Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Virginia

What Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Virginia does

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Virginia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 54-1429614) established in 1987 and headquartered at 2810 N. Parham Road, Suite 302, Richmond, VA. It is a local chapter of Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, the national umbrella founded in 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona, and operates as part of a 57-chapter network that grants wishes to children diagnosed with critical illnesses in all 50 U.S. states. Since its founding, the Greater Virginia chapter has granted more than 6,000 wishes to children ages 2.5 to under 18 with critical illnesses; families pay nothing and no income qualifications apply.

The organization's core product is wish granting, supported by a technology stack consisting of a Salesforce-hosted online wish referral form, Blackbaud Merchant Services for donation processing, and a mobile fundraising app integrating with Apple Health, Android Health Connect, Garmin, Strava, and Fitbit for activity-based peer-to-peer fundraising. Wish-granting operations are powered by a volunteer network of wish granters, community ambassadors, and fundraisers, augmented by corporate partners including The Walt Disney Company (involved in approximately half of all wishes), ESPN (20-year My Wish series), Salesforce ($1M/year for 3 years matching gift), and Subaru (Share the Love event raised $3.1M in 2024).

The revenue model is donation-driven across seven streams: individual donations (one-time and monthly), corporate partnerships and sponsorships, foundation grants, planned/legacy gifts, special events and peer-to-peer fundraising, vehicle donations (operated through Advanced Remarketing Services with the chapter receiving 60-80% of gross sale price), and in-kind contributions. Distribution of donations occurs online, by phone (800-234-9474), by mail, and through vehicle and planned-gift channels. Marketing is multi-channel, leveraging emotional storytelling across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and earned media coverage in outlets such as ESPN, NBC Nightly News, and People.com.

Name

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Virginia

Legal name

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Virginia

Website

https://va.wish.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Virginia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit chapter (founded 1987, Richmond, VA) that grants life-changing wishes at no cost to children ages 2.5 to under 18 with critical illnesses across Virginia, operating under the national Make-A-Wish network of 57 chapters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Wish Granting Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)

Keywords

• Children's wish granting
• Nonprofit charity services
• Pediatric wish fulfillment
• Critical illness support
• Charitable fundraising programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual donors made online, by mail, or by phone. Monthly giving program available. Donations are tax-deductible under Section 501(c)(3).
2. Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships: Corporate donors and sponsors contribute to wish granting. Salesforce committed $1 million annually for 3 years as a matching gift partner. Subaru, ESPN, and other corporate partners provide both financial and in-kind support.
3. Foundation Grants: Foundation grants provide funding alongside individual and corporate contributions.
4. Planned Gifts: Bequests and legacy planned gifts from donors who designate Make-A-Wish in their estate plans.
5. Special Events & Fundraising Campaigns: Annual events, peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, and tribute campaigns (weddings, birthdays, memorials) generate revenue. The organization uses an online fundraising app with fitness tracking integration to enable activity-based fundraising.
6. Vehicle Donations: Car donation program operated through partnership with Advanced Remarketing Services. The chapter receives 60-80% of the gross selling price of donated vehicles. Donors receive tax receipts within 30 days of sale.
7. In-Kind Contributions: Non-monetary donations of goods and services used to fulfill wishes and support operations, reducing the cost of wish coordination.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Virginia grants life-changing wish experiences to children ages 2.5 to under 18 who have been diagnosed with a critical illness. Wishes are fully funded by the organization at no cost to families, including travel and spending money, with no income qualifications required. As a local chapter of Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, it supports wish delivery through donations, corporate sponsorships, planned gifts, vehicle donations, and a network of trained wish-granter volunteers.

Product overview

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Virginia is a nonprofit organization that grants life-changing wishes to children diagnosed with critical illnesses. The organization operates as part of the national Make-A-Wish network with 57 chapters and nearly 20,000 volunteers. Its core service offerings center on wish granting for children ages 2.5 to under 18 with critical illnesses. The organization's digital engagement includes online donation processing (one-time and monthly gifts), a vehicle donation program (in partnership with Advanced Remarketing Services and Car Donation Wizard), and a mobile fundraising app that integrates with health data platforms (Apple Health, Android Health Connect, Garmin, Strava, Fitbit) to track fitness activities for fundraising rewards. Volunteer operations include a portal and wish granter training system. The wish referral system is built on Salesforce. Additional programs include World Wish Month (annual March campaign), the WishMakers Wanted campaign to recruit volunteers, Starblazer Awards honoring wish alumni, Thankmas holiday campaign (with Jacksepticeye), and the ESPN My Wish series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wish Granting Services Core service that grants life-changing wishes to children (ages 2.5 to under 18) diagnosed with critical illnesses. Wishes are fully covered including travel and spending money, with no income qualifications required.
• Online Donation Processing Digital donation platform accepting one-time and monthly contributions online, by mail, and by phone, processed via Blackbaud Merchant Services. Donations support granting wishes for children with critical illnesses and are tax-deductible under Section 501(c)(3).
• Vehicle Donation Program Car, truck, RV, and other vehicle donation program accepting running and non-functioning vehicles. Free towing is provided; 60-80% of the gross selling price returns to the chapter. Tax receipts are issued within 30 days of sale. Operated in partnership with Advanced Remarketing Services via CardonationWizard.com.
• Make-A-Wish Fundraising App Mobile application for nonprofit peer-to-peer fundraising events. Integrates with health data platforms (Apple Health, Android Health Connect, Garmin, Strava, Fitbit) to access fitness activity data and credit users with activity rewards related to fundraising campaigns.
• Wish Referral System Online wish referral inquiry form for children with critical illnesses. Referrals can be submitted by medical professionals, parents/guardians, family members, or the child themselves. Built on the Salesforce platform.
• Volunteer Portal and Wish Granter Training Volunteer onboarding system including virtual wish granter training, interview process, specialized training for certain positions, and background checks for wish granters, translators, and office volunteers.

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).
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• JacksepticeyemajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 July 2026YouTuber and content creator Jacksepticeye partnered with Make-A-Wish on the 'Thankmas' campaign to grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. The partnership leverages the creator's audience for fundraising and wish awareness.
• SalesforcecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 September 2025Salesforce is the official Make-A-Wish matching gift partner for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (September). Salesforce committed $1 million annually for 3 years to help grant life-changing wishes, expand outreach, and support the goal to reach every eligible child. The partnership includes employee engagement opportunities, storytelling campaigns, and co-branded activations during World Wish Month. Marc Benioff, Salesforce Chair and CEO, is quoted supporting the mission.
• ESPNcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2024ESPN and Make-A-Wish partner on the award-winning 'My Wish' series on SportsCenter, now in its 20th year (2026). The series brings sports-related wishes to life, featuring wish kids alongside professional athletes and broadcasters.
• Subaru of AmericamajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Subaru raised $3.1 million for Make-A-Wish through its 2024 Share the Love event, supporting children battling critical illnesses. The annual campaign drives donations through Subaru purchases and dealership participation.
• Advanced Remarketing ServicescoreOthersAdvanced Remarketing Services operates the Make-A-Wish Greater Virginia car donation program. Donors use CardonationWizard.com to donate vehicles; ARS handles towing and sale. ARS returns 60-80% of the gross selling price to the chapter, the highest rate of any vehicle donation program. Tax receipts are issued within 30 days of sale.
• The Walt Disney CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisney is involved in approximately half of all wishes Make-A-Wish grants. Many wish children wish to visit Walt Disney World or Disneyland, and Disney often provides special experiences and access. Disney's involvement is central to the wish-granting mission.
• Blackbaud Merchant Services (BBMS)supportingTechnology or IntegrationBlackbaud Merchant Services processes all financial transactions on the Make-A-Wish website, including donations and purchases. Transactions use TLS encryption, occur on secure servers in real time, and credit card numbers are not retained after processing. BBMS is bound by site privacy policies.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kids Wish Network: Direct wish-granting competitor that grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. Closely comparable service model, donor base, and child-illness eligibility criteria, making it a head-to-head alternative for both wish families and donors.
• Dreams Come True: Wish-granting charity serving children with life-threatening illnesses, primarily in the U.S. Comparable service model and beneficiary population, though smaller in scale and geographic reach than Make-A-Wish.
• Children's Wish Foundation International: Grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses, including international wish fulfillment. Directly comparable in wish-granting service model and target population, with overlapping corporate sponsor pool.
• Starlight Children's Foundation: National nonprofit delivering programs, hospital entertainment, and wish-like experiences to seriously ill children and their families. Directly comparable in mission (serving critically ill children) and donor/constituent base, though it leans more on hospital-based programming than travel wishes.

Broad incumbents

• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Large national nonprofit supporting families of critically ill children with housing, meals, and lodging near hospitals. Comparable donor base and corporate partner ecosystem (especially quick-service restaurant and consumer brands), though it provides accommodation rather than wish experiences.
• Children's Miracle Network Hospitals: National nonprofit raising funds for children's hospitals across North America. Directly comparable in fundraising model (corporate partners, peer-to-peer campaigns, point-of-sale giving) and beneficiary population (critically ill children), though funds are routed to hospitals rather than wish delivery.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation of America: National parent organization and the largest wish-granting nonprofit in the U.S., operating 57 chapters and granting 615,000+ wishes worldwide. It is the direct umbrella body for the Greater Virginia chapter and the most comparable entity in mission, scale, and partner ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: National nonprofit funding pediatric cancer research and family support. Comparable in donor demographic (parents, families, corporate partners), story-driven peer-to-peer fundraising, and child-illness mission, though focused on research rather than wish experiences.
• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: Nonprofit focused on pediatric cancer research and treatment access. Comparable beneficiary population and corporate fundraising model, but its mission is research funding rather than experience delivery.

Regional players

• Make-A-Wish Foundation of America (Local Chapters - e.g., Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic): Other Make-A-Wish chapters operate under the same brand, mission, and infrastructure but serve adjacent geographies. Comparable in operating model, donor programs, and volunteer structure, competing for overlapping regional corporate sponsors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GVAWish
• Facebookfacebook.com/MakeAWishVA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/make-a-wish-foundation-of-greater-virginia
• Instagraminstagram.com/makeawishva

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Virginia