Overall GiG Score: 5 ?
Finance Score: -8
Governance Score: 9
Support Score: 4
  • Poor Liquidity: -1
  • Multiple Deficits: -2
  • Fundraising costs high: -5
  • Good trustee age range: +3
  • Dynamic board: +3
  • Gender balanced board: +3
  • Grant maker support: +4

MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION UK 

Make-A-Wish grants magical wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening illnesses. Our wishes are truly magical. Whether a wish is to be a princess for the day, own the latest computer equipment, meet a favourite celebrity, or enjoy some special time away from home with their family, a wish come true brings so much to a child's life and provides memories that last a lifetime.
Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

  • The charity has received modest backing from several prominent grant makers recently
  • The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of age and gender and dynamic in terms of composition

Financial issues to consider:

  • Liquidity appears to have been slender at the latest year end
  • On several occasions in recent years income has been less than spending
  • Fundraising costs are extremely high relative to funds raised
Established: 37 years

http://www.make-a-wish.org.uk

info@make-a-wish.org.uk

01276405060

Charity Commission for England and WalesCompanies House
UN SDGs
?

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?
Sources of Income ?
Y/E Income
£k
Spending
£k
Surplus/
Deficit
Fundraising
Cost £k
Total
Funds £k
Unrestricted
Funds £k
Mths
Rsrvs
Staff Volun-
teers
31/08/22£10,672£11,164£-492£3,898£5,574£5,4175.861464
31/08/21£5,077£5,222£-145£2,386£6,234£6,16514.250591
31/08/20£8,412£8,416£-5£3,363£5,716£5,6628.173985
31/08/19£8,228£8,963£-735£3,664£5,778£5,6727.677644
31/08/18?£5,268£5,705£-437£2,121£6,303£6,1591378325
31/12/17£10,706£9,317£1,389£3,449£6,708£6,2868.1660
31/12/16£7,031£8,077£-1,045£2,857£5,174£4,9687.4710
31/12/15£9,935£8,020£1,914£2,949£6,102£6,1029.1690
31/12/14£7,439£6,491£949£2,009£4,226£4,2267.8470
31/12/13£6,400£7,062£-661£1,885£3,181£3,1815.4490
31/12/12£6,295£6,660£-366£1,787£3,920£3,9207.1460
31/12/11£6,177£6,437£-260£1,477£4,169£4,1697.8410
31/12/10£5,513£5,254£260£1,618£4,389£4,38910380
31/12/09£5,125£3,903£1,222£1,057£4,140£4,13012.7360
31/12/08£5,010£4,092£917£1,307£3,078£3,0689360
31/12/07£4,163£3,130£1,032£1,048£2,161£2,1518.2300
31/12/06£2,930£2,214£717£0£0£0n/a00
31/12/05£3,272£2,980£292£0£0£0n/a00
31/12/04*£3,245£3,483£-237£0£0£0n/a00

Financial Ratios
Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 57.6%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 34.9%
Senior Staff Costs/Total Spending: 5%
Highest pay band: £90,000-£100,000
Liabilities/Assets: 36%
Liabilities/Income: 29%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 97%
Reserves/Spending: 5.8 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 2 months
Quick Ratio: 0.4
Asset Split ?
What it does
  • The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
Who works here?
  • 61 employees
  • 464 volunteers
Who it helps
  • Children/Young People
How it operates
  • Provides services
Where it operates
  • Northern Ireland, Scotland, Throughout England And Wales,

Who's supporting them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following significant donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Specific Donations
Amount When
Months
To be used for
Rothschild Foundation - Grant to Make A Wish Foundation
£20,000 06/10/2023
Granting wishes to significantly improve the quality of life of children living with a critical illness in the UK
Rothschild Foundation - Grant to Make A Wish Foundation
£10,000 10/10/2021
Art of Wishes Auction 2021

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (8)
Current Trustees appointed
Gender Split
Based on 7/8 persons

Age Range of Trustees: 37-71
  • ED SMITH Appointed: 2017, Occupation: Marketing
  • NINA SAFFURI Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Fundraising Consultant
Legal constitution
  • Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 09/12/1986, number: 295672
  • Registered at Companies House on 26/06/1986, number: 02031836
Gift Aid
  • Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid
Policies in force
  • Complaints handling
  • Conflicting interests
  • Investment
  • Paying staff
  • Risk management
  • Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
  • Volunteer management
Filing Record
19 returns made; AR04: 29 days late,
Main office

Thames Tower (7th Floor)
Station Road
READING
BERKSHIRE
RG1 1LX

Objectives

TO PROMOTE AND FURTHER THE CARE AND RELIEF OF CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN WHO HAVE A TERMINAL ILLNESS OR WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM A MEDICAL CONDITION SUFFICIENTLY LIFE THREATENING TO CREATE A PROBABILITY THAT THE CHILD WILL NOT SURVIVE BEYOND THEIR EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY, AND IN PARTICULAR BY GRANTING FEASIBLE WISHES OF SUCH CHILDREN.

Defined Area of Benefit:

NOT DEFINED

Data Sources

Charity Commission for England and Wales
360 Giving
CharityBase
Authorised officials of this charity can add information to this page (including a Donate Now button) for no cost

Tips for Selecting Charities

Which areas of philanthropy are most effective?
The text of this post is taken from an article on the Effective Altruism forum. It suggests that you can achieve the most impact by supporting causes that fight extreme poverty, improving animal welfare....more
Our Top Tips for Philanthropy
Here are some ideas to help you gain more satisfaction from your philanthropy and confidence that the causes you have selected are impactful. Engage your brain, as well as your heart You....more
How to become a Philanthropist
In this Blog we outline a strategy to help people who are new to philanthropy and for those who feel dissatisfied with the impact they are having. Effective philanthropy is immensely rewarding for donors,....more

Giving is Great