Grant Application Spring

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Organization:
Make-A-Wish Canada

Charitable Registration Number:
881291918RR0001

Name of Fund being applied to:
Smart and Caring Communities Fund

Address:
4211 Yonge Street, Suite 301A
Toronto, ON M2P 2A9

Contact Name:
Melissa Derbyshire

Title:
Director, Grants & Foundations

Email:
melissa.derbyshire@makeawish.ca

Phone Number:
5192046330

Website:
https://makeawish.ca/

Amount Requested:
10000

About the organization:

Make-A-Wish Canada creates life-changing wishes for children diagnosed with critical illnesses. Wishes Are Medicine – a vital part of a child’s medical journey that helps restore strength, hope, and resilience when it’s needed most. Research shows that wishes can improve adherence to treatment, reduce emergency room visits, and deliver lasting health benefits.

As part of the world’s leading children’s wish-granting organization, Make-A-Wish Canada has granted over 40,000 wishes since 1983, including 1,835 last year alone. Together with generous donors, volunteers, and partners, we are committed to granting the wish of every eligible child in communities across the country.

Proposed Project Start Date:
June 1, 2026

Proposed Project End Date:
March 31, 2027

Please briefly describe the project and how the funds will be used:

Make‑A‑Wish Canada delivers individualized wish experiences for children aged 3–17 living with critical illnesses, using a wish as a play‑based psychosocial intervention to support mental health and family resilience.
Funds will help:
*Design and grant personalized wishes that act as “precision therapy”
*Support the full wish journey, from medical referral and approval to delivery
*Prioritize urgent and palliative “rush wishes” for children with critical prognoses

Each wish is thoughtfully crafted to respond to a child’s unique circumstances, meeting them where they are emotionally and developmentally while delivering meaningful psychosocial support alongside medical treatment.

How many people will benefit from the project directly and indirectly within the geographic area covered by the CFOA:

Direct – 3 children waiting for their wish in Orillia and area.
Indirect – 987 in the Orillia and area community. The ‘ripple effect’ of a wish goes beyond the wish child and their family providing a meaningful, life-changing impact for all. The average wish impacts 329 individuals throughout the wish journey.

Please list any partnerships and collaborations for this project:

none

Please describe any in kind contributions/volunteer labour connected to this project:

Volunteers are trained to host wish reveals and wish deliveries in the province to provide the families with a completely personalized wish experience.

How will success be evaluated?

1/ To support the mental health and well-being of 3 children and families in Orillia and area facing the devastation of childhood critical illness by providing a customized wish experience
2/ To impact 987 people by granting 3 wishes; the average wish impacts 329 people, including the wish child and their family, extended family, classmates, medical and referral sources, community members, volunteers and donors.
3/ To provide 100% of wish families with a post-wish survey, so that Make-A-Wish Canada can analyze results and impact

Grant Request Budget

Item:
Direct expense to grant 3 wishes, Wish Coordinator Staff Time, Wish Manager Staff Time

Description ( if applicable):
Staff to coordinate the program

$ Amount:
30000, 4200

Total Expenses:
34200

Project Funding

Item:
1st and 3rd party community events, individual/corporate donations, grants and foundations etc

Description ( if applicable):
pending

$ Amount:
24200

Amount Requested from CFOA:
10000

Total Income:
34200

Budget Summary

Total Project Expenses:
34200

Total Project Income:
34200

Attachments

File Upload:
https://www.communityfoundationorillia.ca/frm_file/aWQ6MTQwOXxmaWxlbmFtZTpNQVdDXzItcGFnZXItQ0ZPQS5wZGY=, https://www.communityfoundationorillia.ca/frm_file/aWQ6MTQxMHxmaWxlbmFtZTpNQVdDLUZTLTIwMjUtRklOQUwtc2lnbmVkLTEucGRm, https://www.communityfoundationorillia.ca/frm_file/aWQ6MTQxMXxmaWxlbmFtZTpNYWtlLUEtV2lzaC1DYW5hZGFfQm9hcmQtb2YtRGlyZWN0b3JzLXdpdGgtY29tcGFueS5wZGY=

Name:
Melissa Derbyshire

Title:
Director, Grants & Foundations

Signature:
Melissa Derbyshire

Date:
04/09/2026