Make-A-Wish Southern Florida
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit chapter that grants free, life-changing wish experiences to children ages 2.5 to under 18 with critical illnesses across the Southern Florida region, supported by donations, corporate partnerships, and a national network of 57 chapters.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersFort Lauderdale, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Make-A-Wish Southern Florida does
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and an affiliated chapter of Make-A-Wish Foundation of America. Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, the chapter operates within a national network of 57 U.S. chapters that collectively grant wishes to children ages 2.5 to under 18 diagnosed with progressive, degenerative, or malignant critical illnesses. All wish expenses are fully covered at no cost to families, with no income-based qualifications. Approximately 77% of wish experiences involve travel, and The Walt Disney Company is involved in roughly half of all wishes granted nationwide.
The chapter's technology infrastructure is built on three pillars: secure payment processing via Blackbaud Merchant Services, a Salesforce-based wish referral and case management system, and a peer-to-peer mobile fundraising application that integrates with Apple Health, Android Health Connect, Garmin, Strava, and Fitbit to credit supporters with activity rewards during fundraising campaigns. The organization is COPPA-compliant and audited by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP since FY2014. Wish referrals come through medical professionals, families, and a Salesforce-based online form, while national outreach uses organic social, email, Google retargeting, and a network of corporate partners.
Revenue is generated exclusively through donations rather than service fees, drawing from five streams: individual contributions (one-time and recurring), corporate donations and partnerships, foundation grants and planned gifts, chapter fees paid to the national organization, and special events such as Walk for Wishes and Trailblaze Challenge. The customer base comprises individual donors, corporate partners, medical professionals as referral sources, and critically ill children as beneficiaries.
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Make-A-Wish Southern Florida
- Legal name
- Make-A-Wish Foundation of America
- Website
- https://wish.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Make-A-Wish Southern Florida is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit chapter that grants free, life-changing wish experiences to children ages 2.5 to under 18 with critical illnesses across the Southern Florida region, supported by donations, corporate partnerships, and a national network of 57 chapters.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Nonprofit Wish-Granting Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Individual and Family Services (6241)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)
Keywords
Where Make-A-Wish Southern Florida is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fort Lauderdale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Contributions and Donations: Primary revenue stream from individual donors making one-time or recurring (monthly) donations online, by mail, or by phone. Donors can also contribute through tribute campaigns (weddings, birthdays, memorials), matching gift programs, and in-kind product donations.
- Corporate Donations and Partnerships: Corporate partners provide financial contributions, in-kind goods and services, and cause-marketing promotions. Make-A-Wish does not use third-party telemarketers but engages corporate sponsors for events and campaigns.
- Foundation Grants and Planned Gifts: Foundation grants and planned giving (bequests, legacy gifts) contribute to funding. Financial statements are audited by CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP) since fiscal year 2014.
- Chapter Fees and Assessments: Local chapters pay fees and assessments to the national organization to support shared services, brand licensing, and program standards.
- Special Events: Chapters generate revenue through special events such as Walk for Wishes, Trailblaze Challenge, and other locally organized fundraising activities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free wish-granting for eligible children — no cost to families |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida, part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, grants life-changing wish experiences to children ages 2½ to under 18 who have been diagnosed with critical illnesses, at zero cost to the family. Wish types include travel experiences, meeting celebrities, "become a professional for a day" experiences, and other personalized wishes. The organization also accepts donations, runs peer-to-peer and event-based fundraising (Walk for Wishes, Trailblaze Challenge), and engages nearly 20,000 volunteers across 57 U.S. chapters to deliver its mission.
Product overview
Make-A-Wish is a nonprofit organization that grants life-changing wishes to children ages 2½ to 18 diagnosed with critical illnesses. The core offering is the wish granting program, which coordinates various wish experiences including travel, celebrity meetings, and experiential wishes. Supporting this mission is the Make-A-Wish Fundraising App, which enables peer-to-peer fundraising with health-tracking integrations. The organization also operates the Starblazer Awards recognition program for wish alumni, provides an online referral system for wish eligibility, and offers media resources for press inquiries. The technology infrastructure includes Blackbaud Merchant Services for secure payment processing and integrations with health data platforms for the fundraising app.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Starblazer Awards: Program recognizing stellar wish alumni making a positive impact in the world
- Wishmakers At Work
- Walk for Wishes
- Trailblaze Challenge
Products and services
- Wish Granting Program The core program of Make-A-Wish: grants life-changing wish experiences to children ages 2½ to 18 diagnosed with critical illnesses. Wish types include travel experiences (77% of wishes involve travel), celebrity meetings, becoming a professional for a day (e.g., firefighter, model), receiving a puppy, or other custom experiences. All wish expenses are fully covered at no cost to the family.
- Refer a Child
Quantifiable outcome
- Children who received a wish were more likely to have fewer unplanned hospital and emergency department visits (Dr. Patel Wish Impact Study, Nationwide Children's Hospital)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Make-A-Wish Southern Florida
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Feature2 records
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Walt Disney CompanycoreThe Walt Disney Company is the single largest wish partner, involved in approximately half of all wishes Make-A-Wish grants. Disney provides wish experiences including travel to Disney parks, meeting Disney characters, and experiencing Disney entertainment, making it a central element of the wish-granting program.
- Jamie Sandys (Sr. Manager, Brand Communications & PR)minorPress contact at the national office. Jamie Sandys handles media requests, visual asset permissions, and news releases. Can be reached at [email protected] or (602) 385-6884 for urgent media needs within 48 hours.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Make-A-Wish Foundation of America: The national parent organization of which Make-A-Wish Southern Florida is a chapter. Operates the same wish-granting mission, brand, and platform; the chapter is essentially a regional operating unit of this entity.
- Starlight Children's Foundation: National nonprofit that delivers programs (including wish-like experiences, gaming, and hospital wear) to seriously ill children and their families. Comparable mission, donor base, and corporate-partnership model.
- Kids Wish Network: Another direct U.S. wish-granting nonprofit serving children with life-threatening illnesses. Competes for the same donor dollars, referral sources, and corporate partners in many of the same U.S. markets.
- Children's Wish Foundation International: Wish-granting organization serving children with life-threatening illnesses worldwide. Closely comparable in mission, eligibility criteria, and geographic spread, and competes head-to-head for international donors.
- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: Pediatric cancer-focused nonprofit funding research and family support. Operates in the same 'children's critical illness' giving category and competes for similar individual donors, peer-to-peer fundraisers, and cause-marketing partnerships.
Broad incumbents
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: Larger, more established pediatric health nonprofit with national brand recognition and substantial fundraising scale. While its core mission is research and treatment rather than wish-granting, it competes for the same donor dollars and corporate partnerships in children's health.
- Ronald McDonald House Charities: Major nonprofit serving families of critically ill children through housing and support services. Overlaps with Make-A-Wish in donor demographics, hospital partnerships, and corporate CSR programs, though service offering differs.
- Children's Miracle Network Hospitals: Fundraising umbrella for children's hospitals across North America. Comparable in scale, pediatric focus, and corporate-partner-driven fundraising model, though it routes funds to hospitals rather than granting wishes directly.
Emerging players
- National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: Smaller pediatric cancer research and support nonprofit. Operates in the same donor and disease category as Make-A-Wish with partial overlap in mission and constituent families.
- Sunshine Foundation: Direct wish-granting nonprofit for chronically ill, seriously ill, and physically challenged children. Smaller in scale but overlaps on mission, eligibility criteria, and donor base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida social profiles
Digital presenceMake-A-Wish Southern Florida compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Make-A-Wish Southern Florida
What does Make-A-Wish Southern Florida do?
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida, part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, grants life-changing wish experiences to children ages 2½ to under 18 who have been diagnosed with critical illnesses, at zero cost to the family. Wish types include travel experiences, meeting celebrities, "become a professional for a day" experiences, and other personalized wishes. The organization also accepts donations, runs peer-to-peer and event-based fundraising (Walk for Wishes, Trailblaze Challenge), and engages nearly 20,000 volunteers across 57 U.S. chapters to deliver its mission.
Is Make-A-Wish Southern Florida a public or private company?
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Make-A-Wish Southern Florida founded?
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida was founded in 1980. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Make-A-Wish Southern Florida based?
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, United States, in the North America region.
How does Make-A-Wish Southern Florida make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Contributions and Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Donations and Partnerships, foundation Grants and Planned Gifts, chapter Fees and Assessments and special Events.
Who are Make-A-Wish Southern Florida's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, Starlight Children's Foundation, Kids Wish Network, Children's Wish Foundation International and Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. Broad incumbents are St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Ronald McDonald House Charities and Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Emerging players are National Pediatric Cancer Foundation and Sunshine Foundation.
Does Make-A-Wish Southern Florida have an API?
No public API is recorded for Make-A-Wish Southern Florida.
What industry is Make-A-Wish Southern Florida in?
Make-A-Wish Southern Florida's product category is Children's Nonprofit Wish-Granting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAF, Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations, with a secondary code of BPAGACAM, Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.