Abigail Clarke

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals

Final Project
12/10/23
https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Final Project

Organization Overview

This semester, I chose to analyze Children's Miracle Network Hospital's for my nonprofit

research. Their mission is to provide support to children who are in hospitals across the nation.

Their website reads, “Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals was founded more than 40 years

ago with the vision to Change Kids’ Health, Change the Future. We’ve raised over $8.5 billion

for 170 children’s hospitals by empowering and engaging with local communities and businesses

– and we’re not done yet. All donations benefit local member hospitals to fund what’s needed

most, like critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, innovative research, vital

pediatric medical equipment, child life services that put kids’ and families’ minds at ease during

difficult hospital stays, and financial assistance for families who could not otherwise afford these

health services. Together, we can change kids’ health. Together, we can change the future.”

(Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, 2022) I feel that the mission statement perfectly

summarizes the mission and the services that CMNH provides for the local hospitals.

I chose to use Children's Miracle Network Hospitals because I am highly involved with

this organization and wanted to use the opportunity to develop my understanding further. I was

able to get involved with CMNH through dance marathon, which is meant for students to get

involved and help fundraise and raise awareness for their local children's hospital. I started

working with Duke Children's Hospital in high school to create my high school's dance

marathon. Now, I am a part of The University of South Carolina Dance Marathon, and we

support Prisma Health Children’s Hospital - Midlands. Learning more about what CMNH
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Abigail Clarke
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Final Project
12/10/23
https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

precisely does and thinking deeply about the organization has been a fantastic opportunity within

this class.

SWOT Assessment

Two of the most vital strengths are that Children's Miracle Network Hospitals uses

numbers effectively to emphasize its impact on the children in the hospitals and that the website

is organized in a very user-friendly and aesthetic way to maximize interest. Using numbers

instead of words and translating this to impact is essential. Using a number can spark interest and

help people understand how great the organization is. This also correlates to the second strength:

numbers on a website help draw in public interest and make sense of a larger organization and its

cause.

The first weakness I see within Children's Miracle Network Hospital's is that most of the

involvement comes from fundraising efforts, which can deter people from other ways of

volunteering within the organization. If the primary way an organization helps a cause is

monetary, it can be overwhelming for a large part of the public, making a demographic feel

isolated. Another weakness is a lack of easily accessible information about the other programs

that CMNH utilizes. Dance Marathon, Extra Life, and Play Yellow are all great organizations

that work to engage different demographics, and there is a lack of information about what they

are and how to get involved. They are great ways to volunteer in ways different from donating

money, and they should be highlighted on the website with information about how to get

involved.
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Abigail Clarke
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Final Project
12/10/23
https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

The opportunities that Children's Miracle Network Hospital could capitalize on are the

ability to take advantage of celebrity partners and consistency in the messaging across individual

hospitals. There is a brief section on the CMNH website about celebrity partners, and once a

year, when they have a social media campaign, they will all post. Having celebrity partners is so

much more than a few pictures if they capitalize on their abilities to use their platforms to spread

awareness. Consistency across platforms is one of the most important things in using social

media to push a message and create awareness. With 170 hospitals being a part of the CMNH

network, the platform can be increased by utilizing social media for each hospital and helping

them promote the message.

A few threats to the organization that I see is diversifying what Children's Miracle

Network Hospital's impact on pediatric illness is versus other nonprofit organizations that also

work to support pediatric healthcare systems. Another threat is regaining momentum for the

organization post Covid-19. This is a problem with any organization that works to support the

healthcare field, and CMNH is no exception. Promoting the organization despite challenges and

ensuring a sense of security within the organization is necessary for continuing to grow and

succeed.

Environmental Scan

The primary factors affecting Children's Miracle Network Hospitals are technological,

economic, and social. CMNH is primarily a fundraising nonprofit organization and is heavily

dependent on the economy. It also utilizes social media to promote the cause, spread awareness,

and get donations, which requires technological advances and social awareness.
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Abigail Clarke
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Final Project
12/10/23
https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

Technological advancements are starting to create significant changes in our society and

especially have become a game changer in nonprofit marketing. The expansion of information

sharing and social media has allowed companies to share information at record speed. Children's

Miracle Network Hospitals has an average media presence. Individual CMN Hospitals have

started using TikTok to highlight their staff and facilities, which differs from competing

nonprofits. CMNH has a well-organized website and actively uses Twitter, Instagram, and

Facebook. HIPAA is a roadblock for every organization supporting pediatric illness. There are

many factors when sharing the stories of kids who a hospital has helped. As long as the rules and

regulations are abided by, there is no issue, but it needs to be constantly thought about, especially

with the expansion of social media.

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals relying heavily on donations and fundraising

campaigns to impact the economy constantly affects the organization. Children's Miracle

Network does not receive money from the government. The money raised for pediatric illness is

all raised by people across the nation. Covid-19 created restrictions on many businesses that

affected the global economy. Due to this, there was a recession, which lowered donations and the

ability of families to pay for medical care and hospitals to buy equipment. The amount

fundraised during COVID-19 and the years following may have been lower, but the impact was

more important than ever.

There has been more emphasis on supporting pediatric illness and future generations,

which has caused more awareness and support for organizations like Children's Miracle

Network. The social impacts have been seen increasingly over the years as there has been an
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Abigail Clarke
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Final Project
12/10/23
https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

attitude shift towards giving back to those in need and sustainability within younger generations.

Providing supplies to hospitals that will last years and are sustainable is essential, and the money

raised helps make that possible. There is more acceptance of different family units in our current

culture. This promotes more conversation and willingness to help all different kinds of people

who are struggling with the effects of pediatric illness. The understanding of sustainable products

and support for all family units has helped Children's Miracle Network to support whoever needs

help.

Audience Analysis

A wide variety of audiences are involved in Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. The

parents, children, and hospital workers are involved directly in the organization. Donors are

another huge audience for CMNH; this can range from donors who round up to the nearest dollar

when at the store to corporate donors who can donate millions. Supporting the families and

workers in the hospital while ensuring that the children have the best experience possible and

using this to cultivate donors by explaining what their money does to help.

These demographics can range dramatically. If they are a large donor, they are probably

older and wealthier; some smaller donations could be from anyone. Being involved in a dance

marathon carries a different dynamic of a college population where donations come from peers,

family, and co-workers, who can come from many different backgrounds. The Extra Life

program, which is geared towards engaging gamers, can range from young adults to middle-aged

individuals. They are predominately male and have a variety of incomes or educational

backgrounds.
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Abigail Clarke
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Final Project
12/10/23
https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

The psychographics of each audience vary, but the one trait among them that is consistent

is their want to help. Gamers and celebrities have different backgrounds, but they both have

diverse platforms that help progress the message of Children's Miracle Network Hospital's and

fundraise as much as possible. The families and children who are in the hospital not only want to

help others but themselves and those around them.

Social Media Analysis

CMNH has Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram, and YouTube accounts. Each Children's

Miracle Network Hospital often has a Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Every social media

platform that CMNH uses has the same messaging, design aesthetic, and story to share with its

users. This creates a cohesive and organized front as the organization pushes to raise awareness

via social media. Their Facebook has 565,000 followers. Their Instagram has 70,800 followers.

Their Twitter (X) has 38,600 followers. Their YouTube has 40,100 subscribers.

The content concerns where the money that CMNH raises goes, the kid's or hospital

staff's testimonies, statistics, and hospital information. They also provide information about how

someone can help or what is happening in the community to support the organization. The

content that receives the most engagement is the stories about the kids who were treated in the

hospitals and how they were supported. This information provides a reason for people to support

the organization and provides cause connection through social media. The information to spread

awareness is consistent across the platforms so that no one can miss the information or be

confused.

Corporate Social Responsibility

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Abigail Clarke
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Final Project
12/10/23
https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals partners with a lot of different corporations. The

main appeal is the fact that Children's Miracle Network Hospitals is a successful and beneficial

organization. Partnering with CMNH provides a charitable appeal for larger organizations and

shows they care about the community. These partnerships help build support for the nonprofit

and the company that is supporting them. Pediatric illness is a prevalent issue in our world, and

supporting organizations to help is something that many people find appealing. Most of the

partnerships that Children’s Miracle Network has are recurring. The companies choose a month

of the year to have a campaign, and every year, they support CMNH.

Organizations such as Rite-Aid, Walmart, Costco, Publix, Dairy Queen, Sam's Club,

White House Black Market, etc., work with CMNH to do "round-up campaigns." At checkout,

you can decide to round up or donate to support an organization. Publix and Costco will also

help CMNH by advertising that if a consumer purchases certain products, they will donate that

same amount to CMNH. Dairy Queen has Miracle Treat Day every year, which is a flagship

event for CMNH partnerships. During Miracle Treat Day, every Dairy Queen location can

decide to participate in the campaign, and they can decide to donate half or the full amount of

every blizzard bought on the day.

Fundraising Analysis

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised $8.5 billion since 1983. The report

breaks down the total amount into percentages for where the money comes from. 73% comes

from corporate partners, 13% is from media partners, 7% is from dance marathon programs, 4%

is raised by Extra Life, 2% is from direct mail and online donations, and lastly, 1% comes from
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Abigail Clarke
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Final Project
12/10/23
https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

Play Yellow. A lot of donations are received online. Donations can be made to the website; the

donate button is obviously displayed at the top of the webpage. Extra Life and Dance Marathon

uses Donor Drive, an online fundraising site that allows teams and individual participants to

fundraise for a shared cause. Play Yellow is similar to the general CMNH website, allowing

people to donate. There is also information about becoming a partner.

The corporate partners include organizations such as Costco, Panda Express, Walmart, ACE

Hardware, Dairy Queen, etc. Media partners include celebrities, Radio-Thon, and other media

outlets. Dance marathon programs are student-led organizations across the country; most are

college programs, but others are high school or younger. Extra Life is a gaming competition that

started in 2014 and is a collaboration between streamers to fundraise. Play Yellow is the newest

program that partners with the PGA tour to fundraise and raise awareness. All of these events are

annual and provide consistent support. The diversity of organizations involved in raising money

for CMNH creates the ability for people with diverse interests and backgrounds to have the

capacity to get involved and provide support.

Crisis Communication

The first crisis communication scenario I listed was a case in which the money was not

allocated to the correct hospital. There are many precautions in place to avoid this, so the

likelihood is low. If this were to happen, the damage would be insane. It would take years to

regain the public's trust and raise money to support the hospitals again. If this were to happen, it

would result in an intense audit. The parties involved would need to provide proof for all of the

transactions made in the past and have complete transparency in donations for the future.
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Abigail Clarke
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Final Project
12/10/23
https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

The second crisis I talked about was if items auctioned off at a fundraiser were not

authentic. Although this is not likely, many people are being outsourced, which can lead to more

risks. This damage is more manageable as it can be localized to one donor or event. The

spokesperson of the event would be required to explain what happened. As a new spokesperson

took over the event, they would need to implement a new process for screening the authenticity

of items. The donor who bought the item would need to either be given an authentic item or get a

refund of their donation.

The last crisis I outlined would be if a story of miracle kids was posted on social media

but had incorrect facts. The way people gain a connection to the organization and be more

inclined to donate is by reading stories of the kids who are helped. Connecting what a monetary

donation can do for an organization is a critical factor in fundraising. If a story was incorrectly

shared, it could cause a lack of trust between CMNH and the kids who advocate for them. The

hospital's CEO, where the child was treated, would have to fix the story and apologize for the

miscommunication. If the mistake were caught quickly, there would be minor damage, but if the

posts had been seen by many people and had to be retracted and changed, the damage could be

moderate. Social media is a great way to push information to a large population, but if the proper

precautions are not taken, it can become more of a burden than a helpful tool.

Advocacy Initiatives

Advocacy Initiatives help further the messaging and cause of an organization. They bring

attention and support to something that is needed in a community. They can create more
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Abigail Clarke
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Final Project
12/10/23
https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

awareness from a diverse audience, bring in donations, or inspire people to donate their time and

volunteer with an organization.

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals focuses on pediatric illness and how to best

support and help the children in the hospital. I believe that CMNH could make a larger

investment in research and help fill that gap, as well as draw attention to the need for support.

Research is the foundation of curing illness, and finding new ways to treat children in the

hospital can make a huge difference in the care of those in the hospital. Every new kind of

medication that can be researched, or new ways to make procedures less invasive and more

efficient techniques, truly has the most significant impact. Having more funding would allow for

quicker and more profound advancements. An obtainable goal would be to promote more

fundraising events that could raise money specifically for research. Having a gala or fundraising

campaign on social media could bring in enough money to help pediatric illness research. It is

very well laid out what the donated money goes to. Still, sometimes people feel more connected

to research instead of a hospital, and having events or campaigns that specifically support

illnesses related to pediatric illness could open doors for new donors and sponsors.

Connections

The first connection that struck me was the ability to use an audience analysis and

compare this to the social media information I analyzed. Looking at the demographics I reported,

I believe the social media platforms could be better. Specifically, promoting more engaging

content to engage younger generations would be beneficial. Utilizing celebrity partners or

creating striking graphics with the intention of them being reposted would allow them to cast a
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Abigail Clarke
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Final Project
12/10/23
https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

wider net over a more diverse audience. Coming out of COVID-19, people are looking to get

more involved and give back more than ever, and this is something that I see Children's Miracle

Network Hospitals need to capitalize on. Celebrity partners

The second connection I made was between the Corporate Social Responsibility

assignment and the Crisis Communication document. A big part of nonprofit organizations is

maximizing donations coming in. A crisis that I see affecting Children's Miracle Network

Hospitals would be if the products donated are not sustainable and create controversy within the

hospital or the organization. The main appeal is that Children's Miracle Network Hospitals is a

successful and beneficial organization. Partnering with CMNH provides a charitable appeal for

larger organizations and shows they care about the community. Organizations such as Rite-Aid,

Walmart, Costco, Publix, Dairy Queen, Sam's Club, White House Black Market, etc., work with

CMNH to do "round-up campaigns." A round-up campaign is when you are asked at checkout if

you want to round up or donate to support a specific organization. Dairy Queen has Miracle

Treat Day every year; locations can decide to participate in the campaign. Working with

organizations to engage donors is a yearly agreement for most significant corporate partners, and

every dollar needs to be utilized in the best way possible. A lack of transparency or if something

happened to create questions about the use of the donated money could be detrimental. Building

relationships with organizations is a two-way street; if there is a lack of confidence in CMNH, it

could be a domino effect with different corporate partners and the general public. These

partnerships help build support for CMNH and the company that is supporting them, which

builds the importance of stewarding a sustainable relationship.

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Abigail Clarke
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Final Project
12/10/23
https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

Reference Page

About Us. CMN Hospitals. (n.d.). https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/about-us/

Play yellow - PGA tour & CMN hospitals. Play Yellow - PGA Tour & CMN Hospitals. (n.d.).
https://playyellow.childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

Extra life: Change kids’ health, change the future. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. (n.d.).
https://www.extra-life.org/index.cfm?
fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=508899

Nestel, T. (2022). Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals 2022 Annual Report. Salt Lake City,
Utah; Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. CMN Hospitals. (n.d.-b).

https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Facebook. (n.d.).

https://www.facebook.com/cmnhospitals
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Abigail Clarke
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Final Project
12/10/23
https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/