MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF AMERICA Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF AMERICA

EIN 86-0481941 · Patient & Family Support (E86)

What they do

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

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $66.70 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders45 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

67.23%of revenue went to mission work66.7% of expenses · Program services

15.89%of revenue went to fundraising15.8% of expenses

$100.77spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

17.64%of revenue went to management and office costs17.5% of expenses

$0.91in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

77.1%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $1,048,578 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $739,620 for LESLIE MOTTER (PRESIDENT & CEO). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$136,767,956

Mission workProgram services$91,952,19067.23% of revenue66.7% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$24,129,30517.64% of revenue17.5% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$21,735,03915.89% of revenue15.8% of expenses

Total expenses$137,816,534100.77% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 66.7% mission · 17.5% management · 15.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 100.77% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 66.0% mission · 16.2% management · 17.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.86% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 64.7% mission · 13.6% management · 21.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 92.04% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 65.9% mission · 13.2% management · 20.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 88.85% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 69.4% mission · 14.7% management · 15.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.65% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 68.0% mission · 16.2% management · 15.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.12% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 72.0% mission · 14.2% management · 13.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.85% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 74.3% mission · 13.2% management · 12.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 105.04% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$136,767,956

Expenses$137,816,534

Annual shortfall $1,048,578 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$91,952,190 · 66.7% of expenses

Management and office costs$24,129,305 · 17.5% of expenses

Fundraising$21,735,039 · 15.8% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$136,767,956

Expenses$137,816,534

Assets$125,508,364

Income$152,858,048

Contributions$105,409,792

Mission work (program services)$91,952,190

Fundraising$21,735,039

Grants given$526,268,555

Average grant$883,001

Management and general$24,129,305

Executive compensation (total)$4,502,632

Stocks and bonds$46,308,503

Accounting fees$1,710,091

Investing fees$42,873

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

LESLIE MOTTERPRESIDENT & CEO · 40 hrs/week $739,620Base $702,370 · Other $37,250

LUANN BOTTCRPSO (FORMER) · 40 hrs/week $368,756Base $356,661 · Other $12,095

JARED PERRYCHIEF REVENUE OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $347,550Base $323,050 · Other $24,500

KAREN SMITHCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $328,050Base $313,850 · Other $14,200

AMY BRINDLEYCCAO (FORMER) · 40 hrs/week $319,476Base $282,826 · Other $36,650

CATHLEEN PAUGHCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/TREASUER · 40 hrs/week $318,014Base $305,264 · Other $12,750

JANELL HOLASCHIEF BRAND ADVANCEMENT OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $312,993Base $298,793 · Other $14,200

FRANCES HALLCHIEF MISSION OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $303,303Base $293,117 · Other $10,186

TERRI FOULKSCHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $297,237Base $283,837 · Other $13,400

YVONNE MOSSCHIEF LEGAL OFFICER/SECRETARY · 40 hrs/week $253,536Base $242,239 · Other $11,297

BRIAN POWELLSD, LEADERSHIP & PLANNED GIVING · 40 hrs/week $234,929Base $223,790 · Other $11,139

FLORENDA NEWTONCHIEF CORPORATE ALLIANCE OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $230,726Base $219,782 · Other $10,944

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (45)

LESLIE MOTTERPRESIDENT & CEO

LUANN BOTTCRPSO (FORMER)

JARED PERRYCHIEF REVENUE OFFICER

KAREN SMITHCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

AMY BRINDLEYCCAO (FORMER)

CATHLEEN PAUGHCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/TREASUER

JANELL HOLASCHIEF BRAND ADVANCEMENT OFFICER

FRANCES HALLCHIEF MISSION OFFICER

TERRI FOULKSCHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER

YVONNE MOSSCHIEF LEGAL OFFICER/SECRETARY

BRIAN POWELLSD, LEADERSHIP & PLANNED GIVING

FLORENDA NEWTONCHIEF CORPORATE ALLIANCE OFFICER

THOMAS PARKERCTO (FORMER)

ADAM FAIRCLOTHCIFO

MOHANNAD ALADWANSD, IT APPS. & BUSINESS

JENNIFER CONNERYCCRO (AS OF 10/2024)

JONATHAN SMITHSD, DIGITAL & BRAND COMMUNICATIONS

SCOTT FRIERSD, STRATEGY

TERESA DURANCIO (FORMER)

KEITH GOODWINCHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

MELISSA SPARKSCCAO (AS OF 9/2024)

REBECCA MESSINADIRECTOR

MICHELLE WILSONDIRECTOR

SCOTT BRAUNDIRECTOR

SHIRLEY DAVISDIRECTOR

STAN MOSSDIRECTOR

STEVEN IZENDIRECTOR

SUNDEEP REDDYDIRECTOR

AMY WALDRONDIRECTOR

TIERNEY REMICKDIRECTOR

WHITNEY EICHINGERDIRECTOR (AS OF 4/2025)

REBA DOMINSKICHAIR

PHIL COLACODIRECTOR

ORLANDO ASHFORDDIRECTOR

LINDA RUTHERFORDDIRECTOR

CHERYL HEINONENDIRECTOR

KERI GOHMANDIRECTOR

KATE GEBODIRECTOR (AS OF 4/2025)

CONSTANCE WEAVERDIRECTOR

JOSH DAMARODIRECTOR

JOAQUIN HIDALGODIRECTOR (UNTIL 10/2024)

DERRICK HALLDIRECTOR

DOLF BERLEDIRECTOR (UNTIL 10/2024)

JAMES WILKINSONDIRECTOR

DOUG ECKROTEDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1986
Location: 1702 E HIGHLAND AVE STE 400, PHOENIX, AZ 85016-4630
County: Maricopa
In care of: CATHLEEN PAUGH
Primary officer: CATHLEEN PAUGH, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(602) 279-9474

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: September 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: CLIFTONLARSONALLEN LLP
NTEE classification: Patient & Family Support (E86)
IRS tax category: Patient & Family Support
Grant-giving organization: Yes