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Skydiving Science & Culture

Jumping for a Cause: How to Turn a Skydive Into Real Money and Attention for a Charity

Learn how to pick a sound charity, keep donations tax-compliant, and vet a dropzone, so a charity skydive raises real money and awareness.

By Up Is Jump TeamUpdated October 20, 20269 min read

You've probably scrolled past it: a friend's post saying they're jumping out of a plane next month and asking you to sponsor them. Maybe you gave $20, and maybe you wondered where it went. A charity skydive raises money because the jump is a story people want to back, and it raises awareness because that story travels. It only does real good when the charity is sound, the money follows tax and state rules, and the jump is run by an operator held to federal standards. Here is how to get each part right.

Start With the Charity, Not the Jump

The jump gets attention, but the charity determines whether the money does anything. Pick the cause first, then check the organization behind it.

Two free tools make that check fast:

  • Charity Navigator rates 501(c)(3) charities on a 0 to 100 scale, shown as one to four stars. The score draws on four areas: Accountability & Finance, Impact & Results, Leadership & Adaptability, and Culture & Community.
  • Candid is the organization formed on February 1, 2019, when GuideStar merged with Foundation Center. If you remember GuideStar, Candid is where its nonprofit profiles now live.

You can also go straight to the source. Under Section 6104 of the Internal Revenue Code, a tax-exempt organization must make its three most recent annual returns (Form 990) and its application for tax exemption available for public inspection, free of charge, during regular business hours.

When you read a Form 990, keep one point in mind. The IRS sets no legal limit on how much a 501(c)(3) can spend on administration or overhead. It only requires the charity to sort its spending into three categories: program services, management and general, and fundraising. A low overhead figure does not prove a charity is good. The National Council of Nonprofits argues that judging charities mainly by overhead is a misunderstanding, because the money that keeps a charity running is part of how it does its work. Use the overhead number as one data point, not as a verdict.

Get the Money Side Right

Once you've chosen the charity, decide how the money will reach it. This is where well-meaning fundraisers most often make mistakes.

Know what is and isn't deductible

Many people assume that any gift to a 501(c)(3) is fully tax-deductible. That isn't always true. Under IRS quid pro quo rules, if a donor pays money and gets goods or services back, such as a tandem skydive, only the amount above the fair market value of what they received is deductible.

This matters if a charity sells skydive packages as a fundraiser. If the payment is over $75, the charity must give the donor a written statement. The statement has to say that the deduction is limited to the amount above fair market value, and it has to give a good-faith estimate of that value. Avoid telling your sponsors "it's all tax-deductible" unless the charity has confirmed how its own event is set up.

Use a platform that exists and pays out properly

Fundraising tools change, so check that the one you plan to use is still running:

  • CrowdRise no longer exists. GoFundMe bought it on January 10, 2017, renamed it GoFundMe Charity in November 2019, and shut down GoFundMe Charity for good on September 30, 2021.
  • JustGiving is still running. Blackbaud bought it in October 2017. Donations to US charities through JustGiving are processed by The Blackbaud Giving Fund, which is itself an independent 501(c)(3) public charity.

Before you launch a page, ask your chosen charity which platform it prefers. Many charities have one they already work with.

Mind the state rules if you're organizing

If you are a charity, or you are helping one run a larger event, state law applies. About 40 to 41 states, plus the District of Columbia, require charities to register before they ask residents for donations.

Businesses face their own rules. When a company advertises that a jump or a product sale benefits a charity, the arrangement is called a commercial co-venture. Between 22 and 24 states regulate these arrangements. California and Massachusetts are among the states that commonly require a written contract and registration before the campaign begins. If a dropzone offers to promote "jumps for charity," it's fair to ask whether that paperwork is in place.

Choose a Dropzone You Can Vouch For

Your sponsors are trusting you, and you're trusting the operator. So it helps to know who actually oversees skydiving.

In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration governs parachute jumps under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 105. The United States Parachute Association (USPA) is often mistaken for a regulator, but it is a non-profit membership organization, not a government agency. Dropzones choose to join as USPA Group Members, and in doing so they pledge to follow its safety standards. Group Member status is a good sign, but it is a voluntary pledge, not a government license.

Federal rules set a high bar for the person strapped to your back. Under 14 CFR 105.45, a tandem instructor must have:

  • at least 3 years in sport parachuting
  • at least 500 ram-air freefall jumps
  • a master parachute license
  • completion of the equipment manufacturer's course

The rules also require the tandem system to carry a working automatic activation device. On top of that, an FAA-certificated parachute rigger must inspect and repack the reserve parachute within 180 days before it is used, if it is made only of synthetic fibers. The limit is 60 days for natural fibers such as silk. USPA also requires a medical evaluation for tandem instructors. Since March 2025, an FAA Third-Class Medical Certificate or a Department of Transportation medical exam (Form MCSA-5876) both qualify.

You can reasonably ask a dropzone about any of these points before you book.

A note for event organizers

Some organizers want a jumper to land at a stadium, festival, or town event to draw a crowd. Jumping into a congested area or an open-air gathering of people requires an approved Certificate of Authorization (FAA Form 7711-2) from the local FAA Flight Standards District Office. Build that into your timeline. A reputable operator will already know the process.

Check That You Can Jump

Before you announce your fundraiser, make sure you're eligible to jump.

  • Age: USPA's Basic Safety Requirements set the minimum age at 18, checked with government photo ID. Parental consent does not create an exception. If a 16-year-old in your family wants to fundraise, they'll need a different challenge or a different jumper.
  • Weight: Manufacturers certify tandem systems for a maximum total suspended weight of roughly 500 lbs, counting the passenger, the instructor, and the gear. As a result, dropzones typically cap passenger weight somewhere between 220 and 260 lbs. Ask your dropzone for its exact limit.
  • Health: If you have a medical condition, raise it with the dropzone and your doctor before you start collecting pledges, not after.

A few more details help you set expectations. USPA requires tandem parachutes to be opened by at least 5,000 feet above the ground. If a dropzone offers an especially high jump, federal rules require oxygen for everyone on board once the cabin altitude goes above 15,000 feet above sea level.

The safety record is also worth knowing, because sponsors will ask. In 2024, USPA dropzones recorded 9 fatalities across an estimated 3.88 million jumps, or 0.23 per 100,000 skydives. That was the first year with fewer than ten deaths since USPA began keeping records in 1961. For tandem jumps, USPA puts the average at about one fatality per 500,000 jumps.

Turn the Jump Into Awareness

The money comes in before the jump. The awareness comes from how you tell the story before, during, and after.

Start by explaining why you chose this charity, in your own words, when you launch your page. The leap is the hook, but the reason is what persuades people to give. Post updates as the jump date gets closer, and share a short note about what the charity does with the money. That information is easy to find in the charity's Form 990 or its Charity Navigator profile.

After the jump, close the loop. Thank your sponsors, tell them the final total, and share a photo or clip if you have one. That follow-up turns a one-time favor into a reason for people to keep caring about the cause, and it's often the moment someone else decides to sign up for their own jump.

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