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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: September 2025 Expires: September 2027

Make-A-Wish Foundation Of Metro New York And Western New York

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
Accreditation seal
(516) 944-6212
1745 Broadway
New York, NY, 10019-4640
https://wish.org/newyork
📄 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 Metro New York And Western New York meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. 

Year, State Incorporated:
1983, NY

Make-A-Wish® creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We seek to bring every eligible child's wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illness. Since 1983, Make-A-Wish Metro New York and Western New York has fulfilled the wishes of over 18,000 children in the communities we serve: New York City, Long Island and 17 counties in the Buffalo and Rochester areas.

To be eligible for a wish from Make-A-Wish, a child must be between the ages of 2½ and under 18 at the time of referral and diagnosed with a critical illness. A child’s treating physician will determine if the child is medically eligible for a wish, based on the medical criteria established by Make-A-Wish.

For the year ended August 31, 2024, Make-A-Wish Foundation Of Metro New York And Western New York's program expenses were:

Wish granting $11,576,556
Public information $422,482
Training and development $77,943
Total Program Expenses $12,076,981

Chair of the Board
William Brilliant, Partner

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation

Board Size
23

Paid Staff Size
48

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Invitations to fund raising events, Grant proposals, Internet, Planned giving arrangements, Cause-related marketing (affinity credit cards, consumer product sales, etc.), Appeals via Social Media (Facebook, etc.)

% of Related Contributions on Fundraising: 21.31%

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.

Source of Funds
Contributions, cash $6,466,733
Internal special events, net $3,448,345
Contributions, donated goods and services $2,850,781
Investment gain, net $2,780,670
Grants $873,730
Other income $185,071
Total Income $16,605,330

Programs: 68% Fundraising: 16% Administrative: 15%

Total Income $16,605,330
Total expenses: $17,649,488
  Program expenses $12,076,981
  Fundraising expenses $2,906,655
  Administrative expenses $2,665,852
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $-1,044,158
Beginning Net Assets $25,268,004
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $24,223,846
Total Liabilities $3,145,930
Total Assets $27,369,776

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 Foundation of Metropolitan New York