Make-A-Wish® Central & South Texas

What Make-A-Wish® Central & South Texas does

Make-A-Wish® Central & South Texas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation (EIN: 74-2357788) and a regional chapter of the national Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, founded in 1984 and currently operating with 27 employees. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, with a regional office in San Antonio, the organization grants life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses—such as congenital heart disease and cancer—across the Central and South Texas service territory. Its core offering is the Wish Granting Program, delivered through a high-touch model in which trained volunteers work directly with wish families to plan and execute personalized wish experiences.

The organization runs a community-led go-to-market motion, relying on individual donors, corporate partners, volunteers, and an 'En Español' community pathway to fulfill its mission. Revenue is generated entirely through charitable giving, structured across three streams: voluntary individual donations (one-time and recurring monthly memberships), fundraising events with personal fundraising pages, and corporate partnerships for sponsorships and employee giving. Wish fulfillment is free to recipient families, and referrals are initiated through the 'Refer a Child' web pathway driven by medical professionals and families. The chapter does not operate proprietary technology products; its digital infrastructure is limited to the parent foundation's online donation portal (secure2.wish.org), a Constant Contact newsletter pipeline, and active social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

The chapter operates under the national Make-A-Wish Foundation's brand license and trademark, which provides recognizable brand equity, operational frameworks, and shared infrastructure. There is no AI or automated technology layer supporting core operations; the business model is labor-intensive, dependent on volunteer engagement, donor generosity, and the parent organization's governance. Federal tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) and the absence of any venture or private equity ownership confirm its structure as a donation-dependent charitable nonprofit.

Name

Make-A-Wish® Central & South Texas

Legal name

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and South Texas

Website

https://cstx.wish.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Make-A-Wish® Central & South Texas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit chapter granting life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses across Central and South Texas, funded by individual donations, corporate partnerships, and community fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: Individual donors contribute one-time or recurring (monthly) donations through the organization's website and direct mail campaigns to support wish fulfillment for children with critical illnesses.
2. Fundraising Events: The organization hosts fundraising events and enables supporters to create personal fundraising pages to raise funds for wish grants.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners support the organization through sponsorships and collaborative giving programs to fund wish experiences.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Make-A-Wish® Central & South Texas is a regional 501(c)(3) nonprofit chapter that grants life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses such as congenital heart disease and cancer. It funds these wishes through individual donations, recurring monthly memberships, corporate sponsorships, and community fundraising events delivered across Central and South Texas.

Product overview

Make-A-Wish® Central & South Texas is a nonprofit charitable organization, not a technology product company. It operates as a single unified program focused on granting wishes to children with critical illnesses. The organization offers wish granting as its core service, supported by volunteer programs and fundraising initiatives. The portfolio consists of wish granting as the primary offering, supplemented by volunteer opportunities and fundraising tools to support the mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wish Granting Program Creates and fulfills personalized life-changing wishes for children diagnosed with critical illnesses such as congenital heart disease and cancer; the wishes are tailored to each child (e.g., becoming a park ranger, meeting a celebrity, or going on an adventure). Funded entirely by charitable contributions and delivered through trained volunteers.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Make-A-Wish Foundation of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Central & South Texas chapter operates under the national Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, receiving brand recognition, operational frameworks, and national support while maintaining local chapter autonomy for community engagement and wish fulfillment in Texas.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Starlight Children's Foundation: Nonprofit delivering programs (including wish-like experiences, gaming, and hospital wear) to seriously ill children and their families. Directly comparable mission, donation funding model, and pediatric critical-illness target population.
• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: Childhood cancer charity that funds research and family support through grassroots fundraising events and corporate partnerships. Comparable donation- and event-driven revenue mix serving critically ill children.
• National Children's Cancer Society: Nonprofit providing financial and emotional support to children with cancer and their families. Operates on a similar charitable-donation and volunteer-supported model with comparable beneficiary population.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Major nonprofit serving families of critically ill children, supporting them during hospital stays. Comparable donor base, volunteer model, and reliance on corporate partnerships (McDonald's and others) for fundraising make it a close operating peer.
• Children's Miracle Network: A nonprofit raising funds for children's hospitals through corporate partnerships and grassroots fundraising. Shares Make-A-Wish's community-led GTM, donation-based revenue model, and focus on children with critical medical conditions.
• Children's Wish Foundation International: A nonprofit that grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses, directly competing with Make-A-Wish in the wish-granting category. Operates a similar donation- and volunteer-driven model targeting critically ill children and their families.
• Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia: A peer regional Make-A-Wish chapter operating under the same national brand with the same wish-granting model, donation revenue mix, and volunteer-led delivery. Directly comparable as a sister chapter of similar scope.

Broad incumbents

• Make-A-Wish Foundation of America: The national umbrella organization that licenses regional chapters including this one. Operates the same wish-granting model at scale, sets brand and operational standards, and coordinates cross-chapter fundraising—making it both parent and broadest operating peer.
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: Leading pediatric critical-illness institution funded largely through charitable donations. Shares the same donor base, mission focus (children with life-threatening illnesses), and reliance on corporate partnerships and individual giving.

Regional players

• Special Olympics Texas: Texas-state nonprofit affiliate of Special Olympics serving children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Comparable donation- and volunteer-driven model, regional Texas footprint, and reliance on community events for fundraising.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZPjP2ANIg59AAAluzPNmzQ?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/MakeAWishCSTX
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/make-a-wish-central-south-texas
• Instagraminstagram.com/makeawishcstx

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Make-A-Wish® Central & South Texas