Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois reported $14.0 million in revenue and $15.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $68.20 went to program services, $17.58 to management and general costs and $14.22 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 86.6% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $374,337 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 15% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $16MFor context, the median across 2,433 covered unclassified charities: $88.27 programs, $11.68 management, $0.05 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $14MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 68.2% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 17.6% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 14.2% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.18 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 86.6% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.7% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $374,337 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.40% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 12.0 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 26 of 26 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expense18,000+ life-changing wishes have been granted since inception in 1985 and 709 were granted within the last year. Children with critical illnesses receive a life changing experience that delivers a unique wish journey to the wish kid and their family, enhancing the quality of life for the child and their family by promoting resilience and increasing well-being
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $360,793 | $0 | $13,544 | $374,337 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $224,782 | $0 | $683 | $225,465 |
| VP MISSION DELIVERY Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $178,266 | $0 | $36,869 | $215,135 |
| VP MARKETING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $149,888 | $0 | $3,896 | $153,784 |
| SENIOR FINANCE DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $131,579 | $0 | $3,777 | $135,356 |
| SIGNATURE EVENTS DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $110,412 | $0 | $10,610 | $121,022 |
| INDIVIDUAL GIVING DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $102,018 | $0 | $867 | $102,885 |
| CHIEF OPER. OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $90,273 | $0 | $8,943 | $99,216 |
7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.0M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b26 · 26 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 566
- Volunteers Part I, line 61,105
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| WINDY CITY LIMOUSINE Limo rides for wishes | $214,352 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 1 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
27 private foundations reported grants to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois totaling $340K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois spent in FY2025, $68.20 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois reported that 68.2% of its $15.6 million in expenses went to program services, 17.6% to management and general and 14.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $374,337, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois get its money?
Of $14.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 86.6% came from contributions and grants and 0.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-3422138 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, object 202641079349301529 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202540799349302104 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202430859349300818 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202301019349301400 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202231029349301248 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202101129349301125 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-3422138: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.