This story is part of Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators 2022. Explore the full list of companies that are leading incubators of internal innovation talent.
For decades, these three organizations have invested in new ways to reach the communities they serve. With a focus on supporting young people during the pandemic and innovative medical technology for a changing world, the following nonprofits stood out to this year’s judges of Fast Company’s Best Workplace for Innovators list.
Winner
JA Worldwide, Boston, Massachusetts
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the century-old nonprofit (Junior Achievment) has turned its focus toward introducing initiatives to support educational endeavors for young people. Such projects included a partnership with UNICEF to provide funding for migrant and refugee youth as well as implementing digital programming across 115 countries. In 2021 alone, the nonprofit invested 63% of its operating surplus into internal innovation, much of which focuses on these new platforms to reach global youth.
Finalists
ALSAC/St. Jude, Memphis, Tennessee
With over 11 million active donors, the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital) has embraced cryptocurrency and blockchain innovation in order to reach younger and new donor audiences.
American Red Cross, Washington, D.C.
The humanitarian emergency-response organization designed an AI tool to optimize the collection of platelets, the part of a blood cell that minimizes bleeding, to streamline the donation, storing, and processing of blood transfusions.
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