ThinkNW is dedicated to supporting the advertising, marketing and creative industries—and building partnerships with organizations inclusively supporting talent and growth. Our Industry Impact Partners (IIP) are:
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- Nonprofits connected and committed to creating a more equitable advertising, creative and marketing industry
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- For-profit organizations that use their platform to build more equity while supporting nonprofits doing the same
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- Individuals committed to sharing their knowledge, wisdom and expertise in building a more equitable industry
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- Leaders at brands, agencies and other companies dedicated to building the next generation of diverse talent
IIPs come from every corner of the world and can be outside the Pacific Northwest market. Our goals together are simple:
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- Collaborate on industry-critical storytelling, including live streams, events, webinars, research, op-eds and other content
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- Work with our board and advisors to find relevant and impactful opportunities for mutual benefit
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- Network IIPs to the ThinkNW community and the greater Pacific Northwest industry
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- Raise the visibility of all IIPs, including an annual Day of Giving in 2024 to raise awareness and funds
IIPs receive full membership to ThinkNW with no financial obligation.
There are a limited number of IIP opportunities. Please contact us to learn more.
Current ThinkNW Industry Impact Partners
Founded in 1978, the Northwest Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council (Northwest Mountain MSDC) is a nonprofit organization certifying, developing, and connecting Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) with major corporations and public agencies.
Business for a Better Portland is a community of businesses, community members, and civic leaders who all share a goal of ensuring greater shared prosperity for Portland. ThinkNW board member Stephen Green serves as BBPDX’s executive director.
What if the ‘Whitest City in America’ led the way in bridging the support and amplification of Black owned businesses? What if the capital talks shift from simply being about money and moved toward the importance of social capital as well? Those ideas led Stephen Green to launch the first PitchBlack in Portland, Oregon, in 2015.
To date, 120 founders have pitched their ideas, more than 1,800 people have attended the combined events, and more than $280,000 has gone directly to the winning companies. In addition, the Portland winners alone have gone on to raise an additional $45M in funding since 2015.
TheAList is an exclusive ecosystem of BIPOC C-Suite and senior executives from global brands across all industries collaborating to build social capital and influence a more inclusive world.
600 & Rising was formed at the intersection of civil rights across the US and the Black talent crisis facing talent throughout marketing and communications. They address transparency, policy, and advocacy opportunities throughout the industry so that the change leaders committed to in 2020 will be fully realized.
BLAC (Building Leaders & Creators) Internship is a 501c3 organization created to bring more diverse talent into the advertising industry prepared to lead. It offers a 12-week paid internship for creative thinkers that takes place at advertising and marketing firms across the country. Over the course of its three-year history, the program has served over 150 interns through partnerships with over 35 agencies. Through sponsorships with P&G, Microsoft, Spotify and others, it gives interns the opportunity to work on real-world briefs where they can bring their ideas to life.
Boundaryless is an organization that provides aspiring advertisers the mentorship and experience needed to break into the Minnesota Twin Cities ad scene. We particularly focus on serving underrepresented groups as we know having diverse voices in this field will revolutionize the industry.
ThinkNW Day of Giving
Taking place in November (date TBD), this live-streamed event is a dedicated fundraiser for IIPs and the organizations they support. Each IIP interacts with ThinkNW for 10-15 minutes to tell its story, solicit donations and generate support. A dedicated landing page offers viewers the chance to donate directly.
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- Nonprofits solicit direct donations
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- For-profits, individuals and industry leaders may discuss their organizations and nominate a nonprofit for direct donations as long as that organization is aligned with the industry