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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: June 2026 Expires: June 2028

Make-A-Wish Wisconsin

Standards Not Met
Standards Not Met
6 7
(800) 236-9474
11020 West Plank Court, Suite 200
Wauwatosa, WI, 53226
https://wish.org/wisconsin
📄 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 Wisconsin does not meet the following 2 Standards for Charity Accountability:

Standard 6 (Board Policy on Effectiveness)
Have a board policy of assessing, no less than every two years, the organization's performance and effectiveness and of determining future actions required to achieve its mission.

MAW WI does not meet this Standard because:

  • The board of directors does not have a written policy stating that, at least Every 2 Years, an appraisal be done assessing the organization’s performance and effectiveness and determining future actions required to achieve its mission.

Standard 7 (Board Approval of Written Report on Effectiveness)
Submit to the organization's governing body, for its approval, a written report that outlines the results of the aforementioned performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions.

MAW WI does not meet this Standard because:

  • The organization has not completed an effectiveness assessment in the last two years.

Make-A-Wish Wisconsin meets the remaining 18 Standards for Charity Accountability.

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

Year, State Incorporated:
1984, WI

Make-A-Wish Wisconsin (MAW WI) reports that it grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. The organization reports that it granted 434 wishes during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2025.

For the year ended August 31, 2025, Make-A-Wish Wisconsin's program expenses were:

Wish granting $8,683,174
Total Program Expenses $8,683,174

Chief Executive
Wendy Cozzens, Chief Executive Officer

Compensation*
$196,972

Chair of the Board
Tony Sikorski

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Chief Operating Officer, Global MR, GE Healthcare

Board Size
21

Paid Staff Size
29

*2024 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Note: Wendy Cozzens became Chief Executive Officer on March 1, 2025. The previous President and Chief Executive Officer, Patti Gorsky Pollack, received $309,994  in compensation during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2025.

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

Fundraising costs were 17% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $9,596,521, 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 Wisconsin's audited financial statements for the year ended August 31, 2025.

Source of Funds
Contributions $4,305,197
Special events, net $2,453,137
In-kind contributions $2,381,319
Investment income, net $1,850,128
Grants $456,868
Other income $8,190
Total Income $11,454,839

Programs: 76% Fundraising: 14% Administrative: 9%

Total Income $11,454,839
Total expenses: $11,354,688
  Program expenses $8,683,174
  Fundraising expenses $1,623,409
  Administrative expenses $1,048,105
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $100,151
Beginning Net Assets $20,064,189
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $20,164,340
Total Liabilities $2,316,380
Total Assets $22,480,720

 Note: According to MAW WI’s audited financial statements for the year ended August 31, 2025, the organization received in-kind contributions of $2,442,383 including wish related travel, goods, and services ($2,276,162), special events ($60,064), other ($51,222), office space ($45,935), and advertising and media ($8,000).

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:
BBB Serving Wisconsin