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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: August 2026 Expires: August 2028

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
(617) 367-9474
133 Federal Street, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA, 02110
https://wish.org/massri
📄 Full Report 🖨️ Print 📋 BBB Charity Standards

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
"to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses."

Year, State Incorporated:
1983, MA

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island (MAW MA and RI) grants wishes to children with critical illnesses throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The organization works to bring hope, strength and joy into the lives of these children and their families through the wish process.

For the year ended August 31, 2025, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island's program expenses were:

Wish granting $6,994,583
Total Program Expenses $6,994,583

Chief Executive
Sean Holleran, Chief Executive Officer

Compensation*
$319,468

Chair of the Board
Timothy Grady

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Chief Operating Officer, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Board Size
23

Paid Staff Size
30

*2023 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Invitations to fund raising events, Print advertisements (newspapers, magazines, etc.), Grant proposals, Internet, Planned giving arrangements, Cause-related marketing (affinity credit cards, consumer product sales, etc.), Workplace Giving

MAW MA and RI incurred joint costs of $21,512 for informational materials and activities that included fundraising materials. Of those costs $10,756 was allocated to program expenses and $10,756 was allocated to fundraising expenses.

Fundraising costs were 14% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $9,563,970, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island's audited financial statements for the year ended August 31, 2025.

Source of Funds
Contributions $5,542,836
In-kind contributions $2,375,895
Interest income and investment gains, net $1,540,254
Special events, net $1,359,224
Grants $286,015
Other income $170,066
Total Income $11,274,290

Programs: 67% Fundraising: 13% Administrative: 21%

Total Income $11,274,290
Total expenses: $10,469,292
  Program expenses $6,994,583
  Fundraising expenses $1,318,780
  Administrative expenses $2,155,929
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $804,998
Beginning Net Assets $15,792,766
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $16,597,764
Total Liabilities $2,345,912
Total Assets $18,943,676

Note: According to MAW MA and RI’s audited financial statements for the year ended August 31, 2025, the organization received in-kind contributions of $2,390,310 in the form of wish related travel, goods, and services ($1,952,894), professional services ($129,485), other ($125,606), property and equipment ($109,292), advertising ($66,201), and special events ($6,832).

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern MA, ME, RI & VT