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MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF ARIZONA INC

SCOTTSDALE, AZ · EIN 860409636 · Form 990 · FY2021 · NTEE E86 · Health Care · Medium ($1M-$10M) · wish.org
revenue
$9.7M
expenses
$8.0M
net assets
$12.6M
employees
37
volunteers
553
program ratio
66%
mission · from form 990

TOGETHER, WE CREATE LIFE-CHANGING WISHES FOR CHILDREN WITH CRITICAL ILLNESSES.

profile · synthesized from sources

MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF ARIZONA INC grants wishes to children aged 2.5 to 18 who are diagnosed with critical illnesses. The organization operates in Arizona, providing experiences that aim to bring hope and joy to children and their families during difficult times. Wishes often involve travel, unique experiences, or receiving special items.

named programs · 1 · from sources

what they call their work

Wish Granting
Directly grants wishes to children with critical illnesses, focusing on experiences like travel, being a superhero, or receiving special items, tailored to the child's imagination.
activities · 6 groups

what they do

  • Wish Fulfillment for Critically Ill Individuals 14 activities
    • Advocacy and Public Awareness
      Educates the public and increases support for its mission by highlighting statistics about children with critical illnesses, the positive impact of wishes on families, and the ongoing need for financial support for wishes. This includes presenting information and sharing stories about Make-A-Wish.
    • Advocate and educate about the impact of wishes
      Shares data and personal stories to raise awareness about the frequency of critical illness diagnoses in children and the psychosocial benefits of wish fulfillment, citing that 99% of doctors observe reduced stress in families after a wish is granted.
    • Advocate for wish impact and unmet need
      Shares data and personal stories to highlight the psychosocial benefits of wishes—such as stress reduction for families—and raises awareness about the unmet need, noting that two children await support for every wish granted.
    • Coordinate wish fulfillment through volunteer and staff support
      Supports the wish-granting process through direct volunteer involvement in airport greetings, gift delivery, and wish planning, as well as staff support for administrative tasks including data entry, filing, and mailings.
    • Coordinate wish fulfillment through volunteer and staff support
      Supports wish granting through direct volunteer and staff involvement, including meeting with wish children and families to plan wishes, providing airport greetings, delivering gifts, and assisting with administrative tasks such as data entry, filing, and mailings.
    • Grant life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses
      Creates and fulfills individualized wishes for children diagnosed with critical illnesses, including travel-based experiences, unique adventures (e.g., becoming a superhero, visiting a dude ranch), and personalized dreams (e.g., building a treehouse, scuba diving), with over 15,700 wishes granted across the U.S. and its territories in the past year.
    • Grant wishes to children with critical illnesses
      Creates and fulfills life-changing wishes for children diagnosed with critical illnesses, including travel-based, experiential, and personalized wishes such as superhero adventures, treehouse builds, or scuba diving trips. The organization granted over 15,700 wishes in the U.S. and its territories in the past year, with 302 wishes granted in a single week.
    • Granting Wishes for Children with Critical Illnesses
      Creates and grants life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, involving direct support, planning, and facilitation with families. This includes travel-related wishes, and the organization granted over 15,700 wishes in the U.S. and its territories in the past year, with 302 wishes granted last week.
    • Granting Wishes for Children with Critical Illnesses
      Creates and grants life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, providing direct support through volunteer assistance, wish planning, and financial aid. This includes organizing travel for wishes and ensuring timely wish fulfillment based on need. The organization granted 302 wishes last week and over 15,700 wishes in the U.S. and its territories in the past year.
    • Granting wishes for children with critical illnesses
      Creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, granting over 15,700 wishes in the U.S. and its territories in the past year.
    • Maintain medical advisory oversight for wish eligibility and safety
      Utilizes a National Medical Advisory Council and over 200 chapter-specific medical advisors to ensure children meet eligibility criteria and that wishes are granted safely in alignment with medical guidance.
    • Public Awareness and Education
      Presents information and shares stories about Make-A-Wish to educate audiences, increase support, and highlight the impact of wishes on children with critical illnesses and their families.
    • Support wish-related travel logistics
      Facilitates travel for over 80% of granted wishes, coordinating the use of more than 2.8 billion airline miles and points annually to enable family trips as part of wish fulfillment.
    • Volunteer support for wish-granting activities
      Provides direct support to wish-granting activities through volunteer assistance, including airport greetings, gift delivery, and wish planning.
  • Peer-to-Peer Community Fundraising Campaigns 6 activities
    • Community Fundraising Events
      Organizes and implements various fundraising events and campaigns, such as "Walk for Wishes" community walks, the "Wish Hero" campaign for individual fundraising, "Stream For The Wishes" for gamers, and the "Trailblaze Challenge" hiking events, to raise funds for granting wishes.
    • Community engagement and education
      Engages schools and youth organizations in hands-on fundraising and service activities, and presents information to educate audiences about Make-A-Wish.
    • Fundraising events and campaigns
      Plans, organizes, and implements fundraising events such as "Walk for Wishes" and "Trailblaze Challenge" to raise funds for wishes.
    • Fundraising for Wish Granting
      Organizes and implements various fundraising events and campaigns, including "Walk for Wishes" community walks, the "Wish Hero" individual fundraising campaign, "Stream For The Wishes" charity streams for gamers, and the "Trailblaze Challenge" hiking events. The organization also engages schools and youth organizations in fundraising activities and accepts financial contributions and in-kind support to fund wishes.
    • Organize and execute fundraising events and campaigns
      Plans and implements a variety of fundraising initiatives including "Walk for Wishes," "Trailblaze Challenge," "Wish Hero" peer-to-peer campaigns, and "Stream For The Wishes" charity gaming events, along with engaging schools and youth organizations in service-based fundraising.
    • Organize and manage fundraising events and campaigns
      Plans and executes a variety of fundraising initiatives including "Walk for Wishes," "Trailblaze Challenge," "Wish Hero" peer-to-peer campaigns, and "Stream For The Wishes" charity gaming events. Also engages schools and youth organizations in fundraising and service activities to support wish granting.
  • General Volunteer Support Services 5 activities
    • Professional skills support
      Provides professional skills such as graphic design, photography, and carpentry on an as-needed basis to support operations.
    • Provide in-kind and professional skills support for operations
      Supplies professional services such as graphic design, photography, and carpentry on an as-needed basis to support chapter operations and wish fulfillment.
    • Provide in-kind and professional skills support for operations
      Offers pro bono professional services such as graphic design, photography, and carpentry to support wish fulfillment and operational needs, including building custom wish items like treehouses.
    • Volunteer Skill-Based Support
      Utilizes professional skills from volunteers, such as graphic design, photography, and carpentry, to support the organization's operations on an as-needed basis.
    • Volunteer and Professional Skills Support
      Utilizes volunteers for direct wish-granting activities, administrative tasks, and fundraising event support. It also leverages professional skills such as graphic design, photography, and carpentry on an as-needed basis to support its operations.
  • Membership Administrative Support Services 1 activity
    • Administrative Support for Chapters
      Provides administrative support to chapter staff, including tasks such as data entry, filing, and mailings, to ensure smooth operations.
  • Alumni Community Engagement & Support 1 activity
    • Alumni Community Operation
      Operates an alumni community specifically for individuals who have previously received wishes.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Operate an alumni community for wish recipients
      Manages a post-wish alumni network for individuals who have received wishes, fostering ongoing engagement and connection with the organization.
financials · form 990 · fy2021
revenue
Total revenue$9.75M
Contributions & grants$9.62M99%
Program service revenue$5K0%
Investment income$147K2%
Other revenue$-24K
expenses
Total expenses$8.02M
Program expenses66%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising17%
Salaries & benefits$3.57M
Grants paid out$2.94M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$13.65M
Cash$4.59M
Investments$3.97M
Liabilities$1.08M
Net assets$12.57M
Liquid reserves12.8 mo
3 years on record · 2019–2021 · YoY revenue +26.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021

who runs it

paid leadership · 6
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
ELIZABETH REICH PRESIDENT & CEO (THRU 3/22) 45 $378K
KARNY STEFAN CHIEF DEVELOPOMENT OFFICER 45 $224K
DAVID RABER CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER 45 $209K
HOLLIE COSTELLO VICE PRESIDENT OF PR & MARKETING 45 $148K
JENNIFER GONZALES VICE PRESIDENT OF MISSION DELIVERY 45 $146K
LEE GREENFIELD DIRECTOR OF CORP & FND GIVING 45 $123K
board members · 18
  • ADAM STINE — DIRECTOR
  • AMANDA HOUGHTON — DIRECTOR
  • ANDREA TAZIOLI — DIRECTOR
  • AUDREY ALFANO — DIRECTOR
  • BIPIN JAYARAJ — DIRECTOR
  • BRANDON LUNA — DIRECTOR
  • BRUCE GUEST — DIRECTOR
  • CARISA BIANCHI — DIRECTOR
  • DAVID ROMANELLI — DIRECTOR
  • DOUG HALBERT — DIRECTOR
  • DWIGHT WARREN — DIRECTOR (THRU 10/21)
  • IAN LOPATIN — DIRECTOR
  • JAMES GOODNOW — DIRECTOR (THRU 6/22)
  • JASON PRTICHETT — DIRECTOR
  • JAY PETKUNAS — DIRECTOR
  • JEFF WRIGHT — DIRECTOR
  • JEREME KLEVEN — DIRECTOR
  • JILL KRIGSTEN — DIRECTOR
relationships · 22

who they work with

  • AARP Partner — Source of a blog post shared to inform the public about a fraudulent Make-A-Wish sweepstakes scam.
  • ABC 15 Partner — Media partner featuring stories about granted wishes
  • Allegiant Partner — Partners to grant wishes, with a dedication to supporting travel wishes.
  • American AAdvantage® Partner — Accepts donations of AAdvantage miles through American’s Well-Being Program to help grant wishes.
  • American Airlines Partner — Corporate partner supporting wish experiences, such as flights for wish kids.
  • BBB Arizona Network — Holds the BBB Accredited Charity Seal, meeting all 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.
  • BBB Wise Giving Alliance Partner — Referenced as a source of warnings about charity sweepstakes scams.
  • Bauer Partner — Corporate partner associated with wish experiences, including trips to Disneyland.
  • Delta Air Lines® Partner — Accepts donations of Delta miles to help grant wishes.
  • Federal Trade Commission Government — Referenced as a source of consumer alerts regarding government imposter and charity scams.
  • Grady Health System Partner — Healthcare partner involved in identifying and referring eligible children for wish granting.
  • Hadwin-White Subaru Partner — Corporate partner involved in wish celebrations, including experiences for wish kids.
  • Instagram Partner — Platform used to share wish stories and campaign updates
  • JetBlue TrueBlue Partner — Accepts donations of TrueBlue points to help grant wishes.
  • Make-A-Wish Network — Arizona chapter operating within the national Make-A-Wish network.
  • NBC New York Partner — Media partner covering wish fulfillment stories
  • National Medical Advisory Council Partner — Relied upon for expertise in guiding eligibility and wish safety precautions.
  • OneCause Partner — Giving platform used by Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, which was exploited by scammers for fraudulent charges.
  • Southwest Rapid Rewards® Partner — Accepts donations of Rapid Rewards points through Southwest’s Life-Changing Transportation Cause Area to help grant wishes.
  • Starblazer Awards Partner — Honors wish alumni and recognizes their positive impact; supported by award founders in partnership with Make-A-Wish
  • United MileagePlus® Partner — Accepts donations of MileagePlus miles to help grant wishes.
  • national corporate partners Partner — Collaborates with national corporate partners through customized programs to support wish granting across the U.S.