Morgan Stanley Strategy Challenge to Benefit 14 Nonprofit Organizations in U.S. and UK

NEW YORK and LONDON, March 23, 2016 /3BL Media/ – Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) today announced the launch of the annual Strategy Challenge, the Firm’s signature skill-based pro bono volunteer program.  Over the course of the next eight weeks, teams of Morgan Stanley employee volunteers in New York and London will work with leadership teams at 14 nonprofit organizations to create concrete deliverables that will help the nonprofit partners address mission critical challenges.

“The Strategy Challenge exemplifies our firm’s culture of Giving Back and allows our employees to play an integral part in addressing mission critical needs of a charity,” said Joan Steinberg, Global Head of Philanthropy.  “Applying their diverse perspectives, skill sets and expertise and leveraging the distinct analytical, strategic and client-centric competencies inherent to Morgan Stanley employees, our volunteers deliver recommendations that have profound impact on nonprofits that are driving progress on societal needs within our communities.”

The 14 nonprofit organizations taking part in this year’s global Morgan Stanley Strategy Challenge are:

• Brooklyn Free School – Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn Free School’s mission is education for social justice.
• Centrepoint – London, UK: Centrepoint is the UK’s leading charity for homeless young people, working with 7,800 16-25 year olds a year to get them into a job and a home.
• Coram – London, UK: Coram is the oldest children’s charity in the UK. Coram Life Education delivers health and wellbeing education to 700,000 children nationwide, providing the skills and knowledge they need to make positive lifestyle choices for years to come.
• El Taller Latino Americano – New York, NY: Since 1979, El Taller has been an open space for expression and dialogue inspired by the belief that creativity dispels fear and mistrust among communities.
• Global Goods Partners – New York, NY: Global Goods Partners is a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to alleviating poverty and promoting social justice by strengthening women-led social enterprises in marginalized communities in Asia, Africa and the Americas.
• Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership – New York, NY: Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership is a school-based nonprofit whose mission is to provide a safe, structured environment for children to compete and to learn while they develop into leaders within their community and beyond.
• Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership – Newark, NJ: Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership’s mission is to stimulate economic development in inner city communities by accelerating the growth of the small business sector – the business segment that has the greatest potential to positively impact job creation and wealth building.
• Jumpstart for Young Children – New York, NY: Jumpstart’s mission is to provide language, literacy, and social-emotional programming for preschool children from under-resourced communities and promote quality early learning for all.
• National Eating Disorders Association – New York, NY: National Eating Disorders Association supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures, and access to quality care.
• NSPCC – London, UK: The NSPCC is the only children’s charity fighting to end child abuse in the UK and Channel Islands.  They help children who have been abused to rebuild their lives, protect children at risk, and find the best ways of preventing child abuse from happening.
• The Andrew Goodman Foundation – Mahwah, NJ: The Andrew Goodman Foundation’s mission is to ensure that young voices and votes are a powerful force in our democracy.
• The Future Leaders Trust – London, UK: The Future Leaders Trust is an independent charity with the mission to raise the achievement of children, regardless of background, and to provide them with equal choices and opportunities in life by developing a network of exceptional school leaders.
• Tower Hamlets Education Business Partnership – London, UK: Tower Hamlets Education Business Partnership (THEBP) is the leading education charity that bridges the gap between students and the world of work, to enable students to broaden their horizons and igniting a determination to fulfil their aspirations. 
• York Street Project - Jersey City, NJ: Working together to help women and children break the cycle of poverty.

The partnerships that are forged through the Strategy Challenge have the ability to create lasting, meaningful impact for the communities the participating nonprofits served.  Since 2009, the program has provided tailored recommendations to more than 90 nonprofits, resulting in more effective business models, expanded services and productivity improvements.  Last year, Morgan Stanley employees worked with The Headstrong Project to determine how the organization should approach its expansion to new markets.  Now, as a result of the strategic counsel Morgan Stanley was able to provide, The Headstrong Project is helping serve U.S. military veterans suffering from PTSD in San Diego, CA, in addition to New York.  More about that partnership can be seen in this video.

We invite people to follow the progress of the programs in the U.S. and the UK on the Strategy Challenge blog and via #StrategyChallenge.

Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services.  With offices in more than 43 countries, the Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals.  For further information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.

# # #