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Wish Upon a Wedding FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Chicago, IL501(c)(3)Health CareEIN 27-1370138

Weddings/vow renewals for couples facing serious illness or life-altering circumstances.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
49¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$53K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2023 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
1 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $105K a year · 21% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
49%
of spending
Concern: 49% of spending went to programs; under 50%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$53K
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $15K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$99K
14% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 14% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 12 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 12 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$346K
-38% vs prior year
Spent
$617K
To programs
49%
Net assets
$602K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$346K
FY2023▼ -38%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$382K
FY2021$378K
FY2022$558K
FY2023$346K
FY2024$856K
Expenses
$617K
FY2023-0.2%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$219K
FY2021$388K
FY2022$618K
FY2023$617K
FY2024$1.2M
Net assets
$602K
FY2023▼ -31%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$943K
FY2021$934K
FY2022$873K
FY2023$602K
FY2024$257K

From the FY2023 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Status and standing

Is it real, and can you give to it?

Tax-deductible?
Yes
Per the IRS master file.
Can I give now?
No revocation on IRS record
Not on the IRS revocation list.
Filing up to date?
Filed FY2024 (typical filing lag)
Legal name (IRS)Hdr · item CWish Upon a Wedding
EINHdr · item D27-1370138
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
Ruling yearIRS BMFSep 2010
Latest filingForm 990FY2024 · Form 990
Principal addressHdr · item CChicago, IL
NTEE classificationIRS BMFHealth Care (E86)
WebsiteHdr · item Jwishuponawedding.org

Where the money goes

What each dollar paid for.

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.49 Management & general $0.39 Fundraising $0.12
Program services49%$302K
Management & general39%$238K
Fundraising12%$77K
Total functional expensesLn 25$617K

Finances

Money in and out, what it owns and owes

Spent on programs
49%
of spending reaches programs
Months of spending covered by cash
9.3mo
months of spending covered by cash and easy-to-sell investments
Surplus or deficit
-78%
as % of revenue, this year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2023 · Form 990
Total assets
$701K
FY2023▼ -31%
Total assets by fiscal year
FY2020$943K
FY2021$939K
FY2022$1.0M
FY2023$701K
FY2024$293K
Total liabilities
$99K
FY2023▼ -33%
Total liabilities by fiscal year
FY2020$381
FY2021$6K
FY2022$146K
FY2023$99K
FY2024$36K
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19−$271K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$701K
Spent on programsPt IX · col B49%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 312
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 411

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$324K
Total assetsLn 16$701K
Total liabilitiesLn 26$99K
Total net assetsLn 32$602K
Months of cash on handcomputed6.3

Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$231K · 67%
Other revenue$115K · 33%
Contributions & grants67%$231K
Other revenue33%$115K
Total revenueLn 12$346K

Money in detail

Form 990 · FY2023 · each figure shown with the dollars behind it
Cash and giving out
Months of spending covered by cash
Cash and easy-to-sell investments $324K · Operating expenses (Pt IX) $617K · Less non-cash grants $197K · Cash operating expenses/yr $420K
9.3 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $302K · Total expenses $617K
49%
Management & General
Management & general $238K · Total expenses $617K
39%
Fundraising
Fundraising $77K · Total expenses $617K
12%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $50K · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $262K
$0.19 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $231K · Total revenue $346K
67%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $346K
—
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $0 · Total revenue $346K
0%
Investment reliance
Investment income $0 · Total revenue $346K
0%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $0 · Total expenses $617K
0%
Growth & trend
Revenue change from last year
This year $346K · Prior year $558K
-38%
Net assets change over the year
End of year $602K · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus or deficit, as % of revenue
Revenue $346K · Expenses $617K
-78%
Debts compared to what it owns
Total liabilities — · Total assets $701K
—
Net assets compared to what it owns
Net assets $602K · Total assets $701K
86%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) — · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $701K
Excludes program-related investments (Pt X, ln 13)
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Lacey Wicksall · Reported title EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · Highest reported compensation $53K · Total expenses $617K
9%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $137K · Total expenses $617K
22%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Spent on programs 49%——
Spent on management, % of spending 39%——
Fundraising cost, % of gifts 33%——
Revenue growth -38%——
Legal fees, % of spending 3%——

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A share is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Leadership and pay

Who runs it, and what are they paid?

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Lacey Wicksall
Executive Director
$52,761Pt VII · Sec A
Nicole Fauls
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Megen Hayes
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Lacey Wicksall’s $53K as Executive Di is at the 38th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1979 $100K–1M health care nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023
Lacey Wicksall$53,163$52,761

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Wish Upon a Wedding executive salaries →

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Governance & Policies

Part VI
  • 12Voting board membersPt VI · Ln 1a
  • 11Independent board membersPt VI · Ln 1b
  • Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
  • Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
  • Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
  • Top official’s pay independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aNo
  • Family or business ties among leadersPt VI · Ln 2No

Mission and programs

What it does.

Creates dream weddings and vow renewals for couples facing serious illness or life-altering circumstances.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Wish Upon a Wedding claims this page.

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Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

1 program service account for $302K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2023.
01

Wish upon a wedding (the organization) is a nonprofit corporation that provides weddings and vow renewals for couples facing terminal illness and serious life altering circumstances regardless of sexual orientation.

$302Kprogram expense

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Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Brides for a CauseFY2024$10K
The Corwin D Denney FoundationFY2024$5K
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$15K

Filing history

Every return on file.

YearRevenueExpensesChangeFiling
FY2024 Latest $856K$1.2M+147% 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $346K$617K-38% 990 PDF
FY2022 $558K$618K+48% 990 PDF
FY2021 $378K$388K-1% 990 PDF
FY2020 $382K$219K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash

Full filing: Form 990 for FY2023

Every line we hold from the return, cited to its Part and line.
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $346,208 across 5 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $112,687 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$231,340
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$197,138
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$231,340
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,181$2,181
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,181 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $112,687$346,208
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $617,215 across 16 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $204,098$204,098
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $27,265 · Management $18,680 · Fundraising $6,816$52,761
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $17,701 · Management $46,450 · Fundraising $10,955$75,106
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $3,330 · Management $4,824 · Fundraising $1,316$9,470
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $14,453 · Management $19,271 · Fundraising $14,453$48,177
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $6,093 · Management $8,123 · Fundraising $6,092$20,308
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $12,454$12,454
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,100 · Management $4,199 · Fundraising $2,099$8,398
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $2,865 · Fundraising $14,601$17,466
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $5,364 · Management $2,682 · Fundraising $5,364$13,410
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $105,162$105,162
IX-17 TravelPrograms $5,631 · Management $2,253 · Fundraising $3,379$11,263
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $1,020$1,020
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $1,779$1,779
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $15,739 · Management $4,593 · Fundraising $11,474$31,806
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $314 · Management $3,909 · Fundraising $314$4,537
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $302,088 · Management $238,264 · Fundraising $76,863$617,215
Part X · Balance sheet $700,920 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $575,290$323,028
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $827$827
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $9,622$4,284
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $298,500$309,319
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $401$21,963
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $3,269$2,249
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $131,804$39,250
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,019,713$700,920
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $19,564$3,347
X-19 Deferred revenue$62,217
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $126,919$33,133
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $146,483$98,697
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $873,230$602,223
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $873,230$602,223
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,019,713$700,920
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $602,223 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$346,208
XI-2 Total expenses$617,215
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$271,007
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$873,230
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$602,223

Not shown yet: ratings, outcomes, and peer benchmarks. A Form 990 doesn’t report them.

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2023IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
Names, privacy, and removal requests More

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