Alaska Airlines Foundation
The Alaska Airlines Foundation is a corporate foundation established in 1998 and based in Anchorage, Alaska. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as the philanthropic arm of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, two of the longest-serving airlines in the country. The foundation is dedicated to investing in organizations and communities across Alaska and Hawai'i, honoring the distinct identities and legacies of both brands and their shared history of service to these regions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.2M
+7.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$573K
-1.3% YoY
Grant Count
66
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
-1.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Alaska Airlines Foundation reported a distributable amount of $586K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports organizations involved with education and aviation. Its giving is grounded in strengthening communities across Alaska and Hawai'i through programs that reflect and uplift the cultural identities of these states and preserve the way of life of their people.
The foundation prioritizes grants supporting:
- Cultural programs that strengthen community identity
- Preservation of natural environments
- Preservation of art and language, with a preference for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian organizations (though not to the exclusion of others)
The foundation also has a significant focus on youth development and STEM education, particularly through robotics programs that aim to reach diverse young people from cultures and communities who lack access to engaging STEM opportunities.
Grantmaking
The foundation has also awarded LIFT Grants to nonprofits, including a $295,000 grant round to nonprofits across five states.
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $5,000 to $100,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in Alaska and Hawai'i as the primary service regions. However, grants have also been made in Washington, California, and other states.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $10,478,825
- Total Revenue: $1,143,960
- Total Expenses: $585,220
- Total Liabilities: $0
Tax-Exempt Status: The foundation has been tax-exempt since September 1999 (EIN: 92-0166198).
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,212,161 | $10,478,825 | $9,920,085 |
| Revenue | $1,312,867 | $1,143,960 | $1,040,828 |
| Expenses | $579,531 | $585,220 | $587,439 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $572,500 | $580,000 | $562,500 |
| Net Investment Income | $496,848 | $363,767 | $335,622 |
| Distributable Amount | $585,703 | $491,815 | $467,543 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Alaska Airlines Foundation
Alaska Airlines Corporate Giving Grant
Alaska Airlines Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Alaska Airlines Foundation Corporate Giving - Nonprofit Fundraiser Sponsorships
Alaska Airlines Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Alaska Airlines Foundation Grant
Alaska Airlines Foundation
Amount
US $5,000 - US $20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Alaska Development Corporation ($50,000), Angel City Aerospace Foundation ($30,000), Fly Compton Aeronautical Education Foundation ($20,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Adelante Mujeres Forest Grove, OR | The Chicas Youth Development Program provides year-round, culturally specific services to address prevailing educational and racial disparities for Latine youth throughout Washington County. The program works in partnership with the Hillsboro, Forest Grove, and Beaverton School Districts and is provided at 29 public school sites across Washington County, with a focus on the crucial transition periods between middle and high school, and between high school and post-secondary pathways. It currently provides services to over 700 Latine girls in grades 3-12 and in 12 universities for over 110+ college students. | $10,000 |
| Adult Friends for Youth Honolulu, HI | The `O Ke Ala Maluhia is a project that combines the components of leadership development, self-empowerment, critical thinking, and soft skills such as social-emotional learning and healthy coping strategies. The concept of the project started as a pilot that allowed AFY youth to travel outside of Hawaii and be exposed to different cultures and ways of life and thinking. ways of life and thinking. | $15,000 |
| After School All-Stars Federal Way, WA | ASAS Puget Sound "Academic Readiness"Career Exploration Opportunities (CEO)" program initiatives, which provide educational enrichment and workforce development programming for approximately 600 low-income, underrepresented students at three middle school sites in South King County. Academic Readiness and Career Exploration are integrated into our comprehensive after-school programs, which typically run Monday through Thursday for two hours after the bell rings. To encourage consistent student engagement, we align our program schedule with the school calendar and structure it around three enrollment sessions throughout the year. | $5,000 |
| Aha Punana Leo Hilo, HI | The Aha Punana Leo, Inc. (APL) is a Native Hawaiian nonprofit organization established in 1983 with a vision of "E Ola Ka Olelo Hawaii" (The Hawaiian Language Shall Live). Our mission is to drive and inspire change to ensure a living Hawaiian language in Hawaii and beyond. The ultimate goal is to provide and nurture various environments where the Hawaiian language can flourish as a living language and appreciate Hawaiian culture and values in today's contemporary Hawaiian society. | $10,000 |
| Alaska Development Corporation Juneau, AK | Alaska Development Corporation supports the Program Delivery Organization for Alaska, JEDC, to provide robotics programs to K-12th grade students in over 70 communities. Teams at each level end their season with an in-person or remote tournament or festival with the excitement of a sporting event run by hundreds of volunteers statewide. | $50,000 |
| Alliance for Education Seattle, WA | Alliance for Education is providing Black male students with career-connected learning opportunities that offer the resources and supports they seek to be college and career ready. The Office of AAMA's vision is that the next generation of Black male graduates of SPS will be connected with skills, hands-on experiences, mentors and advocates, and tech sector expertise to successfully launch their college and career pathways. Strategies include connecting students with postsecondary scholarships, internship and externship opportunities, experiential education, and college and career mentoring. Cross-departmental alignment of resources and increased access to opportunities and supports about career-connected learning and college and career readiness will be our primary areas of focus. | $12,000 |
| Anchorage Park Foundation Anchorage, AK | Youth Employment in Parks (YEP) is an annual 10-week intensive summer workforce development program designed to positively engage a new generation of diverse young leaders. YEP offers Anchorage teens ages 16-19 from predominantly low-income neighborhoods, job skills by building trails, restoring stream banks, and performing a variety of park and trail projects that benefit the public. Participants engage in weekly Educational Recreation Days that are field trips to a variety of different public lands to increase their civic engagement, outdoor recreation experiences, environmental awareness, understanding of social justice issues, leadership skills, and career opportunities. This program culminates with Mentorship Week to help teens develop their own individualized career path in their field of interest. For most, YEP is a first job experience, offering needed household income, valuable exposure to the professional world, understanding of Alaska's unique natural resources, and confiden | $5,000 |
| Angel City Aerospace Foundation Inglewood, CA | Angel City Aerospace Foundation's program consists of mentorship and training opportunities for youth, producing and attending community events and attending career days at different schools and raising awareness and connecting youth to mental health resources. | $30,000 |
| AtWork Bellevue, WA | The School-to-Work program provides support to the student and their family as they transition from school based services to the adult world of work. We deliver, in partnership with local schools, personalized plans, skills assessments, job matching, and job placement. Securing a job at graduation is life changing for a person with significant disabilities. All students need guidance in order to make the leap from high school to the next step towards a full and meaningful life of their choosing. Students with disabilities often need expert assistance because their leap may require unique supports and accommodations in order to be successful. We are the chosen embedded provider in the Bellevue School District, and we work with a number of other school districts in King, Snohomish, and Spokane counties. By creating a team comprised of the students, educators, families and the adult service system, we work to cultivate confidence, know-how, and hope for students with disabilities going in | $5,000 |
| Be A Mentor Hayward, CA | Be A Mentor offers mentoring services to under-served youth in California. The programs offered by BAM are designed to improve academic performance, reduce risk factors, develop workforce skills, and provide guidance to underserved youth, including youth impacted by substance misuse, youth in foster care, and youth otherwise systems impacted. BAM recruits, trains, and oversees mentors who work with youth to improve academic, social, and career outcomes. BAM's Youth Mentoring Program focuses on creating supportive one-to-one relationships between youth from challenging circumstances and adult volunteers from the community. As a community-based mentoring program, mentors and mentees meet in person and participate in activities out in the community. | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diana Birkett Rakow | Officer and Director | — | — |
| Timothy Thompson | Executive Director | — | — |
| Marilyn F Romano | Chairman and President | — | — |
| Megan Oullette | Officer and Director | — | — |
| Alessandra Frichtl | Secretary | — | — |
| Beth Fleury | Treasurer | — | — |
| Daniel Chun | Vice President and Director | — | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 3600 Old International Airport Road, Anchorage, AK 99502-1005
- Telephone: 206-392-5719
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Alaska Airlines Foundation fund?
The foundation supports organizations involved with education and aviation. Its giving is grounded in strengthening communities across Alaska and Hawai'i through programs that reflect and uplift the cultural identities of these states and preserve the way of life of their people. The foundation prioritizes grants supporting: • **Cultural programs** that strengthen community identity • **Preservation of natural environments** • **Preservation of art and language**, with a preference for Alaska N…
How do I apply for a grant from Alaska Airlines Foundation?
**Grant Sizes:** Typical awards range from $5,000 to $100,000. **Recent Grant Activity:** In 2023, the foundation made 65 grants with total giving of $580,000. **Recent Grants:** • Alaska Development Corporation: $50,000 (2023) for robotics programs serving K-12 students across over 70 communities in Alaska • Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement: $25,000 (2023) for disaster relief following the Maui Fire • YMCA of Greater Seattle: Grant for the Charlie Labenz Youth Development Center The fou…
Where does Alaska Airlines Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in Alaska and Hawai'i as the primary service regions. However, grants have also been made in Washington, California, and other states.
What size grants does Alaska Airlines Foundation award?
In 2024, Alaska Airlines Foundation awarded 66 grants totaling $573K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Alaska Airlines Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Alaska Airlines Foundation reported a distributable amount of $586K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Alaska Airlines Foundation's EIN?
Alaska Airlines Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 92-0166198. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Alaska Airlines Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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