Make-A-Wish Foundation International
Make-A-Wish Foundation International reported $16.5 million in revenue and $16.9 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $77.51 went to program services, $10.88 to management and general costs and $11.61 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 84.7% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $358,249 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 3 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 92% 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 $17MFor context, the median across 3,614 covered human services charities: $88.27 programs, $11.52 management, $0.21 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 $17MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 77.5% | 87.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 11.6% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.14 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 84.7% | 20.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 2.4% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 14.3% | 70.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $358,249 | $274,992 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.12% | 1.18% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 1.6 | 6.9 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 13 of 13 | 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 expenseAffiliated organizations throughout the world in over 50 countries. The foundation provides financial and managerial assistance to its affiliated organizations. The assistance provided is intended to support and develop our affiliates, individually, as a network and community in order to ensure their long-term sustainability and growth, so to progress and enhance the number, the impact and the quality of wishes
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT & CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $328,249 | $0 | $30,000 | $358,249 |
| VICE-PRESIDENT, TECHNOLOGY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $166,677 | $0 | $26,087 | $192,764 |
| VICE-PRESIDENT, MARKETING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $138,387 | $0 | $18,234 | $156,621 |
3 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Make-A-Wish Foundation International (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $276K (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–1b13 · 13 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 52
- Volunteers Part I, line 614
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| APPS ASSOCIATES LLC It support | $227,780 |
| SALESFORCEORG Crm software support | $148,900 |
| META PLATFORMS Digital fundraising ads | $105,994 |
| PIXELED EGGS LIMITED Website hosting & supoort | $104,305 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
9 private foundations reported grants to Make-A-Wish Foundation International totaling $3,065 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 International'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 International, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Make-A-Wish Foundation International spent in FY2025, $77.51 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 International's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Make-A-Wish Foundation International reported that 77.5% of its $16.9 million in expenses went to program services, 10.9% to management and general and 11.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Make-A-Wish Foundation International pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Make-A-Wish Foundation International reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $358,249, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Make-A-Wish Foundation International get its money?
Of $16.5 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 84.7% came from contributions and grants and 14.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Make-A-Wish Foundation International a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 86-0726985 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 202631339349309463 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202501489349300105 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202431979349302003 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202331949349300143 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202241659349301519 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202110629349300821 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 86-0726985: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.