THINKSGIVing news
St. Louis Area Diaper Bank + Purina, Team 3
How might we create a communications strategy that helps get our donors, staff, and volunteers on the same page with a consistent message about what we do and why it matters?
How might we create a communications strategy that helps get our donors, staff, and volunteers on the same page with a consistent message about what we do and why it matters?
NONPROFIT: ST. LOUIS AREA DIAPER BANK
INNOVATION PARTNER: PURINA, TEAM 3
“It was a great experience. My team had a great time collaborating and brainstorming with our for-profit team. They really helped us think through our issue and start to develop some ideas on how to solve it.”
“Awesome! Thinksgiving day was so rewarding. Purina and our partners (St. Louis Area Diaper Bank) were so engaged all day working together to overcome a challenge that is unlike what we experence day to day. There gets to be a point where the group breaks through and starts to piece solutions together. Great vibes all day! Looking forward to next year!”
THE WORK
Springboard to Learning + Centene, Team 2
How might we recruit more professional musicians, dancers, artists, writers and storytellers to fulfill our mission of bringing arts education to our region’s disadvantaged students and under-resourced educators?
How might we recruit more professional musicians, dancers, artists, writers and storytellers to fulfill our mission of bringing arts education to our region’s disadvantaged students and under-resourced educators?
NONPROFIT: SPRINGBOARD TO LEARNING
INNOVATION PARTNER: CENTENE, TEAM 2
“We had a wonderful Thinksgiving experience. Our team was able to step away from the busy day-to-day of a residential nonprofit (literally & figuratively) and think with new minds on how to improve how we approach recruitment and retain artists for the future. Hunter Engineering provided an incredible resource to us. Not only did the process help us address issues that will greatly benefit us in the long term, but the solutions are having an immediate impact on our organization. Thank you for this opportunity!”
THE WORK
Safe Connections + Husch Blackwell
How might we rethink how we onboard, train, and retain new employees in this new hybrid, remote-friendly work reality?
How might we rethink how we onboard, train, and retain new employees in this new hybrid, remote-friendly work reality?
NONPROFIT: SAFE CONNECTIONS
INNOVATION PARTNER: HUSCH BLACKWELL
“Very worthwhile experience! Thinksgiving provided an opportunity to bounce ideas off business professionals outside of our organization. We gained diverse ideas and insight from the business community with a passion for our work!”
THE WORK
Room at the Inn + Clayco
How might we tell a better story to apartment complexes, landlords, and communities about the benefits of working with us and providing housing to those we serve?
How might we tell a better story to apartment complexes, landlords, and communities about the benefits of working with us and providing housing to those we serve?
NONPROFIT: ROOM AT THE INN
INNOVATION PARTNER: CLAYCO
“What a privilege to be part of the Thinksgiving project. It is just fantastic. An amazing opportunity to partner with a well known business to help us conquer our challenge. And, not only do we get assistance from a great for-profit, we get to connect with other NFP’s. I think I was able to begin partnerships with at least 2-3 NFP’s. Thank You! We will definitely apply again next year.”
“Incredible doesn’t cut it! Such a flow of creative, constructive, doable ideas. Our clients at Room at the Inn will benefit greatly from this work. Many thanks to Clayco & Filament! ”
THE WORK
Pianos for People + MTM
How might we raise community awareness of the music-focused services we offer so we can increase demand from families in need that matches the astounding generosity of our donors and volunteers?
How might we raise community awareness of the music-focused services we offer so we can increase demand from families in need that matches the astounding generosity of our donors and volunteers?
NONPROFIT: PIANOS FOR PEOPLE
INNOVATION PARTNER: MTM
“Very beneficial. This has been a great opportunity to pick the brains of experts in different fields and access resources that a small non-profit didn’t have before. It has been great to see the impact other organizations have also had as a result and to build new connections.”
“...love the process and meeting and collaborating with the folks from the non-profit we were paired with.”
THE WORK
North Side Community School + Purina, Team 2
How might we create guidelines and structure to ensure consistent communication practices across multiple locations so everyone gets the information that’s important to them?
How might we create guidelines and structure to ensure consistent communication practices across multiple locations so everyone gets the information that’s important to them?
NONPROFIT: NORTH SIDE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
INNOVATION PARTNER: PURINA, TEAM 2
“Great opportunity to help. ”
THE WORK
Limitless Foundation + Washington University
How might we establish meaningful partnerships with colleges and other institutions to build a nationwide volunteer pipeline so we can better support the patients we serve?
How might we establish meaningful partnerships with colleges and other institutions to build a nationwide volunteer pipeline so we can better support the patients we serve?
NONPROFIT: LIMITLESS FOUNDATION
INNOVATION PARTNER: WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
“Thinksgiving has been such an incredible opportunity for our organization in the past two years and Wash U was an invaluable partner for our team. I know that through this program we’ve met such amazing advocates/champions for our mission. I’m also excited to share that Limitless Foundation just recieved its first grant as of last week!”
“It was terrific! Our nonprofit partner was inspiring and the collaboration was excellent.”
Independence Center + Emerson
How might we map our client journey to help us identify the best opportunities to improve our internal processes and clarify our team roles so we can support the mental health needs of the community we serve?
How might we map our client journey to help us identify the best opportunities to improve our internal processes and clarify our team roles so we can support the mental health needs of the community we serve?
NONPROFIT: INDEPENDENCE CENTER
INNOVATION PARTNER: EMERSON
“It was a great experience!”
HealthWorks! Kids' Museum St. Louis + Keeley
How might we build partnerships that will help us become a trusted household name that delivers essential health lessons in a fun and effective way?
How might we build partnerships that will help us become a trusted household name that delivers essential health lessons in a fun and effective way?
NONPROFIT: HEALTHWORKS! KIDS' MUSEUM ST. LOUIS
INNOVATION PARTNER: KEELEY
“Thinksgiving helped our organization step out of our comfort zone and think more broadly about what is possible for us. We made great connections, were given solid help, and had a great experience. I think any organization could benefit from the opportunities that are provided by this.”
“The experience has been very valuable and thought provoking. We are so grateful to connect with our partner and receive insight about our most challenging obstacles.”
“Bringing together the power of business and non-profit to collaborate on how we can better serve our communities is Thinksgiving at it’s best! We each bring our strengths and passions to the table and at the end and have an exponential human focused return for the business, the non-profit, and certainly the St. Louis Region that we all serve! ”
THE WORK
Great Rivers Greenway + Cortex - Team 2
How might we use creative ways to explain the complex process of our projects and help donors, volunteers, politicians, and community members arrive at their “light-bulb-moment” faster?
How might we use creative ways to explain the complex process of our projects and help donors, volunteers, politicians, and community members arrive at their “light-bulb-moment” faster?
NONPROFIT: GREAT RIVERS GREENWAY
INNOVATION PARTNER: CORTEX - Team 2
“Really impressed with the Filament team and the thoughtfulness of the kits, materials, etc. Immensely helpful to be (gently) forced to articulate our challenges & dedicate time to think. Thank you for guiding us toward progess within a fun & engagaing framework!!”
“Thinksgiving helped our staff come together on a mission-oriented project. We got to know each other in different roles and working closely helped us strengthen our team’s relationships. We also had a great time with our partner helping them better tell their story.”
THE WORK
Good Journey Development Foundation + Enterprise Bank & Trust
How might we be more creative in the ways we market our services and recruit our families, youth participants, and volunteers to better communicate the benefits they’ll receive along with the things they’ll need to do?
How might we be more creative in the ways we market our services and recruit our families, youth participants, and volunteers to better communicate the benefits they’ll receive along with the things they’ll need to do?
NONPROFIT: GOOD JOURNEY DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
INNOVATION PARTNER: ENTERPRISE BANK & TRUST
“Well received by entire team, including 1 person on zoom. Great to hear people who had mostly just met jump right into ideating. The team members created big ideas throughout the session and I feel like they could have kept on collaborating beyond our time together. We will definitely stay in touch and continue to support our Mission Advocate partner.”
THE WORK
Girls in the Know + U.S. Bank
How might we flourish in the current environment of virtual programming that limits connection and communication?
How might we flourish in the current environment of virtual programming that limits connection and communication?
NONPROFIT: GIRLS IN THE KNOW
INNOVATION PARTNER: U.S. BANK
“Thinksgiving was a very insightful experience. This was the 1st year our org participated, and I am so glad we did! We were paired with Girls in the Know and it was the perfect match. The [Filament] toolkit took us through a very thoughtful process and it was so useful and needed. Not only did it make you think deeper into what we were solutioning for, but it also inspired us to include some of those same changes permanently in how we do meetings.”
THE WORK
Forest ReLeaf of Missouri + Commerce Bank
How might we express our nature-focused vision, mission, and brand in a way that excites young people in our diverse community and engages new volunteers?
How might we express our nature-focused vision, mission, and brand in a way that excites young people in our diverse community and engages new volunteers?
NONPROFIT: FOREST RELEAF OF MISSOURI
INNOVATION PARTNER: COMMERCE BANK
“Fun opportunity for our employees to step away from daily work to help a non-profit and really feel like they are contributing to solving a problem.”
THE WORK
Faith Through Fire Inc + Spire
How might we identify, test, and take to market new revenue streams for the services we provide patients so we can scale our organization to give more people exceptional experiences that grants might not cover?
How might we identify, test, and take to market new revenue streams for the services we provide patients so we can scale our organization to give more people exceptional experiences that grants might not cover?
NONPROFIT: FAITH THROUGH FIRE INC
INNOVATION PARTNER: SPIRE
“We really enjoyed this initiative. Our partners at Spire + Filament were top notch!”
THE WORK
earthday365 + Dot Foods
How might we launch the Kind Box app to reduce restaurant To Go waste while aligning the new program with our brand, mission, and message?
How might we launch the Kind Box app to reduce restaurant To Go waste while aligning the new program with our brand, mission, and message?
NONPROFIT: EARTHDAY365
INNOVATION PARTNER: DOT FOODS
“We enjoyed getting an outside perspective from our corporate partner.”
“Impacting the community was definitely a big win for us, and engaging our employees in giving back to others by using our skills in a new and different ways was fantastic. ”
“Our event was high-energy and definitely a learning experience. ”
THE WORK
Criminal Justice Ministry + MiTek
How might we determine if a new or refreshed brand and identity will increase successful referrals from the intermediaries who connect us to the formerly incarcerated people we serve?
How might we determine if a new or refreshed brand and identity will increase successful referrals from the intermediaries who connect us to the formerly incarcerated people we serve?
NONPROFIT: CRIMINAL JUSTICE MINISTRY
INNOVATION PARTNER: MITEK
“Positive and energizing. Great opportunity to share mission and get new insights. ”
Crime Victim Center + Ameren, Team 2
How might we redesign our business model and ways of working to automate what’s easy and focus on what’s important so we can deliver more help to those we serve?
How might we redesign our business model and ways of working to automate what’s easy and focus on what’s important so we can deliver more help to those we serve?
NONPROFIT: CRIME VICTIM CENTER
INNOVATION PARTNER: AMEREN, TEAM 2
“A wonderful experience to help a great a cause.”
THE WORK
Consuming Kinetics Dance Company (CKDC) + GDIT
How might we rethink and market our offerings in ways that identify more students desiring arts education and inspire them to value the arts as a lifelong practice?
How might we rethink and market our offerings in ways that identify more students desiring arts education and inspire them to value the arts as a lifelong practice?
NONPROFIT: CONSUMING KINETICS DANCE COMPANY (CKDC)
INNOVATION PARTNER: GDIT
