IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal. Copyright © 2015. Think Tank Marketing. CONFIDENTIAL.
Proposed for: Prepared by:
TH NK TANK! m a r k e t i n g
An IMC Proposal for Make-A-Wish Michigan
To engage and inspire Generation X to participate in the mission of Make-A-Wish
Michigan through donations, volunteering, and lifelong support of the organization
123 Main Street, Morgantown, WV 26508
December 21, 2015

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
OPENING LETTER……………………………….……………………………………………………………..…4
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY………………………………………………..…………………………………………5
AGENCY MATERIALS
BUSINESS CARD…………………………………………………………………………………………………..6
LETTERHEAD..…………………….………………….………………..……………………………………..……7
AGENCY CREDENTIALS AND IDENTITY……….……..…………..….……………………………..………8
PRESS RELEASE………………………….…………..……………………………………..……..……………..10
SITUATION ANALYSIS
MAKE-A-WISH MISSION……………………………………………………………………………………….11
MAKE-A-WISH HISTORY……………………………………………………………………………………….11
THE IMPACT OF A WISH………………………………………………………………………………………12
THE MICHIGAN CHAPTER…………………………………………………………………………………….12
FINANCIALS…………………………………………………………………………………………..…………..13
SIGNATURE EVENTS………………………………………………………………………………………..…..13
KEY THIRD PARTY EVENTS IN 2014..……………………………………………………………………….14
DONATION PROGRAMS………………………………………………………………………………………15
FUNDRAISING PROGRAMS………………………………………………………………………………..….16
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES……………………………………………………………………………….16
PARTNERSHIPS AND SPONSORSHIPS……………………………………………………………………..16
SOCIAL NETWORKING………..………………………………….……………………………………………17
OTHER COMMUNICATION TOOLS…………………………….………………………………………..…18
OUTSTANDING CAMPAIGNS………………………………………….……………………………………..19
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE……………………………………………….………………………………….20
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES………………………………………………………………….…..25
TARGET AUDIENCE
MEET GENERATION X…………………………………………………………………………………………28
DEMOGRAPHICS……………………………………………………………………………………….…28
PSYCHOGRAPHICS………………………………………………………………………………………. 29
DIVERSITY………………………………………………………………………………………………..…30
TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA CONSUMPTION………………..……………………………………….31
ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS TOWARD NONPROFITS………………………………………………..32
BUILD TRUST THROUGH TRANSPARENCY……………………………………………………………33
SECONDARY AUDIENCE………………………………………………………………………………………33
SWOT ANALYSIS
SWOT ANALYSIS DIAGRAM…………………………………………………………………………………..35
THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 2

SWOT ANALYSIS RATIONALE…………………………………………………………………………….….35
RESEARCH
FOCUS GROUP REPORT……………………………………………………………………………………….37
MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN BRAND
BRAND PERCEPTION…………………………………………………………………………………………..43
BRAND PERSONALITY………………………………………………………………………………………….44
BRAND POSITIONING………………………………………………………………………………………….47
CREATIVE MATERIALS
ICSS STATEMENT………………………………………………………………………………………………..50
CREATIVE BRIEF………………………………………………………………………………………………….52
COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA PLAN
CREATIVE THEME……………….…..…………………………..………………………………………………53
CAMPAIGN GOAL……………………………………………………………………………………………….54
CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES………………………………………………………………………………….…..55
CAMPAIGN TACTICS……………………………………………………………………………………………55
THE PROJECT IMPACT CAMPAIGN…………………………………………..………………………..57
WISHES IN FLIGHT……………………………………………………………..…………………………68
THE WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR……………………………………………………….……………..71
DETROIT WALK FOR WISHES……………………………………………………………………………74
CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS……………………………………………………………………………78
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS PLAN……………….…………….………………..…………………81
CREATIVE EXECUTIONS……………………………………………………………………………….…83
BUDGET SUMMARY………………………………..………………………………………..……………99
2016 INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS FLOWCHART………………………………….………..101
EVALUATION PLAN
CAMPAIGN SURVEYS…………………………………….………………….……………..…………………104
INTERNAL SURVEYS…………………………………………………………………………………..105
FOCUS GROUPS……………………………………………………………………….……………..…….….105
SOCIAL MEDIA REPORTS…………………………………………………………….……..………….……106
CONCLUSION
CAMPAIGN CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………………….…108
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: FOCUS GROUP MODERATOR’S GUIDE…………………….….……………………..109
APPENDIX B: REFERENCES…………………………………………………….….……………………..…112  

December 21, 2015
Ms. Karen Davis
President 
Make-A-Wish Michigan 
7600 Grand River Ave. Suite 175 Brighton, MI 48114
Cc: Ms. Sherri Collins 
Vice President of Marketing and Brand Advancement
Dear Ms. Davis:
On behalf of Think Tank Marketing, thank you for the opportunity to submit this integrated marketing
communications proposal to Make-A-Wish Michigan. Your organization’s efforts to enrich children’s lives
by granting wishes have made a lasting impact on young people, their families, others across Michigan
communities, and beyond. As personal supporters of your cause, we would consider it an honor to
partner with such an impactful organization on this project.
The strategy outlined in the following pages seeks to engage and inspire the Generation X demographic
to participate in the mission of Make-A-Wish Michigan through donations, volunteering, and lifelong
support of the organization. We believe this market to be crucial to Make-A-Wish Michigan’s future. In
this document, you will find proven research and innovative marketing tactics, which will allow your
organization to successfully appeal to and attract this generation long-term.
Think Tank Marketing was founded on the philosophy that the smallest ideas have the potential to be
extraordinary. Much like the wishes your organization grants, ideas have the power to impact lives, and
we believe the best life stories happen when a group of people unite their ideas for good. This belief
has laid the foundation of our sole mission, which is to be apart of the life-changing work nonprofits do
and take their stories to the public.
Think Tank Marketing exclusively works with nonprofit organizations to help solve a variety of marketing
and communications challenges. We offer a mix of both traditional and digital services, grounded in a
storytelling approach, to ensure that your organization can build long-lasting relationships with its target
audiences.
We are very excited about the possibility of partnering with Make-A-Wish Michigan. I will call your office
on December 28, 2015, to discuss this proposal in greater detail.
Sincerely,
Jamie Huggins
Founder & CEO — Think Tank Marketing 
123 Main Street | Morgantown, West Virginia 26508 | 304.123.4567 | thinktankmarketing.com

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
It all began with one wish. One wish that had a lasting impact on a little boy, on his family, on a
group of co-workers and friends, on complete strangers, and even around the world. Make-A-
Wish Michigan was founded on the principles behind that wish. The organization has a rich
history of granting wishes to provide hope, strength, and joy to children with life-threatening
medical conditions. These wishes have been proven to provide a real impact.
In the research stage of this proposal, Think Tank Marketing discovered something important
about Generation X, our target audience for this campaign. Generation X strives to make an
impact as well. Here, within this often-forgotten demographic, lies a group of individuals who
truly want to be involved with nonprofits. They want their donations, time spent volunteering,
and participation with fundraisers to have a positive, transparent impact in their local
communities, but they often feel like their efforts are not needed or even wanted. This
reasoning led to the creation of our ICSS, which is: For 35-50 year olds wanting to make a
positive impact in their local communities, Make-A-Wish Michigan is a premier nonprofit,
which provides a direct outlet for helping children across the state of Michigan.
PROJECT IMPACT was created so Make-A-Wish Michigan could meet the driving, charitable
needs of Generation X. It blends the mission of Make-A-Wish Michigan with the idea that
Generation X can directly be a part of the wish granting process to make a positive impact
locally. It delivers the message that we all have the ability to make an impact — in a child’s
life, in their families’ lives, or in our local communities. The possibilities for impact are endless.
The tactics and touch-points laced throughout PROJECT IMPACT seek to achieve the stated
campaign goal of increasing donations to $1.25 million and increasing the number of
volunteers by 20 percent from 690 to 830 by uniting the target audience under the mission of
Make-A-Wish Michigan. Through the integrated use of social media, a responsive microsite,
email marketing, digital advertising, digital video creation, event marketing, and traditional
advertising tactics, Generation X’ers will regularly come into contact with the campaign.
Whether it be while eating at the IMPACT of the Food Trucks Festival, donating at their favorite
store during IMPACT for Wishes, or starting their own IMPACT campaign, this campaign will
forge personal connections with our target audience that they can easily share with others.
#MAKEYOURIMPACT, which is integrated throughout the campaign, was created as a
challenge to Generation X, but it is also the start of a movement. It is a call-to-action designed
to create engagement in any way possible. It seeks to inspire teamwork and camaraderie.
Perhaps, most importantly, it allows people to unite under something much bigger than
themselves. To give, to volunteer, and to participate, simply to help others in their local
communities. This connection, this impact, with Make-A-Wish Michigan is something that
Think Tank Marketing believes will truly last for years to come.

BUSINESS CARD
Front:
Back: 
i m c a g e n c y
jamie huggins
founder & ceo
123 main street
morgantown, wv
26508
jamie@thinktankmarketing.com
thinktankmarketing.com
@thinktankmarketing
304.123.4567
thinktankmarketing

SAM
PLE
LETTERHEAD

WELCOME TO THE THINK TANK
Think Tank Marketing is a full-service, integrated marketing agency located in Morgantown,
West Virginia. Think Tank Marketing was founded on the philosophy that the smallest ideas
have the potential to be extraordinary. Ideas have the power to impact lives, and we believe
the best stories in life happen when a group of people unite their ideas under a positive cause.
This is why Think Tank Marketing seeks to partner with nonprofit organizations committed to
achieving the greater good in their communities. We believe that together we can truly make
a difference and inspire change — all it takes is one idea.
OUR MISSION
At Think Tank Marketing, we have made it our sole mission to be a part of the life-changing
work nonprofits do and take their stories to the public. Whether it’s raising awareness, building
a community, or inspiring donors, Think Tank Marketing’s integrated marketing approach allows
your organization to showcase innovative ideas crafted precisely for today’s audiences.
OUR APPROACH
In order for nonprofit organizations to achieve their goals, Think Tank Marketing believes that
good ideas must get more than noticed to inspire change — they need to be believed. This is
why we take a storytelling, rather than sales-oriented, approach to help strengthen your
organization’s brand. We help give your brand a relatable identity by listening to your
audience and crafting stories that are genuine, inspirational, and creative.
Think Tank Marketing exclusively works with nonprofit organizations, who need a full-service
creative team to carry out marketing and communications initiatives beyond existing staff. We
conduct in-depth market analysis and research in order to craft integrated marketing content
and build a cohesive brand identity. This, in turn, works to target possible supporters with the
purpose of turning them into brand advocates.

Tell us about your cause and the vision you have for your organization, and we will evaluate
your current marketing strategy and best determine your marketing needs. Our integrated
approach has repeatedly been proven to increase donations, increase volunteer numbers,
create positive buzz from the press, and result in increased engagement on social media. Think
Tank Marketing values a close-knit collaboration with our clients, and through collaborative
brainstorming, we will help you develop a strategy that will best address your goals,
opportunities, obstacles, and budget.
OUR SERVICES
At Think Tank Marketing, our agency provides a mix of traditional and digital marketing and
communications services to our clients to transform collaborative ideas into vision and achieve
strategic goals. We are committed to providing the right combination of integrated creative
tools to get good accomplished.
We have in-house expertise on a wide-range of services including:
• Analytics
• Branding
• Creative
• Digital Engagement
• Email Marketing
• Guerilla Marketing
• Internal Communications
• Market Research
• Media Placement
• Media Relations
• Mobile Marketing
• Public Relations
• SEO
• Social Media Marketing
• Video Production
• Website Design and Development 

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
January 1, 2015
Integrated Marketing Agency Think Tank Marketing Opens For Business
New agency seeks to help nonprofit organizations “re-think” marketing strategies
Morgantown, WV (January 1, 2015) — Think Tank Marketing, a full-service, integrated marketing agency in
Morgantown, WV, has officially announced that it is open for business. Unlike other agencies in the Appalachian
region, they exclusively work with nonprofit organizations across the country to help them “re-think” marketing
strategies to successfully connect with their target audiences.
Think Tank Marketing places a heavy focus on storytelling, and the agency believes that believable, genuine stories
are the foundation to successful brands. “Storytelling is important because it’s inherent to being human. Stories
allow us to pass on our values and beliefs to one another,” said Jamie Huggins, founder of Think Tank Marketing.
“However, the most powerful storytelling takes place in the hearts and minds of our audiences when they create
their own imagery and meaning from the stories we share.”
Think Tank Marketing provides services in both digital and traditional media grounded in an integrated marketing
framework, which ensures organizations can build long-lasting relationships with their target audiences. The agency
assists clients on a wide range of services from creative and social media marketing to analytics and branding.
“We are excited to collaborate with nonprofit organizations, who are committed to achieving the greater good in
their communities. We use an integrated marketing approach and provide the right combination of tools to
transform collaborative ideas into vision and achieve the strategic goals of our clients,” said Huggins.
To advertise the agency’s opening, Think Tank Marketing has created a video news release to give the public a
behind-the-scenes look at the agency, in hopes that they can understand how its mission and existence came about.
The VNR will be aired on January 5, 2015, on the 6:00 PM segment of Channel 4 ’s Local Evening News.
Think Tank Marketing is currently accepting new clients. For more information visit thinktankmarketing.com or tweet
@ThinkTankMarketing.
###
Contact
Jamie Huggins — Founder & CEO Think Tank Marketing
jamie@thinktankmarketing.com
304.123.4567
About Think Tank Marketing
Think Tank Marketing is a full-service integrated marketing agency based in Morgantown, WV. Think Tank Marketing
exclusively works with nonprofit organizations to help solve a variety of marketing and communications challenges.
The agency offers a mix of both traditional and digital services to ensure organizations can build long-lasting
relationships with their target audiences. To learn more about Think Tank Marketing, visit us online at
thinktankmarketing.com or tweet us @thinktankmarketing.  

SITUATION ANALYSIS
MAKE-A-WISH MISSION
The mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation is to grant the wishes of children with
life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope,
strength, and joy (Our Mission, 2015).
Make-A-Wish is unlike any other foundation. They can proudly say that they grant a new child’s
wish every 37 minutes. With a focus on putting others first and asking nothing in return, Make-
A-Wish has helped hundreds of thousands of medically ill children realize the power behind
one wish. While wishes certainly impact the children involved, they also inspire volunteers,
donors, medical professionals, and local communities. “Whatever the odds, whatever the
obstacles . . . wishes find a way to make the world better” (Our Mission, 2015).
MAKE-A-WISH HISTORY
It all began with one wish.
Tommy Austin was a U.S. Customs agent with a problem. His
wife’s friend, Linda, had a young son named Chris Greicius,
who was diagnosed with leukemia. More than anything,
Chris wanted to be a police officer, so he could “catch the
bad guys” with Austin. Austin desperately wanted to help
Chris, so he took the 7 year old’s request to the Arizona
Department of Public Safety (How it all Started, 2015).
With no charities in existence to support Chris, a group of
DPS officers decided to work together to grant the wish. The
officers commissioned a uniform, organized a helicopter ride,
and put Chris through the necessary exams so he could
receive his very own motorcycle officer wings. On the day his
badge arrived, Chris had to be rushed to the hospital, but the
DPS officers brought the badge there to give to him. A day
later, Chris passed away, tightly clutching his badge (How it all
Started, 2015).
After Chris’s passing, word of his story began to spread. DPS officers, Frank Shankwitz and
Scott Stahl both concurred that Chris’s wish experience was the beginning of something
wonderful for children. In July of 1980, a group of DPS officers, friends, and families gathered

for the first meeting of what was to become a wish-granting organization. By 1983, the
national Make-A-Wish Foundation was officially incorporated, and local chapters began to
open across the country (How it all Started, 2015).
Years later, the story of Chris Greicius has gone on to inspire the world. Make-A-Wish has
evolved into more than 60 chapters nationwide and is located in nearly 50 countries
internationally. Nearly 250,000 wishes have been granted worldwide (FAQ, 2015). The fuel
that ignited and motivated Make-A-Wish as a foundation can best be illustrated by the words
of co-founder, Kathy McMorris, “Make-A-Wish was about the community taking care of the
families and the needs of others. And it did! That was the draw into it: people giving of
themselves and asking for nothing in return. What we received from giving was the gift in
return. This is still true today” (Timeline, 2015).
THE IMPACT OF A WISH
According to the results of a 2011 Wish Impact Study, a granted wish allows children with life-
threatening medical conditions to fight harder against their illnesses. “A combined 89 percent
of doctors, nurses and health professionals surveyed say they believe a wish experience can
influence wish kids' physical health” (Wish Facts, 2015). Granted wishes have additionally been
proven to enhance the mental state of both children and their parents. “Ninety-nine percent of
parents reported that the wish experience gave their children increased feelings of happiness
and 96 percent said that the wish experience strengthened their families” (Wish Facts, 2015).
Finally, granting wishes also works to strengthen communities. “Ninety-five percent of
community volunteers reported an increased sense of compassion and 84 percent felt an
increased faith in humanity” (Wish Facts, 2015).
THE MICHIGAN CHAPTER
Make-A-Wish Michigan was founded in 1984 and is
headquartered in Brighton, Michigan. It has
additional offices in Detroit and Grand Rapids. The
organization has 700+ volunteers to help further its
mission in various capacities, but all locations work
together to serve families across all 83 Michigan
counties (FAQ, 2015). Additionally, Make-A-Wish
Michigan has been rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator, which is its highest rating
given to a nonprofit.
Since its inception, Make-A-Wish Michigan has granted more than 8,000 wishes for children
with life-threatening medical conditions. Currently, there are around 450 eligible Michigan
children awaiting their wishes to be granted. However, the average value for a Michigan wish
to be granted is around $8,000. This high cost is, in part, due to travel expenses. “More than

78 percent of Michigan wishes require air travel, making it a critical – and costly –
resource” (FAQ, 2015). The Michigan chapter estimates that 300 wishes this year will involve
travel, which will incur approximately 98 million airline miles. Make-A-Wish Michigan’s goal is
to reach more than 400 kids this year, which equals out to more than one wish granted per day
(FAQ, 2015).
FINANCIALS
Make-A-Wish Michigan’s “fundraising efforts, fiscal
practices, and business operations all are designed
to support a single purpose: to grant wishes that
change lives” (Managing Funds, 2015). More than
80 cents for every dollar spent goes directly to
program services — i.e. wish granting. For the 2014
fiscal year, contributions and investments for Make-
A-Wish Michigan totaled $6,950,049. Included in
that amount were in-kind gifts, which totaled
$1,558,960. At the end of the year, net assets
totaled $1,812,208 (Make-A-Wish Michigan, 2014).
The total number of wishes granted in 2014 was 366
— with the majority of children (181) wishing to go
to Walt Disney World (Make-A-Wish Michigan,
2014).
SIGNATURE EVENTS
WALK FOR WISHES
Walk For Wishes is a nationwide Make-A-Wish
fundraiser that celebrates the thousands of wishes,
which have already been granted. It also raises
money for future wishes to be granted. Make-A-
Wish Michigan’s Walk for Wishes events are held
annually in both Detroit and Grand Rapids. The
most recent Detroit Walk for Wishes raised more
than $460,000 and had a record-breaking number
of over 4,000 participants. The most recent Grand
Rapids Walk for Wishes raised more than $115,000
and had 600 registered walkers (Walk for Wishes,
2015).

WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR
Make-A-Wish Michigan’s largest fundraiser is the
Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour. The WAM Tour
celebrates the accomplishments of the cyclists and
raises money for wish families. The WAM Tour
consists of three, distinct tours: the WAM 300, the
WAM 50, and the WAM Jr. The WAM 300 is a
three day tour covering 300 miles of Michigan
countryside, while the WAM 50 is a one day, 50
mile bike ride. The WAM Jr. is a half-mile kids ride
geared at children ages 5-13. The most recent
WAM Tour raised more than $2.1 million and included nearly 1,000 riders and 300 volunteers at
the event (Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour, 2015).
WISH BALL
Make-A-Wish Michigan hosts two black-tie galas,
known as the Wish Ball. These galas take place in
Grand Rapids and Detroit, and they feature a
magical night of wish granting to help support the
wishes of children with life-threatening conditions.
The most recent Wish Ball in Grand Rapids had
nearly 700 guests attend the event to celebrate
and raise money for Michigan children (Wish Ball,
2015).
KEY THIRD PARTY EVENTS IN 2014
BLAKE’S HAUNTED HAYRIDE
The Agosta family hosted Blake’s Haunted Hayride in support of their son, Jordan, who
received a wish to travel to Walt Disney World in 2013. “The Agosta’s event at Blake’s Haunted
House in Armada, Michigan, raised more than $10,000 to help make wishes come true for
Michigan kids” (Make-A-Wish Michigan, 2014).
SNOWFEST SNOWMOBILE RIDE
“The annual Snowfest Snowmobile Ride is a gathering of snow-lovers who enjoy snow fun,
while raising funds for Make-A-Wish Michigan” (Make-A-Wish Michigan, 2014). In 2014, the
Snowfest event raised more than $18,000 to help grant the wishes of Michigan kids.

TRI-COUNTY JR. EAGLES
“The Tri-County Jr. Eagles planned yearlong fundraising events at the Fraternal Order of Eagles
in Sand Lake, Michigan. The Eagles sold Make-A-Wish stars, as well as hosted a Mother’s Day
Tea and Silent Auction to support the Kids for Wish Kids program” (Make-A-Wish Michigan,
2014). In 2014, the Tri-County Jr. Eagles raise $4,400.
WINGS FOR WISHES NIGHT WITH THE DETROIT RED WINGS
“The Detroit Red Wings hosted the annual Wings for Wishes event and raised more than
$20,000 to help make wishes come true for Michigan kids. Henrik Zetterberg, the Red Wings
captain, also hosted three wish families in the Zetterberg Foundation Suite” (Make-A-Wish
Michigan, 2014).
DONATION PROGRAMS
WISHES IN FLIGHT
“Nationally, Make-A-Wish would need more than 2.5 billion miles, or 50,000 round-trip tickets,
to cover every travel wish each year” (Donate Airline Miles, 2015). However, with the Wishes in
Flight program, individuals can donate their frequent flier miles to help wish kids and their
families travel to destinations around the world. Several major airlines are apart of this program
including the following: Delta, JetBlue, United, and American Airlines.
WHEELS FOR WISHES
Wheels for Wishes is a nonprofit car donation program established to benefit local chapters of
the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Since 2009, “Wheels For Wishes has donated over 25 million
dollars to the chapters of Make-A-Wish helping them grant thousands and thousands of wishes
for children across the country” (About Our Charity, 2015). Wish children benefit when
individuals chose to donate their RVs, cars, trucks, motorcycles, or boats to Wheels for Wishes.
This charity car program allows local residents to give back to their communities by donating
unwanted vehicles to help to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical
conditions.
ADOPT-A-WISH
The Adopt-A-Wish program allows individuals to donate gift increments of $6,000 or $10,000
to completely fund a child’s wish. Make-A-Wish Michigan has used donations from its Adopt-
A-Wish program to fund trips to Disney World, allow Michigan kids to meet celebrities and
sports heroes, and even send kids a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Hawaii (Adopt-A-Wish, 2015).

MORE WAYS TO GIVE
Whether it is a one-time donation or through monthly gifts, Make-A-Wish Michigan offers
programs that make it easy for any Michigan resident to donate. Make-A-Wish Michigan
additionally accepts donations through workplace giving, in-kind giving, planned giving, and
through stock donations (Ways to Help, 2015).
FUNDRAISING PROGRAMS
WISHMAKERS ON CAMPUS
Wishmakers on Campus is a fundraising program geared at college students. This program
allows college students in Greek, honors, professional or social organizations, or groups of
friends to come together and raise money for wish kids (Wishmakers on Campus, 2015).
KIDS FOR WISH KIDS
Kids for Wish Kids “fosters the value of community service by providing students with hands-on
experience in helping to grant wishes through their local Make-A-Wish chapter” (Kids for Wish
Kids, 2015). Additionally, this program provides a mechanism for leadership skills, school spirit,
and teamwork building. While parents and teachers often serve as advisors, ownership of the
project belongs to the children involved.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Make-A-Wish Michigan depends on the assistance of its volunteers. Volunteer opportunities
vary across the state of Michigan, but a few of the more common opportunities offered are
wish-granting volunteers, special events volunteers, and office volunteers. Wish-granting
volunteers associate with kids and their families through the entire wish-granting process.
Special events volunteers participate in local Michigan fundraising events and do anything from
registration to passing out t-shirts. Office volunteers help staff with mailings, filings, answering
phones, and other clerical duties (Volunteer Opportunities, 2015).
PARTNERSHIPS AND SPONSORSHIPS
Make-A-Wish offers companies a unique opportunity to become a corporate partner with the
organization, so more children can be reached and more lives can be changed. Make-A-Wish
offers three different types of partnerships: sponsorships, cause marketing, and employee
giving.

To date, Make-A-Wish has amassed a wide range of corporate partners including big names
like: Disney, Mattel, Royal Caribbean, United, Kia, Build-A-Bear (Corporate Partners, 2015).
Specifically, Make-A-Wish Michigan has amassed its own local sponsors, which include names
like Amway Global, Pepsi, Planet Fitness, Meijer, Farmer’s Insurance, and Quicken Loans, to
name a few (Our Sponsors, 2015).
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Make-A-Wish Michigan has a social networking presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Make-A-Wish Michigan has sent children to Walt Disney World, let them go on shopping
adventures, and even introduced them to celebrities. All of these unique, yet personal stories,
provide excellent material for content, and Make-A-Wish Michigan has found a way to bring all
of it online through the power of social media. Make-A-Wish Michigan uses social media for
storytelling to inspire potential donors and volunteers through brief posts and images centered
around wish granting, events, and volunteer opportunities. This humanization of wish kids
helps increase relatability among Make-A-Wish Michigan supporters.
It is important to note that much of Make-A-Wish Michigan’s content is used across Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram. However, the content uploaded is native to the platform. Pictures,
videos, and articles are uploaded to Facebook. High quality, yet personable images, are
uploaded to Instagram, and pictures and applicable articles are uploaded to Twitter. The posts
with the most engagement appear to center around the granting of wish stories. On Facebook
and Instagram, these posts average anywhere from 50-100 “likes.”
However, Make-A-Wish Michigan does fall short with its social media strategy in a few, key
areas.
• YOUTUBE: Though Make-A-Wish has a YouTube channel, which is linked via their website, it
is rarely updated. The last video was uploaded approximately 6 months ago. Make-A-Wish
Michigan is missing a huge opportunity by not posting more consistently on its YouTube
channel. “The video content that is winning the hearts and minds of people around the
globe is personal, not corporate or political, and usually funny or heartwarming” (Dawson,
2015). The wishes that Make-A-Wish Michigan grants help strengthen families, rally
communities together, and change lives. That type of content qualifies as prime YouTube
content — it is certainly heartwarming and personal. YouTube’s statistics show that more
than 1 billion users visit the website each month, and they watch over 6 billion hours of
content (Stelzner, 2013). When these statistics are taken into account, it is evident that
YouTube is an amazing tool that Make-A-Wish Michigan should be using more often to
connect with its audiences.

• PINTEREST: Though Make-A-Wish Michigan has a Pinterest account, it is not linked on their
website, and it is rarely updated. The last item was pinned approximately a year ago. It is
important to add that people use Pinterest to discover, save, and do things that inspire them.
“The average pin gets re-pinned 11 times” (Knight, 2015). Whether it is pinning the story of
a wish kid or a even motivational quote about giving, Make-A-Wish Michigan can use
Pinterest as a gateway to connect with their audiences by curating interesting, high quality,
and inspiring pins. The Pinterest account should also be linked to the website for increased
visibility.
• ENGAGEMENT: There are quite a few missed engagement opportunities, which can be seen
across Make-A-Wish Michigan’s social platforms. On Facebook, for example, there are some
questions and posts from users that go by unanswered and unengaged. These posts range
in topics from asking about volunteer opportunities to thanking Make-A-Wish Michigan for
granting a wish. Engaging with these users is crucial. Engagement is as important as
content. Consistent engagement will allow Make-A-Wish Michigan a way into the world of
their core audiences. It will help to strengthen relationships and build trust.
• LACK OF DONATION REQUESTS: While Make-A-Wish Michigan succeeds in the area of
storytelling by featuring “Wish Stories” on their social media channels, there seems to be
very few calls-to-action asking for donations. While it is certainly important not to over-flood
their followers with donation requests, very few posts actually ask the public for donations.
This could lead to a misconception from their audiences that the organization does not need
donations outside of in-kind donations, national partnerships, and local sponsors.
Intermittently asking for donations lets their followers know that there is a real need.
OTHER COMMUNICATION TOOLS
Make-A-Wish publishes the Wish Nation blog, which shares stories from all of its local chapters.
The blog gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on at Make-A-Wish, so they can
see how wishes come together and change the lives of those they impact. They feature stories
about wish kids and their families, Make-A-Wish employees, and volunteers (Wish Nation,
2015). The blog posts have a comments section, but the majority of the blog posts show no
recent comments from readers.
Besides social media and the corporate blog, Make-A-Wish Michigan has a media section on
their website, which shares local news media articles and videos, press releases, and media kits.
Overall, this section seems to be regularly maintained and easy to navigate. Additionally, the
organization offers email, mobile, and mobile sign-ups, where individuals can receive
information about wish stories, news and updates, and ways to donate. Finally, Make-A-Wish
Michigan publishes Our Best Wishes newsletter, which shares wish stories, event information,
and other relevant information about the local chapter. The newsletter can be found and

viewed on the Make-A-Wish Michigan website, however, the web-version appears to not have
been updated for at least a year.
OUTSTANDING CAMPAIGNS
BATKID CAMPAIGN
The story of a 5 year-old named Miles Scott, also known as
Batkid, caused thousands of people to unite under the power
of one wish. Miles, who is in remission from leukemia, had his
wish granted when he became a crime-fighting San Francisco
superhero. He cruised around in a Lamborghini and fought
terrifying villains like the Riddler and the Penguin. On that
day, Miles received tweets from President Barack Obama,
Brittany Spears, and millions of others — not to mention, he
had thousands of people cheering him on in person
(Schwartz, 2013).
This event did not go viral on its own. It was a cleverly
crafted campaign. Social media was utilized to alert the
public of the Batkid event. On Twitter, the handles @SFWish
and @PenguinSF were used, and the hashtag #SFbatkid was
placed on all content. Tweets linked back to the Make-A-Wish website, where details told of
Batkid’s upcoming adventure. “The final piece of the social media campaign was a Twitter chat
the morning of Batkid's big day, focusing on heroes and sending out a call-to-action for Make-
a-Wish donations” (Schwartz, 2015).
The results from the campaign were impressive. In just a few days, there were approximately
600,000 tweets and 1.7 million Twitter impressions. At the peak of traffic time, the Make-A-
Wish website even crashed, due to receiving 1,000 hits per second. In the end, this campaign
became so large that 20,000 people came to see Miles receive his very own key to the city
(Schwartz, 2015).
Today, the power of this event still carries on throughout local chapters of the organization.
Specifically, Make-A-Wish Michigan holds a fundraiser, which includes a silent auction and a
special viewing of Batkid Begins. Batkid Begins is a documentary film about the story behind
Batkid. The money raised will help support the wishes of other children, like Miles, who have
life-threatening medical conditions.

BELIEVE CAMPAIGN
Set to be running for its 8th consecutive year, the Believe campaign
combines the forces of Make-A-Wish and Macy’s to help wishes
come to life. The Believe campaign kicks off every year in
November, and it lets children write letters to Santa to help meet
the goal of raising money for Make-A-Wish. For each letter mailed,
Macy’s donates $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Last year, the
Believe campaign raised $2 million for Make-A-Wish. Over past
years, Macy’s has donated more than $83 million to the Make-A-
Wish foundation, and last year alone, they helped make it possible
for Make-A-Wish to transform the lives of 1,200 children (Macy’s
Believe Campaign, 2015).
WORLD WISH DAY CAMPAIGN
World Wish Day, held on the 29th of April, is a global
celebration of wish-granting. “It celebrates the day in 1980
when Chris Greicius received his wish to be a police officer
for the day, inspiring the creation of Make-A-Wish and the
organization’s global wish-granting movement” (World Wish
Day, 2015). Through the support of Make-A-Wish affiliates,
corporate sponsors, and celebrities, this campaign has
generated significant buzz across social media platforms.
Below, are a few statistics highlighting the success of the
campaign:
• Over 200 wishes granted
• 20+ national and international events
• Activation in 40 countries
• 90,000+ mentions of World Wish Day on social media
• National and international celebrity support (World Wish Day, 2015).
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
All organizations, whether they are profit or nonprofit, are competing for something — perhaps
its donors or maybe its more volunteers. However, in the nonprofit sector, competition is
viewed differently. While the for-profit sector is all about the bottom line, the nonprofit sector
works to advance the greater good. It is more about differentiation than strict competition.
However, nonprofits should be aware that today there are more marketing messages than ever

bombarding potential donors. Make-A-Wish Michigan needs to think strategically and do its
best to stand out if it seeks to accomplish its goals.
ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was started in 1962.
Its founder, Danny Thomas, sought for a place that would
allow children to be treated regardless of race, religion, or
their family’s ability to pay. Since that time, St Jude has
made incredible strides in childhood cancer research.
“They have helped improve the survival rate of childhood
cancer from 20 percent to 80 percent. ALL, the disease
with a virtual death sentence in 1962, now has a survival
rate of 94 percent” (How St. Jude Began, 2015). St. Jude
has also become a world leader in developing new,
improved treatments for children with cancer, and they
create more clinical trials for cancer than any other children’s hospital. Also outstanding is the
fact that no family ever receives a bill for any treatment, travel, housing or food while their child
is at St. Jude (How St. Jude Began, 2015).
In the last 20 years, St. Jude has increased fundraising by 50 percent. The hospital’s
fundraising strategy targets donors of all ages and socioeconomic levels. They refer to this
approach as cradle to grave. “The hospital holds fundraising events that target all ages, such
as tricycle races for toddlers, golf tournaments, all-night dance parties, and Greek events on
college campuses” (How St. Jude Built, 2012). This fundraising strategy allowed the hospital to
raise $698 million in 2011. Today, there are more than 9 million active St. Jude donors, who
donate an average of $30 individually. Additionally, “the hospital's fundraising arm now
comprises more than 1,000 staffers, rivaling the medical staff, which is made up of 1,483
researchers, physicians, and nurses” (How St. Jude Built, 2012).
THE DREAM FACTORY
Founded in Kentucky in 1980, the Dream Factory has grown into the second-
largest wish granting organization in the United States. The organization has
granted the wishes of over 25,000 children — all while maintaining a grassroots
approach. It operates 38 local chapters and has a network of 5,000 dedicated
volunteers nationwide. Because the Dream Factory does not employ people
on a local level, 90% of money raised by the organization is used to grant
the dreams of critically and chronically ill children. “This record of success
has been recognized by Charity Navigator as a four-star charity, it’s highest
rating” (Mission, 2015).

Though this organization sounds quite similar to Make-A-Wish Michigan, it differs in the fact
that it does not limit wish granting to children with life-threatening illnesses. “The organization
believes children with chronic illnesses and disorders also suffer from substantial emotional and
physical pain” (Mission, 2015). However, like Make-A-Wish Michigan, they work to provide
hope and relief to children and their families on a daily basis by granting wishes, or as Dream
Factory calls them “dreams.” The average cost for a dream factory dream to be granted is
$5,000.
Concerning events and fundraisers, Dream Factory has a Run for Dreams event, Jewelry in
Candles partnership, Amazon Smile account, GiveExpress account through American Express,
and a listing through eBay Giving Works (Other Ways to Help, 2015). However, there is little
information on the website concerning their success from a numbers standpoint. Dream
Factory’s core partners range from Walmart and American Airlines to Millennium Hotels and
Resorts.
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
The American Cancer Society was founded in 1913 by 10
doctors and 5 laypeople in New York City to help control
the spread of cancer (Our History, 2015). Over 100 years
later, the American Cancer Society has grown into the
largest nationwide volunteer organization in the United
States, and they are committed to helping people stay
well, finding cures, and fighting against cancer. Since
1946, the American Cancer Society has spent more than $4
billion on cancer research (ACS Fact Sheet, 2015).
The American Cancer Society relies on the strength of its 2.5 million volunteers to help raise
funds for research, transport cancer patients, work events, and give support to patients and
their families. Every year, the American Cancer Society hosts its Relay for Life campaign. Since
its origin in 1985, the Relay for Life movement has raised more than $5 billion to help fight
cancer (What is Relay, 2015). Relay for Life also has a strong social media presence. Their
Facebook page has almost 500,000 likes, while the Twitter profile has over 43,000 followers. It
is evident that the American Cancer Society has embraced social media as one of their most
impactful marketing channels. Posts typically receive thousands of “likes” on Facebook, their
followers appear to be engaged, and the organization does well in responding to comments
and questions.

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES
The first Ronald McDonald House opened its doors in 1974.
Since that time, the McDonald’s System has continuously
supported the organization through monetary donations,
volunteer contributes, board participation, and media donations
(Our Relationship With McDonalds, 2015).
The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities is thinking
globally, acting locally to provide resources for children and their
families (Mission and Vision, 2015). They act out their mission
through providing stability and resources to children and their families. Ronald McDonald
Houses and Family Rooms provide housing to families near their hospitalized child. Ronald
McDonald Care Mobiles allow children to get basic medical and dental care in rural
communities. Today, there are 353 Ronald McDonald Houses, 196 Ronald McDonald Family
Rooms, and 50 Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles (What We Do, 2015).
Ronald McDonald House Charities has local chapters in more than 60 countries and regions
nationally and globally. Last year, they served the needs of nearly 5.7 million children and their
families. Additionally, the organization has raised more than $200 million through Ronald
McDonald House Charities donation boxes. “At least one Ronald McDonald House Charities
core program provides care for children and their families being served at 89 percent of the
top children’s hospitals worldwide” (What We Do, 2015).
Ronald McDonald House Charities also partakes in fundraising throughout the year with event
hosting and outings. One of their most successful Michigan events is the GOah Noah! bike-
ride, walk, and 5K trail race. This year, the event drew 100 participants and raised $12,000 for
the organization. The family-friendly event was started to help parents cope with medical
crises by coming together as a community. “It is named after, Noah Wexler, who was
diagnosed with a rare brain tumor, medulloblastoma, at age 9” (7th Annual, 2015).
THE UNITED WAY
In 1887, the United Way movement was founded to
“collect the funds for local charities, to coordinate relief
services, to counsel and refer clients to cooperating
agencies, and to make emergency assistance grants for
cases that could not be referred” (History, 2015). Since that
time, the United Way has evolved into a worldwide
organization with the mission to improve the lives of
communities around the world. In many communities, they are the only nonprofit working to

build education, financial stability and health processes — and the only nonprofit uniting
people together to be apart of location solutions. They are engaged in nearly 1,800
communities across more than 40 countries (History, 2015).
In Michigan, the United Way has more than 300 program sites serving local communities.
Through their No Kid Hungry initiative, the United Way served 1.65 million meals to hungry
children in Michigan in 2014 (Results, 2015). Furthermore, the organization helped more than
1,200 Red Cross clients last year. “Approximately 100 volunteers drove more than 394,000
miles to get qualified residents to and from appointments” (What This Place Needs, 2015).
Furthermore, the Michigan United Way’s hotline received more than 2 million calls last year to
restore assistance to low-income families. Call topics ranged from help with gas bill payments
to needed food pantry items (Results, 2015).
KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN
• PROMOTE VALUE PROPOSITION: Promoting value proposition is essential to attracting
donors. This proposition conveys to the donor the benefit of contributing to the nonprofit.
St. Jude Research Hospital does this by promoting that they are the only national cancer
institute designated solely at children, and they allow children to be treated regardless of
their family’s ability to pay. This message is an integral part on all St. Jude’s marketing and
communication elements.
• CREAT RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIPS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Social media offers nonprofits
an opportunity to create reciprocal relationships with their audiences. They can ask
questions, answer questions, or even just listen to what people are saying. The American
Cancer Society takes advantage of this, from a fundraising perspective, with their Relay for
Life event. This cultivation on social media helps turn their audiences’ cause-driven interest
to action and ultimately donations.
• PUT THE “FUN” IN FUNDRAISING: Potential donors often need to be reminded that giving
to a cause they care about is a joyful experience. Fundraising allows families and kids to
work together to truly help make a difference in people’s lives. Ronald McDonald House
Charities uses fundraising not only to raise money and awareness, but they also make
fundraising events fun. GOah Noah! is a family-friendly event in Michigan open to both kids
and their families. Whether participating in a 5K or going on a pony ride, GoNoah! has
something for everyone, and nobody has to be excluded from the event.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
CURRENT STATE OF THE ECONOMY
Make-A-Wish Michigan, like many other nonprofits today, must operate in a challenging and
volatile economic environment. The United States got off to a weaker-than-predicted start in
2015 and reported dismal trade performance and continued economic caution from businesses
and consumers alike. The 0.7 percent annual rate of decline in economic output in the first
quarter of this year was a reversal of the initial 0.2 percent advance of the period reported in
April. This lackluster report shows that the country is struggling to gain economic momentum.
“After the economy grew at an annual rate of nearly 5 percent in the spring and summer of
2014, some experts concluded that the economy had found its footing and predicted that a
healthier, sustained growth rate of near 3 percent was finally at hand” (Schwartz, 2015). This
new data does not show that to be the case here at the end of in 2015.
Though cloudy, the economic situation is not yet considered dark. Unemployment rates are
still falling and stand around 5.4 percent as of current. Experts expect the rates to fall to
around 5 percent by the end of 2015. The unemployment rates have improved since 2013,
however, where they stood around 8 percent (Schwartz, 2015).
THE NONPROFIT INDUSTRY
There are over 1.5 million tax-exempt organizations registered with the IRS. In 2013, these
nonprofits reported over $1.74 trillion in total revenues and $1.63 trillion in total expenses
(Quick Facts About Nonprofits, 2015).
In 2015, 76 percent of nonprofits reported an increase in demand for services. This is the 7th
consecutive year the majority have reported overall increases. However for the third year in a
row, 52 percent of nonprofits are unable to meet these demands. This results in their clients’
needs remaining unmet (Edgington, 2015).
Another area of struggle for nonprofits is making ends meet. “While some nonprofits are
achieving financial sustainability (47 percent ended 2014 with a surplus), many still face real
challenges” (Edgington, 2015). For example, 32 percent of nonprofits find achieving long-term
sustainability a top challenge and 19 percent cannot raise funds to cover their own costs.
However, there is growth in the industry, especially in the area of giving. In 2014, individuals
gave $258.51 billion; this was an increase of 5.7 percent from 2013. Additionally in 2014,
charitable contributions by individuals, foundations, bequests, and corporations reached
$358.38 billion. This was an increase of 7.1 percent from the year prior. Finally, foundations
gave 50.9 billion in 2012, which was a 1 percent increase from 2011. The period of the most

giving typically occurs around the holidays — 50.5 percent of organizations surveyed said they
received the majority of their contributions between October and December.
The volunteer rate has stayed pretty consistent over past years. “Approximately 25.3 percent
of Americans over the age of 16 volunteered through or for an organization between
September 2010 and September 2014” (Quick Facts About Nonprofits, 2015). Women
continued to volunteer more often than men across all age groups and demographics.
However, by age, Generation X was the most likely demographic to volunteer at 29.8 percent
(Quick Facts About Nonprofits, 2015).
SOCIAL ISSUES FACING NONPROFITS
COMPASSION FATIGUE
Compassion fatigue results among potential donors when they feel burnt-out or overwhelmed
at the prospect of giving, especially if they are struggling to meet their own financial needs.
Compassion fatigue can occur when potential donors are repeatedly exposed to multiple
donation requests in a short period of time. This eventually leads to desensitization (Kirkwood,
2012).
In order to counteract this issue, it is recommended that Make-A-Wish Michigan consider
alternative approaches to giving. One emerging, popular method is no cost giving. No cost
giving combines shopping with giving. Links to participating retailers are listed on the host
organization’s website. After clicking on the link, potential donors are able to do their normal
online shopping, and a certain percentage of the sale is automatically donated to the
nonprofit.
INFORMATION OVERLOAD
People live in a digital age of information overload. This means that there is more information
being fed to them than ever before, and there is no chance that they will make sense of it all.
Therefore, people are selective with their information. They absorb information they like and
trust, and they discard and ignore all other information. In this overloaded digital information
landscape, attention has become a sacred resource. The success of philanthropy and charity
work are driven by attention — a commodity that nonprofits must acquire and sustain if they
wish to be successful (Guo & Saxton, 2014).
In order to counteract this issue, it is recommended that Make-A-Wish Michigan target relevant
audiences with appropriate messages. It is important to remember that audience precedes
attention — if there is no connection with an audience, there will be no attention. Audiences
should be researched and studied, and from that information, content should be crafted.

Furthermore, audiences need nurturing. Ties must be built and deepened to preserve
attention and long-term interest. Whether it is through informational messages or creating an
interactive conversation, enhancing and sustaining Make-A-Wish Michigan’s supporters will
help build and strengthen their community. Finally, Make-A-Wish Michigan should seek
attention, but know that it is a means and not an end (Guo & Saxton, 2014). If too much of a
focus is set on seeking attention, it can result of losing sight of the organization’s mission and
accountability. The mission should be first-priority, and attention should be leveraged to
produce substantive outcomes — not chased at any cost.
FUNDRAISING ISSUES IN TODAY’S MULTI-MEDIA SOCIETY
One of the top fundraising issues faced by nonprofits today is that of an ever-changing
technology landscape. “Technology is causing an ongoing transformation in the nonprofit
sector, from the way supporters engage with their favorite nonprofits to the way organizations
fundraise, market, and manage information, and this trend will only continue to evolve
throughout years to come” (Westmoreland, 2014). However, tremendous opportunities exist
for the nonprofits that are able to harness the power of emerging technology and use it to
deliver their messages in an effective way.
MOBILE FUNDRAISING GROWTH
For years to come, it appears that mobile will be an essential part of how nonprofits engage
and reach their supporters and staff. “Nearly half of all emails are now read on mobile devices,
which means having a mobile-friendly approach to engaging donors has never been more
important” (Westmoreland, 2014). Furthermore, 2/3 of nonprofits believe it is necessary to
have a mobile-optimized website, and 1/3 of nonprofits will use mobile as part of their overall
fundraising strategy (Barry, 2012).
MULTI-CHANNEL FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY
According to data from blackbaud, nonprofit organizations, which implement a multi-channel
fundraising strategy, have a higher level of optimism about their ability to attract more donors.
Events, Facebook, Twitter, direct mail, website, mobile, and peer-to-peer should all be part of
Make-A-Wish Michigan’s fundraising strategy. While the organization probably will not use use
of all these elements in every campaign, multiple elements should be used to help raise
necessary funds. “Those who implement multi-channel fundraising strategies see up to 3x’s
better results” (Barry, 2012).  

TARGET MARKET
MEET GENERATION X
Often referred to as the neglected
“middle-child” generation, Generation X
finds itself caught between the two larger,
and more popular generations of
Millennials and Baby Boomers. This
forgotten generation’s distinctive traits
remain somewhat of a mystery — even to
Generation X. “In 2010, when Pew
Research asked adults of all ages if they
thought their own generation was unique,
about six-in-ten Boomers and Millennials
said yes. But only about half of Generation X’ers said the same” (Taylor & Gao, 2014). Even
among those who did, there was very little consensus on what made their generation unique.
However, just because there is some confusion surrounding Generation X, it does not mean
that they do not want to be understood. Generation X wants to be heard, they want to be
valued, and they want marketers to make room for them.
DEMOGRAPHICS
Born between the years of 1965 and 1980, there are well-over 60 million Generation X’ers, and
they comprise 25 percent of the U.S. population. These numbers, however, are
disproportionate to their buying power. With 29 percent of estimated net worth dollars and 31
percent of total income dollars, Generation X has more buying power than any other
generation. From a financial perspective, this generation is divided into two subgroups:
upscale and mass market. Accounting for 6 million Generation X’ers, upscale members have a
household income of $250,000 or a personal net worth of over $1 million. The rest of
Generation X falls into the mass market category, but these members still have higher incomes
than Millennials or Baby Boomers (Lesonsky, 2015).
However, even with that level of income, it is important to note that Generation X deals with
financial stressors, which mainly include debt accumulation. A recent report by Experian
showed that Generation X carries more debt than any other generation — $30,000 worth of
credit card debt — and carry the most debt per card — $5,343 per card (Woodruff, 2013). This
debt accumulation may be the result of the fact that many Generation X’ers are helping
support their Baby Boomer parents and Millennial and Generation Z children. “According to
Pew Research Center, nearly half of adults in their 40’s and 50’s have a parent age 65 or older
and are either raising a young child or financially supporting a grown child. About one-in-

seven middle-aged adults are providing financial support to both an aging parent and a
child” (Wallace, 2015).
Finally, Generation X is one of the best-educated generations in U.S. history. Ten percent have
a graduate degree and 43 percent have earned a 4 year college degree. “Almost all
Generation X’ers — 86 percent — are employed either part-time or full time” (Keen &
Handrich, 2011).
• Generation X’s small numbers are not representative of their buying power. They are an
untapped market with a purchasing power greater than any other generation.
• Generation X deals with financial stressors — like debt accumulation. This factor could
influence their charity giving habits to some extent.
PSYCHOGRAPHICS
In addition to demographics, it is equally important for Make-A-Wish Michigan to understand
the psychographics of Generation X. What does this generation like to do in their spare time?
What values shape how they feel about important issues?
Once described as slackers, pessimists,
and cynics, the descriptive definitions of
Generation X have, for the most part,
positively evolved over the past 15
years. Today, Generation X is often
described as a very individualistic
generation. They value independence,
honesty, and sincerity. They are actively
engaged in their communities, and
maintain strong friendship ties.
Generation X’ers are most active in organizations that support children, book clubs,
professional associations, and other groups (Keen & Handrich, 2011).
Family is very important to Generation X. Roughly 2/3 of Generation X’ers are married and 71
percent are reported to have children at home. They are committed to supporting their
children through volunteer activities and hands-on assistance (Keen & Handrich, 2011).
Besides socializing with friends and family, Generation X enjoys the outdoors. They describe
hiking, water sports, hunting or fishing, bird watching, skiing or snowboarding, and mountain

climbing as some of their favorite outdoor activities. Only 13 percent did not report engaging
in any of these activities. “When they are not doing physical activity themselves, they enjoy
professional and amateur sports as well as frequenting the arts” (Keen & Handrich, 2011).
Overall, Generation X has a positive outlook on life and the future. Two-thirds reported being
“satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their lives, and 77 percent of upscale Generation X’ers and
68 percent of mass-market Generation X’ers are confident their financial situation will improve
in the next 12 months (Lesonsky, 2015). The majority of Generation X’ers appear to be active,
balanced, and happy. From a marketing perspective, they value content that is straightforward,
truthful, and personalized to their generation (Wallace, 2015).
• Generation X’ers are actively involved in their communities — particularly with organizations
that support children. Since these attributes align with the mission of Make-A-Wish
Michigan, it should help make the organization attractive to Generation X from a
volunteering standpoint.
• Most Generation X’ers have children, and they are committed to supporting their children
through volunteering and hands-on activities. Again, since these attributes align well with
the mission of Make-A-Wish Michigan, it should help make the organization appealing to
Generation X from a volunteering and donation standpoint.
• The majority of Generation X loves the outdoors. Fundraising events like bike rides, walks,
sporting activities, etc. will appeal directly to this generation.
DIVERSITY
Generation X contains a higher number of immigrants than any other generation.
Approximately, 22 percent of Generation X’ers are immigrants, and the result of this is a
generation that is very ethnically diverse. The ethnic makeup of Generation X is as follows:
White, 62 percent; Hispanic, 18 percent; Black, 12 percent; Asian, 6 percent; and Other, 2
percent” (Kile, 2012).
• Generation X contains the highest number of immigrants of any generation. Because Make-
A-Wish Michigan is looking to expand their numbers of Spanish and Arabic speaking
volunteers, they should target Generation X, since they are ethnically diverse.

TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA CONSUMPTION
Despite what many marketers may think, Generation X is digital-savvy. In a recent survey done
by Millward Brown, the organization reported that 60 percent of Generation X’ers use a
smartphone on a daily basis, while 67 percent use a laptop/PC daily. Eighty-six percent of
Generation X’ers go online daily for personal needs like: shopping, banking, researching
products or organizations, or reading the news (Wallace, 2015).
Make-A-Wish Michigan should also consider these additional media consumption statistics for
Generation X:
• 62.2 percent of Generation X mobile users used the Internet via mobile monthly.
• 74.5 percent of Generation X web users used social networking sites monthly.
• 65.6 percent of Generation X use Facebook and 14.7 percent use Twitter.
• 78.7 percent of Generation X Internet users downloaded or streamed video online monthly
(Moats, 2013).
• The second largest percent of Pinterest users — 30 percent — fall into the Generation X
demographic.
• Instagram has a smaller audience in the 35-54 target audience, with 27 percent of its users
classified as Generation X (Fox, 2014).
• Generation X is technology-savvy. Therefore, it is imperative that Make-A-Wish Michigan
have a multimedia strategy in place to reach this audience.
• Generation X are heavy social media users. They particularly use Facebook and Twitter, but
they also have a strong presence on Pinterest and Instagram. Make-A-Wish Michigan should
not neglect any of their social channels.
• Generation X downloads and streams a lot of video content. Make-A-Wish Michigan’s
YouTube channel must be utilized if they wish to appeal to this generation.
• Generation X are frequent users of mobile, therefore, mobile content should not be
neglected. It is imperative that Make-A-Wish Michigan take advantage of Generation X’s
online mobile usage by appealing to them through mobile social networking channels — like
Instagram — and through mobile-optimized content.

ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS TOWARDS NONPROFITS
There is a lot of discussion in the nonprofit sector about Baby Boomers and Millennials, but
almost no analysis of Generation X. Generation X was actually the first generation to donate
online, and this generation also pioneered web design, email, blogging, and online advocacy
(Why Nonprofit Fundraisers, 2015). Many Generation X’ers are currently entering the peak of
giving years and to ignore this generation would be a huge mistake for Make-A-Wish Michigan.
Generation X gives generously to nonprofits.
Compared to Millennials, who only give
around $650 annually, Generation X’ers give
an average of $1,033.28 to nonprofits every
year. They donate more frequently than
other generations and primarily donate to
health, child causes, animal rescue, and
environmental protection. Also important to
note is the fact that the Generation X
Hispanic donor community gives more than
any other generation (Why Nonprofit
Fundraisers, 2015).
Concerning donation engagement, Generation X engages with nonprofits through direct
donations, visiting the organization’s website, volunteering, and supporting a friend
participating in a charity walk or run. However, of all the generations, they donate the most
through websites. Additionally, Generation X’ers volunteer more than any other generation —
29.7 percent volunteer. “Thus, nonprofits should give special attention to their Generation X
volunteers, since they give twice as much as non-volunteers” (Why Nonprofit Fundraisers,
2015). They also like to participate in peer-to-peer fundraising events, and they appreciate
nonprofits that embrace digital communications and fundraising — including mobile.
Generation X learns about their top charities through multiple different sources. In priority
order they are as follows: the mainstream media, word-of-mouth, mail, peer-to-peer events,
work, and product purchases. Interestingly enough, almost one-third of Generation X’ers
learned about their favorite charity during their childhood (Herrell, 2012).
• Generation X gives generously to nonprofits — especially to health-related and child-
centered causes. Make-A-Wish Michigan is a child-centered and healthcare-centered
organization. This gives it an immediate advantage with the Generation X demographic.

• The Generation X Hispanic community donates more than any other generation, and Make-
A-Wish Michigan is seeking to expand its number of Spanish-speaking volunteers. Make-A-
Wish Michigan should give special attention to its Generation X Hispanic volunteers, since
they typically give twice as much as non-volunteers.
• Generation X donates primarily through websites, so it is imperative that Make-A-Wish
Michigan’s marketing content have calls-to-action linking back to website — especially on
any content centering around giving. Once again, Generation X’ers are mobile users, so
content should be mobile-optimized as well.
BUILD TRUST THROUGH TRANSPARENCY
In order to win the support of Generation X, nonprofits have to make transparency one of their
top values. “Half of Generation X respondents say that their decision to donate hinges greatly
on whether they can see their gift’s impact” (Chung, 2015). One of Generation X’s biggest
concerns when donating to nonprofits is that they are worried about where their donations are
really going. Creating trust through transparency — i.e. detailing exactly where the donations
are going to go — will help motivate Generation X to engage and give.
• When donating to charity, Generation X demands transparency. They want to know where
their money is going, and whether or not they can see their gift’s impact. It is imperative that
Make-A-Wish Michigan work to build trust through transparent actions. The organization
needs to make sure that its website clearly details exactly where Generation X’s donations will
go (Chung, 2015). By translating dollar amounts into tangible results and providing proof of
impact (through photos and videos), Make-A-Wish Michigan can help build trust among
Generation X and truly win them over.
SECONDARY AUDIENCE
As important as it is to engage Generation X, Make-A-Wish Michigan cannot forget about its
internal constituents. This group would include: current management, employees, volunteers,
and event leaders. These targets should be important to Make-A-Wish Michigan because their
buy-in to the campaign is vital to its long-term success.
Additionally, if these internal stakeholders are engaged properly, they can evolve into Make-A-
Wish Michigan’s strongest brand advocates. As brand advocates, they have the power to
extent Make-A-Wish Michigan’s reach and directly influence Generation X. It is important to
remember Make-A-Wish Michigan management, employees, volunteers, and event leaders are
essentially the Make-A-Wish Michigan brand. Whenever they post a photo on social media or

tell a friend about the organization, they’re contributing to its overall reputation. By harnessing
the power of employee brand advocates in their marketing strategy, Make-A-Wish Michigan
will expand its reach and influence and establish trust with Generation X.

SWOT ANALYSIS
Pictured is a SWOT analysis for Make-A-Wish Michigan. This SWOT was created to better
understand Make-A-Wish Michigan’s internal strengths and weaknesses, and the external
opportunities and threats it may face in the marketplace. A SWOT rationale, which explains the
diagram in greater detail, is listed below.
SWOT ANALYSIS RATIONALE
Make-A-Wish Michigan is a four star charity with a high level of positive brand recognition.
Part of Make-A-Wish Michigan’s recognition is grounded in the fact that it has a unique mission
and role in helping grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. To
S W
O T
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
INTERNALEXTERNAL
P O S I T I V E N E G A T I V E
• High level of positive brand-recognition
• Named a 4 star charity on Charity Navigator
• Supporters are passionate about the organization
• Granted more than 8,000 wishes for Michigan kids
• Nationally-recognized donation campaigns
• Unique mission & role in helping children
• Great use of storytelling on website & social media
channels
• More than 80 cents for every dollar spent goes
directly to program services -- i.e. wish granting
• 700+ volunteers in Michigan alone
• 100% local; the mission is delivered at grassroots
level & all funds raised stay in Michigan
• Neglects opportunity to connect with Gen X by rarely
updating YouTube & Pinterest accounts
• Social media audience needs to be engaged with
more often in two-way conversation
• Average cost for a Michigan wish to be granted is
$8,000
• Traditional and digital advertising efforts are lacking
in overall reach & connection with Gen X
• Signature events are similar to those of the
competition
• 78 percent of Michigan wishes require air travel,
which makes it a costly, but required, resource
• Needs more funding to grant wish needs
• Gen X is more willing to volunteer time than any
other generation
• The Hispanic community of Gen X donates more than
any other generational ethnicity
• Possible opportunities for partnerships with local
sports teams, hospitals, schools, employers, etc.
• Gen X donates more frequently than other
generations, especially to children & health-care causes
• Social media reach & impact is high for Gen X
• Online video streaming is popular with Gen X
• Gen X has a high number of immigrants
• Passionate employees & volunteers can be brand
advocates
• Increased competition from other nonprofits fighting
for donations & volunteers
• Compassion fatigue from potential donors
• Information overload from potential donors
• Outside perception that wishes are “nice,” rather than
essential
• Gen X expects to see the impact of their support
• Economy is still recovering from the Great Recession
• Gen X deals with economic challenges -- i.e. debt
accumulation, still supporting parents & children, etc.
• Increased difficulty for nonprofits to make ends meet
• Many Gen X’ers support of a nonprofit is contingent
on a personal connection with the organization
,

date, it has granted the wishes of over 8,000 Michigan children. This strong mission helps its
supporters and network of 700+ volunteers to truly be passionate about the organization.
Equally important is the fact that Make-A-Wish Michigan is 100 percent local. Its mission is
delivered at grassroots level, and all funds raised stay in Michigan.
Opportunities abound for Make-A-Wish Michigan. There are plenty of opportunities for
partnership expansion, whether it be through a local sports team, school, employer, or hospital.
Passionate employees and volunteers can be turned into strong brand advocates. Additionally,
if Make-A-Wish Michigan choses to target the Generation X market, they will be attracting a
demographic that volunteers and donates more frequently than any other generation —
especially to children and health-related causes. Since they are seeking to expand their
network of Spanish and Arabic-speaking volunteers, it is important to note that Generation X
has a higher number of immigrants than any other generation. Generation X’s Hispanic
community also donates more than any other ethnic demographic. Furthermore, Generation X
frequently streams online video and is heavily involved in social media. If Make-A-Wish
Michigan chooses to increase its social and video content, it will have a direct opportunity to
attract and connect with this demographic. This exposure will be imperative as the
organization seeks to expand existing and future events and increase donation amounts and
volunteer numbers.
Where Make-A-Wish Michigan falls short is in the areas of social media and targeted
advertising. All social media channels need to be updated regularly. Make-A-Wish Michigan is
missing a huge opportunity to connect with Generation X by not updating its YouTube and
Pinterest accounts. As previously stated, this demographic uses social media regularly, and
they stream video frequently. This is resulting in missed advertising, targeting, and
engagement opportunities. Without correctly targeting this audience on social media, the
organization will have trouble raising the needed $8,000 it needs to grant one wish.
Additionally, Make-A-Wish Michigan should be concerned about external threats. There is an
increased competition from other nonprofits fighting for donors and volunteers. This market
saturation often results in compassion fatigue and information overload from potential donors.
Furthermore, nonprofits and donors alike are still recovering from the Great Recession.
Nonprofits still struggle to make ends meet, and Generation X is currently dealing with its own
economic issues like debt accumulation and financially supporting their parents and children. If
Make-A-Wish Michigan truly wants to cut through the clutter and attract this demographic, they
will need to be transparent and show Generation X the impact of their support — through
storytelling and numbers. This way, Generation X can be reminded that granting wishes is
more than a “nice thing” — it is essential to the well-being of children, their families, and their
communities.  

FOCUS GROUP REPORT
Think Tank Marketing conducted a focus group with a
total of 6 participants (4 females and 2 males)
representative of the target audience — Generation
X. The session was located in Morgantown, West
Virginia, and it took approximately 45 minutes to
complete. Though the data presented from this
focus group was not designed to be conclusive, it
provided deep insights into the philanthropic
perceptions, interests, wants, and needs of the target
audience.
THREE CONCEPTS PRESENTED
Think Tank Marketing presented 3 campaign concepts to the focus group participants. Each
concept centered around a different need of the target audience. The purpose was to discover
which needs resonated with them the most. The needs presented were as follows: donation
needs, volunteering needs, and fundraising event needs. For each need, the moderator read
a series of statements to the group describing that need in particular. After each statement
was read, the participants were asked to discuss it. Finally, after all of the statements were
read, the participants were asked to compare one against the other, until they were left with 1
or 2 statements that were most agreeable to the group as a whole.
KEY FINDINGS FROM CONCEPT STATEMENTS
DONATION NEEDS OF GENERATION X
The first concept presented to the group was regarding their donation needs. Out of all of the
statements Think Tank Marketing presented, the group chose the following two as the most
agreeable:
1. It is important to me to feel like my donation dollars are being used effectively.
2. It is important to me to donate to local nonprofits and charities.
All 6 of the participants agreed that it was important to them to feel like their donation dollars
were being used effectively. One participant stated, “I want to make sure that my money is
being used properly. If I can’t see where it is going to make a difference in someone’s life,
that’s an automatic deal-breaker for me.” This mentality seemed to be the overall consensus
for the group. They appear to be seeking transparency, openness, and honesty from a charity
regarding donations.

Concerning the second statement, 5 out of the 6 participants agreed that it was important for
them to donate locally. The majority of the participants believed that donating to local
nonprofits and charities had a direct, positive impact on the overall state of their communities.
Helping a local nonprofit support the community was more important than helping to support
a national organization.
The group rejected statements like “I would rather donate dollars than time,” and “I believe
my donation is too small to make a difference.” Concerning donation size, one participant
stated, “No donation is too small. Even a dollar donated has the power to help make a
difference in someone’s life.” This person’s thought resonated well with the rest of the group,
and they all claimed that they would rather donate a small amount than donate nothing at all.
VOLUNTEERING NEEDS OF GENERATION X
The second concept presented to the group was regarding their volunteering needs. Out of all
of the statements Think Tank Marketing presented, the group chose the following one as the
most agreeable:
1. It is important to me to feel that my volunteering efforts help improve my local community.
Once again, the local aspect was extremely important to the group. All 6 of the participants
agreed that it was important for them to volunteer to help improve the local community. One
participant stated that their perception was, “Think globally, but act locally.” The entire group
felt that if they were going to take the time and volunteer with a nonprofit, they wanted that
time to be well-spent on improving the local community — versus doing work with a national
nonprofit.
The group rejected statements like “I want to be directly involved with any charity I support,”
and “I feel like my volunteering efforts do not make a difference.” Overall, the participants
believed that while it is nice to be involved with a charity, especially a local one, it is not a
necessity for them to be involved with the charity to actually support it.
FUNDRAISING EVENT NEEDS OF GENERATION X
The third and final concept presented to the group was regarding their fundraising event
needs. Out of all of the statements Think Tank Marketing presented, the group chose the
following two as the most agreeable:
1. It is important to me to participate in fundraising events that promote a worthy cause.
2. I am more likely to participate in a fundraising event if my friends and family are
participating too.

For this section, all 6 participants agreed that it was important for them to participate in
fundraising events that promoted a worthy cause. They went on to state that a “worthy cause”
is a charity means something to them personally — i.e. there is some sort of personal
connection existing with the nonprofit. For example, one participant shared that he had
participated in a bike ride to raise money for lymphoma research. This event resonated with
him personally, since he was a cancer survivor. Therefore, he considered it a “worthy cause.”
Additionally, 4 of the 6 participants agreed that they were more likely to participate in a
fundraising event if their friends and family were participating too. One participant stated, “It
makes it more meaningful and enjoyable when I am participating with my friends and family. I
am always interested in events or activities I can do with my family and friends.” Another
participant stated that while they may not feel this way personally, they think it is probably
important for most people, whether they admit to it or not.
Most of the statements in this section resonated with the group on some level. The only one
they did not agree with was “I do not have time to participate in fundraising events.” Even
though the majority of the participants worked full-time and had families, they seemed to have
a real desire to be involved with a charity on some level, whether it was participating in an
event, volunteering, or donating — or all three.
OTHER TOPICS PRESENTED
After the moderator presented the campaign concept statements, the participants were asked
a series of questions regarding their donation and fundraising event preferences, and their
overall perceptions of Make-A-Wish Michigan / Make-A-Wish America. It is important to note
that Make-A-Wish Michigan is not a local organization here in West Virginia. Therefore, if the
participants were unsure of how to answer questions regarding Make-A-Wish Michigan, the
moderator asked them to substitute answers with information they knew about Make-A-Wish
America instead.
KEY FINDINGS FROM DONATION AND FUNDRAISING EVENT QUESTIONS
After asking the participants a series of questions regarding charity donations and fundraising
events, Think Tank Marketing discovered a few important preferences from the group, which
are set to be representative of the target audience.
Overall, the group preferred charity donation methods like no-cost giving and product
donations. Methods, like these, appealed to the group because of their simplicity, low-cost,
and overall ease. Concerning no-cost giving, one participant stated, “I use AmazonSmile all of
the time. I like that I am already purchasing something anyways and part of those proceeds
can help out my favorite charity. I do not have to spend extra money, and it is super easy.

Amazon often sends me reminders to use AmazonSmile, which is great, because sometimes I
forget about it.” The group also thought that product donations (supplies, airline miles, credit
card points, etc.) were appealing, because those were items that did not have to come out of
their budgets. They only participated in online donations if the steps to do so were simple and
hassle-free. Also, important to note was the fact that some of the participants were wary of
email donation requests and direct mailer donation requests. Participants shared that were
often nervous to click a link or return the mailer, because it could be a scam.
The participants stated that they preferred fundraising events like 5K Runs / Walks, Bike-A-
Thons, sporting events, raffles, and shopping events. While the participants liked getting out
and being active (walks, runs, and biking), they were also in favor of fundraisers that required
less physical activity as well (a sporting event, raffles, and shopping). Many of the participants
also stated that it was important to them to be apart of events where they could bring their
children, because their perception was that many nonprofit fundraising events excluded
children. Involving their children in these events was very important to the group as a whole.
For the most part, the group was not a fan of galas. They thought these events were
sometimes too stuffy. They stated that they preferred more low-key events like casual dinners
and wine tastings.
KEY FINDINGS FROM MAKE-A-WISH QUESTIONS
After asking the participants a few, final questions about Make-A-Wish Michigan / Make-A-Wish
America, Think Tank Marketing discovered a few key perceptions from the group, which are set
to be representative of the target audience.
The entire group had a positive brand perception of the Make-A-Wish organization. They
knew exactly what the organization did, and they praised its unique mission and positioning in
the nonprofit industry. One participant shared that she had a personal connection to the
organization, and other participants in the room got tears in their eyes as she shared the story
of what Make-A-Wish had done for her family. Another overwhelmingly positive attribute of
the nonprofit was the fact that it was geared at children. One participant stated, “I like that it is
geared towards kids. I think it is great that Make-A-Wish works to give these kids something to
be happy about and look forward to.”
The participants were also asked if they had ever donated or volunteered with Make-A-Wish.
Five of the participants had not or could not remember if they ever did. When asked why they
did not engage with the nonprofit, responses ranged from they never had the opportunity to
they never saw any advertisements from the organization. They rest of the group immediately
chimed in that they agreed most with this latter response. This immediately led into the next
question, which was if they had recently seen any advertisements from Make-A-Wish. All 6
participants said no; they do not see any advertisements from the organization. One

participant thought they may have seen something in a local newspaper a long time ago, but
that was it. No one saw any recent advertisements in print, digital, or social media. Because of
this, every single participant stated that they felt the organization could be doing a better job
of reaching their demographic. One participant stated, “I rarely see any advertisements for
Make-A-Wish. Those I have seen gear around wish stories, which are great, but there are no
calls for me to donate. I feel like they probably do not need my money then. They are
partnered with Disney and other big names, so I think they probably do not need my support.”
Other participants agreed that this was their perception of wish-granting as well.
Furthermore, the participants were concerned that they did not know where their money was
going if they would donate to Make-A-Wish. The moderator shared that 80 cents for every
dollar goes to wish-granting, and the money stays within the local chapter. The participants
were shocked. They all agreed that these statistics should be advertised more. Another
participant shared that he didn’t even know that the organization had local chapters before the
focus group began. Again, he felt that his perception was due to a lack of advertising and
connection from the organization.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CONCEPT
From the information presented from this focus group, it is recommended that Make-A-Wish
Michigan appeal to the three, distinct needs of Generation X: donation needs, volunteering
needs, and fundraising event needs. The organization needs to promote transparency and the
importance of wish-granting for donations, promote its locality within the community for
volunteering, and promote its unique mission and a fun approach for fundraising events.
A wish granted by Make-A-Wish Michigan has the power to not only
improve the life of a child — it has the power to improve the lives of entire
families and strengthen local communities as well.

MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN BRAND
BRAND PERCEPTION
IMPACT OF MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN
Make-A-Wish Michigan makes a strong impact in the nonprofit industry and across local
communities in Michigan. The organization has 700+ volunteers to help further its mission in
various capacities, but all locations work together to serve families across 83 Michigan counties
(FAQ, 2015). Additionally, Make-A-Wish Michigan has been rated a four-star charity by Charity
Navigator, which is its highest rating given to a nonprofit. Since its inception, Make-A-Wish
Michigan has granted more than 8,000 wishes for children with life-threatening medical
conditions.
The wishes granted by Make-A-Wish Michigan also make a strong impact, as mentioned
above. According to a the results of a 2011 Wish Impact Study, a granted wish allows children
with life-threatening medical conditions to fight harder against their illnesses. “A combined 89
percent of doctors, nurses and health professionals surveyed say they believe a wish
experience can influence wish kids' physical health” (Wish Facts, 2015). Granted wishes have
additionally been proven to enhance the mental state of both children and their parents.
“Ninety-nine percent of parents reported that the wish experience gave their children
increased feelings of happiness and 96 percent said that the wish experience strengthened
their families” (Wish Facts, 2015). Finally, granting wishes also works to strengthen
communities. “Ninety-five percent of community volunteers reported an increased sense of
compassion and 84 percent felt an increased faith in humanity” (Wish Facts, 2015). These
statistics are evident to the power of a wish, and the true importance of Make-A-Wish
Michigan’s wish-granting efforts.
STRENGTHS OF MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN
Overall, Make-A-Wish Michigan’s brand perception is very strong. Its unique mission and role
in helping children help it to stand out from its competition in the nonprofit industry like St.
Jude, Ronald McDonald House Charities, the United Way, and many others.
Here are a few facts that represent Make-A-Wish Michigan’s positive brand perception:
• Make-A-Wish Michigan is rated a four star charity on Charity Navigator.
• Make-A-Wish Michigan has 700+ volunteers in Michigan alone (FAQ, 2015).
• Make-A-Wish America ranks among the top 10 nonprofit organizations in the recent Harris
Interactive EquiTrend brand study for trust, brand equity, and charities that people are most
likely to donate to in the future (Sponsorships, 2015).

IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

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