Key to Change Celebrates a Remarkable Summer of Giving

Summer is often considered one of the more challenging seasons for nonprofit fundraising. With donors traveling, families away from their usual routines, and year end giving still months away, many organizations use the summer primarily to prepare for the busier fall fundraising season.

At Key to Change, the summer of 2026 told a different story. Between June 21 and September 21, Key to Change raised $100,596, an increase of $30,057 over the $70,539 raised during the same period in 2025. The result represents a 43 percent increase in summer giving and marks an important moment of momentum as Key to Change begins a new academic year and approaches its tenth anniversary.

For Executive Director and Founder Dr. Quinton Morris, the significance of the result extends beyond the amount raised. “What is most meaningful to me is what this generosity says about the community that has grown around our students,” Morris said. “People are investing in young people and in the idea that an exceptional music education should be within reach for every student, regardless of their circumstances. As we approach our tenth year, that belief continues to guide where Key to Change is going and what we believe is possible.”

The summer fundraising effort included several opportunities for donors to support students as Key to Change prepared for the fall term. Over the month of August, each week we asked all our donors to give towards specific needs via email–and they responded in record numbers. We also successfully asked a few supporters to give towards a welcome packet for incoming students. Additionally, we asked donors to shop for us on our Amazon Wish List, and we continue to receive packages in amounts that far surpass prior years. Together, the financial and in-kind support helped the organization prepare its programs and resources for students returning this fall.

Robert Simonds, Director of Strategic Relationships and Partnerships, said the response reflects relationships Key to Change has developed with supporters who increasingly understand both the immediate needs of students and the organization’s larger vision. “Our donors understand that their support reaches far beyond a single lesson or performance,” Simonds said. “They are helping create an environment in which students can receive excellent instruction, encounter extraordinary artists, pursue ambitious opportunities, and begin imagining futures for themselves that may once have seemed out of reach. To see that level of generosity during the summer is especially encouraging, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who participated.”

An Ambitious Year for Key to Change Students

That support arrived as Key to Change prepared for one of its most ambitious academic years to date. During the 2025 to 2026 academic year, the organization served more than 2,000 students, and this fall students have returned to private and group instruction while Key to Change continues expanding opportunities through partnerships with schools, arts organizations, and educational institutions.

The organization’s growing partnership with Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle brings violin instruction directly into the school day, while its relationship with the Seattle Symphony continues to connect students with professional musicians and internationally recognized guest artists. This summer, three Key to Change students also participated in Harvard Summer School’s Secondary School Program, spending seven weeks living and studying on Harvard’s campus.

Although these experiences may appear very different, Morris said they are connected by a larger philosophy about what access should mean for young people. “Our students should have access not only to excellent music instruction, but to experiences that expand their understanding of themselves and what their futures can become,” he said. “Whether they are studying with a world class musician, walking onto a university campus, performing for an audience, or learning to master something they once thought was beyond them, we want them to understand that extraordinary opportunities belong within their reach.”

That philosophy has guided Key to Change since its founding and is taking on new significance as the organization approaches its tenth anniversary. Its faculty has expanded, partnerships are reaching more students, and the opportunities available to young musicians continue to grow in both scope and ambition.

Celebrating Ten Years of Possibility

The summer fundraising results arrive at a particularly meaningful moment for Key to Change as the organization prepares to celebrate its tenth anniversary. What began with a vision to provide young people in South King County with access to exceptional music instruction has grown into an organization serving thousands of students through lessons, performances, partnerships, masterclasses, and educational opportunities that extend well beyond the music studio.

The anniversary will provide an opportunity to celebrate the students, families, instructors, donors, partners, and community members who have shaped Key to Change during its first decade. It will also offer a moment to reflect on how much the organization has grown and to imagine what might be possible during the decade ahead.

For Morris, the generosity of this summer makes the approach to the anniversary especially meaningful. “More than $100,000 was entrusted to Key to Change this summer because people believe in our students and in the future we are building with them,” he said. “We do not take that trust for granted. As we prepare to celebrate ten years of Key to Change, I am incredibly grateful for everyone who has believed in this work and helped us reach this moment.”

That support has allowed Key to Change to continue expanding what is possible for its students while remaining grounded in the purpose that has guided the organization from the beginning. “Ten years is an extraordinary milestone, but what excites me most is thinking about the young people we will serve in the years ahead,” Morris said. “There is so much to celebrate, and I believe some of the most exciting years for Key to Change are still ahead of us.”