Choosing hope: how to find a children's charity for your donation
At Make-A-Wish Australia, we believe in empowering our supporters with the knowledge to make informed choices. Here's a guide on what to look for when choosing a children's charity that aligns with your values and commitment to positive change.
ACNC registration - Make sure the charity you choose proudly bears this mark, signifying adherence to regulatory standards and a commitment to ethical practices.
Transparency - A reputable children's charity should provide clear and easily accessible information on how they allocate funds from generous donations. At Make-A-Wish Australia, we strive for transparency, ensuring that every contribution directly impacts the lives of children facing critical illnesses.
Accountability policies - Look for children's charities that have robust policies and procedures in place, ensuring accountability in every aspect of their work. Make-A-Wish Australia stands firm in its commitment to accountability, constantly evaluating and improving the positive impact made possible by the generosity of our supporters.
Measurable impact - The best children's charities go beyond good intentions. Discover how your chosen charity makes a difference — at Make-A-Wish Australia, we take pride in illustrating why wishes matter.
Choosing one of Australia's children's charities to donate to is often a deeply personal decision. At Make-A-Wish Australia, we invite you to explore our commitment to transparency, accountability, and the unwavering belief in the power of wishes.
What makes Make-A-Wish Australia one of the best children's charities
Make-A-Wish is incredibly proud to consistently rank among Australia's most reputable charities.
The RepTrak Charity study measures the reputations of a benchmark set of the largest Australian charities each year, based on ACNC revenue data.
RepTrak found that Make-A-Wish Australia achieved an excellent reputation score (80+), on par with charities within the ‘Top 20’, even though we were not included in the benchmark set of 40 charities this year (based on revenue).
Sally Bateman, Chief Executive Officer of Make-A-Wish Australia said:
“In a year like no other, it’s wonderful to see that community trust remains high and the public recognises the important role Make-A-Wish plays to support families and inspire children with critical illnesses.
"Our reputation is a testament to the incredible Wish Force – including our donors, supporters, partners and volunteers. While we know it’s been a tough year and wishes are waiting - we are optimistic that the best for Make-A-Wish is still to come.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Since 1985, Make-A-Wish Australia has granted over 11,000 wishes, and is currently averaging over one wish granted for a critically ill child per day.
Make-A-Wish is the only Australian children's charity focused exclusively on wishes. That means all our efforts go towards fundraising and creating wishes for Australian children affected by critical illness.
You can view our latest financial records here.
Yes, Make-A-Wish Australia is proudly registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), ensuring compliance with ethical and financial standards.
Yes, all donations to Make-A-Wish Australia above $2 are tax deductible.
You can support wishes for critically ill children and get a tax refund on once-off donations, regular monthly giving and workplace giving.
Make-A-Wish is the only Australian children's charity solely dedicated to granting life-changing wishes for critically ill children. Our only mission is to gift hope and joy to as many eligible sick children as possible through wishes.
We also have a talented and hard-working team of volunteers based in every state of Australia that allow us to carry out this mission. Along with our exceptional supporter base that give us the resources to grant hundreds of wishes every year. As a charity that receives no government funding, we're completely reliant on the generosity of our donors.
Thank you for considering volunteering for Make-A-Wish. We rely on our amazing volunteer branches to help make wishes come true. Our volunteer branches across Australia are crucial in helping to deliver exceptional experiences to our wish children and their families, as well as assisting Make-A-Wish through their incredible fundraising efforts throughout the year.
Visit our volunteer hub to find everything you need to know about becoming a Make-A-Wish volunteer.