From Insight to Ambition: How Seattle Children’s is Building What Comes Next

A Strong Foundation and an Even Bigger Ambition

Seattle Children’s Hospital has long been defined by the scale of its mission: to provide care, research, and cures for every child regardless of their family’s ability to pay. That mission has inspired deep community support and powered one of the most successful campaigns in pediatric healthcare: the $1.4 billion It Starts with Yes campaign. 

That milestone was the start of something even bigger. 

Dondi Cupp, Senior Vice President & Chief Development Officer, and Laura McDonald, Senior Director of Donor Experience, were new to Seattle Children’s Hospital. When they stepped into their roles, they saw an organization with extraordinary strengths: a deeply committed donor base, incredible volunteer support, a powerful culture of philanthropy, and a history of impact. There was also an opportunity to take that foundation further. As Dondi puts it, the work of philanthropy is ultimately about something bigger: 

Looking Back to Move Forward

The window between campaigns is shrinking, leaving less room to breathe and more need for precision. But before Seattle Children’s was ready to launch into the next campaign, Dondi made a deliberate choice: pause, assess, and understand what would truly unlock the next level of growth. Seattle Children’s partnered with Marts&Lundy to conduct a comprehensive, multi-layered engagement that combined post-campaign analysis, stakeholder interviews, and broad-based donor insights. The goal was to take a fresh, data-informed look at its performance to identify what fueled success, where additional growth was possible, and how to position the next campaign for even greater impact. 

What set this effort apart was how the insights were used. Rather than treating the findings as a static report and filing them away, Dondi partnered with Marts&Lundy to create a customized study guide based on the findings. He then convened a leadership retreat to bring the foundation team together to absorb, debate, and challenge the data. The process became as valuable as the insights themselves, producing a teaching tool, a team alignment exercise, and a strategic planning catalyst all at once.  

What the Data Revealed

The research was designed to eliminate blind spots, validate existing assumptions, and generate the kind of longitudinal data that could guide strategic investment decisions for years to come. It was also a vitally important perspective for both Dondi and Laura, who had not been with Seattle Children’s Hospital during its prior campaign. The research confirmed that there was significant momentum but also highlighted where focused investment could translate that momentum into greater impact.  

Expanding the Donor Pipeline 

One of the clearest opportunities was in the donor pipeline. While top-level giving was strong, long-term growth would depend on expanding and strengthening the broader base of support. That insight directly informed decisions to invest in capacity and scale.  

Strengthening Donor Relationships 

At the same time, the previous campaign had brought in a wave of new donors, creating both momentum and responsibility. Deepening those relationships became a strategic priority, ensuring that new supporters remained engaged for the long term. 

Elevating What Matters Most to Donors

The broad-based donor research also sharpened the organization’s understanding of what mattered most to its donors. Uncompensated care, which was central to Seattle Children’s founding mission, emerged as a defining priority and reinforced its role at the heart of the next campaign. In some cases, the findings reshaped thinking entirely. Donor input underscored the importance of mental and behavioral health as a leading priority, influencing both programmatic focus and future planning. 

Ensuring Readiness 

Perhaps most importantly, the research provided a critical signal about readiness. Donors expressed strong enthusiasm for the organization’s vision, but also a clear need for greater clarity about what came next. That insight led to a pivotal decision: take the time to refine the case, align internally, and ensure the story was fully formed before moving forward. 

Turning Insight to Action

With a clearer picture of both opportunity and readiness, Seattle Children’s moved forward with certainty and focus. Over the next several years, the foundation: 

• Expanded team capacity and investment to support growth 
• Completed a series of 15 strategic modernization initiatives 
• Built a campaign case grounded in validated donor priorities 
• Strengthened programmatic focus in key areas, including behavioral health 
• Adjusted the timing of its campaign launch to ensure a clear, compelling, and fully developed vision 

Just as important, the organization strengthened its internal capabilities, developing a more sophisticated approach to using data to guide decision-making. 

A True Strategic Partnership

For Seattle Children’s, the work with Marts&Lundy was, most importantly, about having a partner in the process: one that brings perspective, challenges assumptions, and adapts to the organization’s specific needs. 

That flexibility mattered. 

Rather than applying an off-the-shelf approach, the engagement was tailored to Seattle Children’s unique context, priorities, and ambitions, helping leadership move faster and with greater assurance. 

Looking Ahead: Raising the Ceiling

Today, Seattle Children’s is preparing for its next campaign with a stronger foundation, clearer priorities, and a shared sense of ambition. The goal is to build on past success and expand what’s possible. From advancing mental and behavioral health to increasing access to care, the next chapter is focused on impact at a broader scale. Underpinning it all is a belief in what philanthropy makes possible: 

For organizations facing similar moments of transition, the lesson is clear: Growth doesn’t come from momentum alone. It requires clarity, investment, and a willingness to ask hard questions before moving forward. Or, as Seattle Children’s experience demonstrates: the path to aiming higher starts with understanding exactly where you are today, and where you’re ready to go next.