the world will need to recruit 635,000 pilots over the next two decades to fly the record number of planes being built and to replace the thousands of aviators expected to retire. The U.S. military is expected to need an additional 2,000 pilots. 2) Current cyber assaults on U.S. networks will continue to increase. Concerns regarding the lack of nationwide systematic cybersecurity training for America’s young adults persist. 3) According to the Pentagon, 71 percent of Americans ages 17 to 24 are ineligible to join the military, primarily because they are too overweight or too poorly educated, or they have a record of serious crime or drug abuse. 4) The nature of search and rescue is moving to the use of cell phone forensics and small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS). 5) 60% of new jobs in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and aerospace-related occupations in the 21st Century will require skills possessed by only 20% of the workforce.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Cadet Programs

With more than 29,000 cadets, ages 12-21, involved in more than 1,400 units, we build disciplined cadets through programs in character, leadership and aerospace. Our cadets are academically, morally and physically qualified for their future career choices.

Adult Senior Members of CAP provide the volunteer leadership at weekly meetings throughout the school year and for summer programming, including encampments.
Cadets have an opportunity to explore careers and job shadowing, and demonstrate interest in aerospace, cyber, small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), STEM, aviation and military service.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Adults

Reaching more than 500,000 students nationwide, CAP develops, publishes and distributes national academic standards-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and aerospace education curricula for kindergarten through college-age classrooms.

In addition, CAP offers free educational programs, teacher orientation flights and 22 different “STEM Kits” associated with astronomy, flight simulation, model and remote control aircraft, rocketry, weather, hydraulic engineering, robotics, computer engineering, computer programming, coding, circuitry, renewable energy and mathematics.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Adolescents

Volunteers maintain and fly one of the largest single-engine piston aircraft fleets in the world, operating 560 powered planes, 47 gliders and 2 hot air balloons that fly about 100,000 hours annually to fulfill Search and Rescue (SAR)/Disaster Response, Homeland Security, Counterdrug, Humanitarian Services and Orientation Flights.

In Fiscal Year 2022, 151 lives were saved.
Some of our most notable missions include 9/11, Deepwater Horizon, Hurricanes Maria and Irma and more than 90% of the inland search and rescue missions tasked by the U.S. Air Force.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Where we work

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of youth who demonstrate that they have developed skills and attitudes to make physical activity a habit

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Adolescents

Related Program

Cadet Programs

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

100% of cadets participate in a healthy lifestyle curriculum modeled on the Presidential Youth Fitness Program. Following the pandemic, we experienced an increase in this metric.

Number of search and rescue missions conducted

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Adults

Related Program

Emergency Services = Search & Rescue/Disaster Relief/Aerial Reconnaissance

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

Due to the pandemic, fewer SAR missions were conducted. However, a new mission emerged with Operation Pulse Lift, collecting blood donations. More than 17,298 lives were saved in FY21.

Total dollar value of service hours to America

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Adults

Related Program

Emergency Services = Search & Rescue/Disaster Relief/Aerial Reconnaissance

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Dollar value of Civil Air Patrol members' service to America based on citizens serving communities

Number of lives saved

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Adults

Related Program

Emergency Services = Search & Rescue/Disaster Relief/Aerial Reconnaissance

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Lives saved annually through search and rescue missions, CAP's National Radar Analysis Team, Cell Phone Forensics Team. and Geospatial Teams.

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

1) Civil Air Patrol will grow current Flight Academies to serve 500 youth annually. To maintain statistics that 70% of cadets have participated in at least one orientation flight and 65% of cadets express an interest in aviation. We also have the Youth Aviation Initiative to continue to grow opportunities for youth to participate.

2) 300 cadet teams learn and compete in Cyber defense as part of the CyberPatriot annual competition. Cyber programs are offered to reach the next generation need for Cyber expertise.

3) Fitness is one of the core goals for the Cadet programs and that all cadets participate in the Presidential Fitness program.

4) Civil Air Patrol's goal is to have sUAS operational capability in every wing by 2020.

5) To expand the reach of the Aerospace Education program in offering free curricula, education programs, teacher orientation flights and STEM kits to local school children across the United States.

Civil Air Patrol offers three main programs with the capacity to meet the need.

Emergency Services & Operations - Encompassing one of the largest single-engine piston aircraft fleets in the world, operating 560 powered planes, 47 gliders and 2 hot air balloons that fly about 100,000 hours annually to fulfill Search and Rescue (SAR)/Disaster Response, Homeland Security, Counterdrug, Humanitarian Services and Orientation Flights.

Some of our most notable missions include 9/11, Deepwater Horizon, Hurricanes Maria and Irma and more than 90% of the inland search and rescue missions tasked by the U.S. Air Force. This program includes the deployment of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) and accompanying training.

This program also offers specific pilot training and orientation flights for youth and teachers.

Cadet Programs - With more than 24,000 cadets, ages 12-21, involved in 1,442 units, we build disciplined cadets through programs in character, leadership and aerospace. Our cadets are academically, morally and physically qualified for their future career choices.

Adult Senior Members of CAP provide the volunteer leadership at weekly meetings throughout the school year and for summer programming, including encampments focused on flying.

Cadets have an opportunity to explore careers and job shadowing, and demonstrate interest in aerospace, cyber, small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), STEM, aviation and military service.

Aerospace Education - Reaching more than 350,000 students nationwide, CAP develops, publishes and distributes national academic standards-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and aerospace education curricula for kindergarten through college-age classrooms.

In addition, CAP offers free educational programs, teacher orientation flights and 15 different “STEM Kits” associated with astronomy, flight simulation, model and remote control aircraft, rocketry, weather, hydraulic engineering, robotics, computer engineering, computer programming, coding, circuitry, renewable energy and mathematics.

Comprised of more than 56,000 volunteers and cadets, from ages 12 to over 100, in career fields as diverse as mechanics, doctors, plumbers, executives, teachers and retirees, our members embody our core values of integrity, volunteerism, excellence and respect.

Our programs are positioned to answer the call. We are the only non-profit in the United States that combines search and rescue, youth character and leadership development and aerospace and cyber education, while advancing the preservation and extension of universal, American values.

While we are known for our search and rescue missions, the fact is we also save the lives of our youth. Our character and leadership program is developed by our corps of chaplains and delivered by trained volunteers. 95% of our cadets feel it’s important for them to help our Country.

Shaping lives happens through dedicated and specific training at all levels, providing an internal moral and decision-making compass that is exhibited not only within the programs and mission at hand, but also in everyday living and decision-making outside of service to Civil Air Patrol.

We also shape our future through our Aerospace Education program, introducing schoolchildren and educators with Aerospace and STEM programs.

Civil Air Patrol is in a unique position of being both a 501(c)(3) charity and the Air Force Auxiliary. We are considered a Total Force Partner with the Air Force, the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard.

1) Civil Air Patrol will grow current Flight Academies to serve 500 youth annually. 70% of cadets have participated in at least one orientation flight. 65% of cadets express an interest in aviation.

2) 300 cadet teams learn and compete in Cyber defense as part of the CyberPatriot annual competition.

3) All 25,000+ cadets participate in the Presidential Youth Fitness Program.

4) 60% of cadets have a General Emergency Services certification and participate, with supervision, on ground teams for SAR and disaster relief operations.

5) 80% of CAP “STEM Kit” users have a greater interest in pursuing STEM-based careers.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback

Financials

Civil Air Patrol
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

Civil Air Patrol

Board of directors
as of 02/09/2024
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Col John Longley


Board co-chair

Col Don Kang

USAF (Ret)

Term: 2021 - 2024

Curtis Boehmer

CJ Boehmer Mediation

John Longley, Jr.

TJ Longley Realty LEA

Brian Ready

Specialty Roofing Inc

Don Kang

BAE Systems

Sharon DeVivo

Vaughn College

Bernie Skoch

USAF (Ret)

Amy Hudnall

Robert Dandridge

Kirk Pierce

USAF (Ret)

Richard Dickens

USAF

Christopher Walker

USAF (Ret)

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 2/9/2024

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male, Not transgender
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or Straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

The organization's co-leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male, Not transgender
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or Straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Transgender Identity

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 10/13/2023

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.