The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £852,826 (charitable activities expenditure, 2024)
• Total Income: £18,088,051 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly specified
• Grant Range: £2,685 - £60,000+ (based on available examples)
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide

Contact Details

Website: www.rafct.com

Email: trust-admin@rafct.com

Phone: 01285 713300

Address: Douglas Bader House, Horcott Hill, Fairford, Gloucestershire, GL7 4RB, United Kingdom

For Grant Enquiries: RAF units, groups and associations can apply directly. Non-profit educational/youth organisations focusing on STEM or aviation-related projects should contact the Grants Facilitator for an initial conversation before completing the application form.

Overview

The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust (RAFCT) was established in 2005 and is powered by the Royal International Air Tattoo, the world's largest military airshow. The charity's mission is to promote the RAF and inspire young people and RAF personnel to fulfil their potential in air, space and technology. Since 2005, RAFCT has been gifted over £4 million by its trading company, with trustees approving grants totalling over £3 million (as of 2017). The charity has committed to reaching 500,000 young people with STEM educational engagements by 2026, and 500,000 per year thereafter. With total income exceeding £18 million in 2024 and charitable activities expenditure of £852,826, RAFCT partners with organisations across the UK to deliver hands-on STEM experiences, flying scholarships, and aviation education programmes. The charity currently works with 13 different partners to deliver STEM programmes, reaching over 300,000 young people annually.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Flying Scholarships

• Junior Rank Pilot Scholarship Scheme (JRPSS): Launched in 2015 with initial funding of £20,000 for 8 scholarships, increased to £60,000 for 24 scholarships in 2016. Provides 15 hours of flight training to RAF junior ranks under 25 years old.
• Junior Officers Scholarship Scheme: Entirely funded by RAFCT, with approximately 200 young RAF members benefitting since 2015.
• Applications processed on a rolling basis when programmes are available.

STEM Education Grants

• Support for schools with STEM competitions and workshops
• Partnership funding for national STEM initiatives
• Awards include Lego® Spike Primes (worth £670) for competition winners
• Support for virtual and in-classroom lessons and workshops

RAF Units and Community Support

• Crew room enhancements (e.g., £2,685 grant to 39 Squadron for furniture and equipment)
• Sports kit for RAF units
• Remote control aircraft kits for educational purposes
• Equipment for RAF groups and associations

Arkwright Engineering Scholarships

• RAFCT funding has supported 40 sixth formers to become future engineering leaders

Partnership Programmes

• Big Bang at School Blueprint (partnership with EngineeringUK) supporting up to 47,000 young people
• EDT and Smallpeice Trust programmes supporting 17,500+ young people across 561 schools
• Air Cadets Charity partnership for STEM and aviation experiences

Priority Areas

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education and engagement
• Aviation and aerospace education for young people aged 5-25
• Flying scholarships and air-mindedness training
• RAF personnel welfare and development
• Youth organisations with aviation/STEM focus
• Educational programmes promoting careers in air, space, and technology
• Projects supporting diversity in STEM (regardless of background, disability, race or gender)

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly detailed, but the charity's focus is clearly on:

• RAF-connected initiatives
• STEM and aviation education
• Youth engagement (5-25 years)
• UK-based projects

Projects outside these areas are unlikely to be funded.

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Governance and Leadership

Chairman: Air Marshal Philip Osborn CBE (appointed June 2020)

Air Marshal Osborn also serves as Director with Universal Defence and Security Solutions and senior advisor to Lockheed Martin UK and DXC Technology. No trustees receive remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity.

Chief Executive Officer: Gavin Gager (appointed August 2024)

Gavin joined the senior leadership team in 2021 as Finance and Shared Services Director and succeeded Paul Atherton, who retired after leading the organisation through record-breaking events and donations.

Previous CEO: Air Vice-Marshal Paul Atherton OBE (2019-2024)

Served 34 years with the Royal Air Force before joining RAFCTE.

Key Quote from Leadership

Gavin Gager on the charitable mission: “The work of our parent charity is really important. They do incredible work to reach children and young people across the country and inspire them to reach their full potential in air, space and technology.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

RAF Units, Groups and Associations: Can apply directly for grants. Check the RAFCT website to see whether relevant grant programmes are currently available.

Non-profit Educational/Youth Organisations: Must focus on STEM or aviation-related projects that meet the Trust's mandate. Contact the Grants Facilitator for an initial conversation before completing the application form.

Application Method: Rolling basis when programmes are available. Application forms available through the RAFCT website.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly stated. Given the variety of grant programmes (from small crew room enhancements to major scholarship schemes), timelines likely vary by programme type and grant amount.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available. However, the 2017 Junior Rank Pilot Scholarship Scheme received approximately 200 applications for 30 available scholarships, suggesting competitive programmes.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not publicly specified. Applicants should contact the Trust directly for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with RAFCT Mission

• Strong connection to RAF promotion and support
• Clear STEM or aviation education focus
• Demonstrable impact on young people aged 5-25
• Support for diversity and inclusion in STEM fields

Types of Successful Projects

• Flying scholarships delivering 15 hours of flight training (£20,000-£60,000+ grants)
• Crew room enhancements for RAF squadrons (£2,685 example)
• Arkwright Engineering Scholarships for sixth formers
• Partnership programmes reaching thousands of young people through schools
• Air Cadets STEM experiences
• STEM competitions with educational prizes

Strategic Considerations

• RAFCT is powered by the Royal International Air Tattoo—understanding this connection may be valuable
• The charity is actively pursuing an ambitious target of reaching 500,000 young people by 2026
• Partnership opportunities are available—the Trust currently works with 13 different organisations
• Programmes that combine aviation with STEM education appear particularly aligned
• Year-round delivery is important, complementing the annual Air Tattoo event

For Non-RAF Educational Organisations

• Initial conversation with Grants Facilitator is required before formal application
• Projects must clearly align with STEM or aviation themes
• Demonstrate how your project will inspire young people in air, space, or technology

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• RAF Connection is Key: Projects should clearly demonstrate how they promote the RAF or support RAF personnel/community
• STEM + Aviation = Strong Fit: The sweet spot is projects combining STEM education with aviation or aerospace themes
• Scale Matters: RAFCT is pursuing ambitious reach targets (500,000 young people by 2026), so scalable programmes may be attractive
• Pre-Application Engagement: For non-RAF organisations, initial conversation with Grants Facilitator is essential—use this to test alignment
• Partnership Approach: RAFCT works with multiple partner organisations; consider how your project could complement existing partnerships
• Age Range: Focus on young people aged 5-25 years for maximum alignment
• Diversity Focus: Emphasise how your project will reach young people regardless of background, disability, race or gender
• Evidence of Impact: With programmes supporting hundreds of thousands of young people, demonstrate how you'll measure and report impact

References

• Royal Air Force Charitable Trust official website (www.rafct.com)
• Charity Commission for England and Wales, Charity Number 1176054, financial year ending September 30, 2024
• “39 Squadron Crew Room Enhancement,” Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises, November 29, 2017 (www.airtattoo.com/news/2017/nov/29/enriched-crew-room-for-39-squadron)
• “RAF Charitable Trust Junior Rank Pilot Scholarship Scheme 2019,” Royal Air Force website (www.raf.mod.uk/community-support/raf-serving-families-news/raf-charitable-trust-junior-rank-pilot-scholarship-scheme-2019/)
• “47,000 young people to benefit from Big Bang at School Blueprint thanks to RAF Charitable Trust partnership,” EngineeringUK(www.engineeringuk.com/latest-news/press-releases/47-000-young-people-to-benefit-from-big-bang-at-school-blueprint/)
• "This is huge cause for celebration for us – why The Royal International Air Tattoo's top team can't wait for RIAT25," SoGlos(www.soglos.com/interview/family/this-is-huge-cause-for-celebration-for-us--why-the-royal-international-air-tattoos-top-team-cant-wait-for-riat25/24315/)
• RAF Families Federation, “Funding for RAF community projects” (www.raf-ff.org.uk/financial-matters/funding-opportunities/)
• Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises, “What We Do” pages (www.rafct.com/what-we-do/)