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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: February 2025 Expires: February 2027

Make-A-Wish Hawaii

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
Accreditation seal
(808) 537-3118
900 Fort Street Mall, Suite 1200
Honolulu, HI, 96813
https://wish.org/hawaii
📄 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 Hawaii meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

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

Year, State Incorporated:
1982, HI

Make-A-Wish Hawaii (MAW Hawaii) reports that it works to grant life-changing wishes for children and their families experiencing critical illness. The organization facilitates dream experiences for wish kids and their families, volunteers, donors, sponsors, medical professionals, and communities. MAW Hawaii believes making a wish come true can give a child the courage to comply with their medical treatments and provide optimism for them and their families. In 2023, the organization reported it brought 85 wishes to life.

For the year ended August 31, 2023, Make-A-Wish Hawaii's program expenses were:

Program services $2,995,822
Total Program Expenses $2,995,822

Chief Executive
Trini Kaopuiki Clark, President and Chief Executive Officer

Compensation*
$203,921

Chair of the Board
Cayenne Pe'a

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Principal and Co-Founder, Alaka’i Development

Board Size
24

Paid Staff Size
28

*2022 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Direct mail appeals, Radio, Special events, Telemarketing, Foundation grants, Print advertisements, Corporate solicitation

Fundraising costs were 25% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $3,434,559, 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 Hawaii's audited financial statements for the year ended August 31, 2023.

Source of Funds
Grants $195,750
Investment income, net $197,783
In-kind contributions $577,792
Internal special events, net $1,323,887
Contributions $1,337,130
Other income $1,366,449
Total Income $4,998,791

Programs: 64% Fundraising: 19% Administrative: 17%

Total Income $4,998,791
Total expenses: $4,685,919
  Program expenses $2,995,822
  Fundraising expenses $872,328
  Administrative expenses $817,769
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $312,872
Beginning Net Assets $6,358,280
Other Changes In Net Assets $2,814
Ending Net Assets $6,668,338
Total Liabilities $1,768,391
Total Assets $8,436,729

Note 1: According to the organization's audited financial statements for the year ended August 31, 2023, MAW Hawaii received in-kind contributions totaling $905,471 in the form of wish related travel, goods, and services ($425,616), special events ($327,679), other ($132,300), office space ($16,308), and property and equipment ($3,568).

Note 2: In the above financial statements, "other changes in net assets" refers to a loss on disposal of equipment.

Note 3: In finding that MAW Hawaii meets Standard 8, which calls for a minimum of 65% of total expenses being spent on program activities, BBB WGA considered that, although the audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, report total program expenses of $2,995,822 or 64% of total expenses, program expenses were significantly affected by COVID-19 and travel restrictions. As stated by the charity, “In response to the Coronavirus Pandemic, on March 10, 2020, in conjunction with the Make-A-Wish America National Medical Advisory Council, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America issued instructions to pause travel and large gathering wishes until it was deemed medically safe for our vulnerable population and their families. In addition, the program expense ratio was impacted due to the MAW Hawaii’s inability to grant travel wishes. Toward the end of fiscal year 2024, MAW Hawaii began to emerge from Pandemic operating conditions and international wish travel was resumed.  National efforts are underway to return to pre-pandemic wish granting and fundraising efforts.”

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 Wise Giving Alliance