Make-A-Wish Foundation of The

“There shall be an executive committee of the board composed of the chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, treasurer, and chair of each committee. The executive committee shall have and may exercise, between meetings of the board, all of the delegable powers of the board to the extent not expressly prohibited by the laws of the state of maryland or by resolution of the board. The board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of the executive committee to replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the executive committee. The executive committee, shall fix its own rules of procedure and it shall keep a record of its proceedings and report them to the board at the next regular meeting of the board after such proceedings have been taken. All such proceedings shall be subject to revision or amendment by the board.”

“The foundation worked closely with an independent public accounting firm engaged to prepare the form 990. The draft form 990 prepared by the accounting firm was reviewed by the foundation's president/ceo and the coo & cfo. The return was then presented to the finance committee of the board, composed of financial professionals, for review and comments. Subsequent to the committee's approval, a complete copy of the form 990 was provided to all voting board members prior to filing with the internal revenue service.”

“The foundation maintains a conflict of interest and ethics statement as provided by the make-a-wish foundation of america for each officer, employee, board member, and volunteer. Such statements must be signed upon date of hire, election, or commencement of volunteer service, and at least annually thereafter. The signed statements are then submitted to and reviewed by the volunteer manager if they are from volunteers, and the president/ceo and the coo & cfo if from staff and board members. Review of the statements is monitored by the president/ceo. The procedures for addressing any conflicts of interest of which the president/ceo becomes aware includes, but are not limited to, the following (1) determining the nature of the conflict via verbal or written communication with the interested person, (2) fully disclosing conflicting interests to the board, (3) the conflicted person recuses himself/herself from deliberations and decisions regarding the transaction, and (4) taking appropriate actions warranted by the conflict as recommended by the board up to and including termination of service.”

“The president/ceo's compensation is determined by the executive committee. Committee reviews against bench-marking salary surveys. Surveys may include: surveys completed by make-a-wish foundation of america (typically completed every few years), surveys completed by national benchmarking organizations; surveys completed by state organizations; and surveys completed by a third party using regional / state / local data. The process described above was last completed in the fall of 2024. The process for determining compensation for other officers / key employees (leadership team), excluding the president/ceo, is reviewed by the executive committee as part of the annual budget process. For staff members who are not officers / key employees (leadership team), the salary review and compensation increases are determined by the president/ceo and cfo and included in the annual budget, which is approved by the board. The president/ceo and cfo review against bench-marking salary surveys. Surveys may include: surveys completed by make-a-wish foundation of america (typically completed every few years), surveys completed by national benchmarking organizations; surveys completed by state organizations; and surveys completed by a third party using regional / state / local data. This process was last completed in the summer of 2024.”

“The organization makes its governing documents, conflict of interest policy, and financial statements available upon request.”

“Make-a-wish mid-atlantic's mission is simple: to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Every year, approximately 450 children (between the ages of 2.5 and 18) in maryland, washington, d.c., and northern virginia receive a diagnosis that qualifies them for make-a-wish and every one of their wishes will come true. The organization granted 376 life-changing wishes in fy2024 (year ending august 31, 2024). The total cost for the wishes granted in fy2024 was $5,967,870. Of this amount, $895,323 was contributed by various vendors who provided in-kind contributions such as travel and travel services, transportation and other services and use of facilities for fulfill a child's wish. For financial statement purposes, these amounts are included as contribution revenue and granted wish expense. For form 990, however, the irs requires this amount be excluded from revenue and expense. A wish provides a child and their family with hope, strength, and joy during their most challenging times. A wish isn't just nice; it's necessary. 98% of medical providers say a wish improves a child's emotional and physical well-being and overall quality of life. For children with a critical illness, days filled with childhood joys are traded for medical appointments and hospital stays. They miss out on time with family, siblings and friends. For these children a wish is a game-changer. A wish can be that spark that helps them believe that anything is possible and gives them the strength to fight harder against their illnesses. Wishes we grant for children with critical illnesses are not fleeting gifts. It's more than the trip, the boat or meeting a celebrity that matter most. It's the life-changing impact. Each wish is a pivotal experience during a child's medical journey that often improves their health and quality of life and always brings hope and joy. Make-a-wish mid-atlantic is committed to ensuring all eligible children have access to an impactful and equitable wish regardless of their race, gender, abilities, values, beliefs, experiences, backgrounds, preferences, behaviors, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, age, sexual orientation/identity, and more.”