Pilots and Collaborations

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Across the Goodwill network, local Goodwill organizations are piloting initiatives that span donated goods retail, mission services, sustainability and enabling capabilities such as technology and data.  

Together, these pilots support experimentation and collaboration that help Goodwill respond to competitive pressures, evolving community needs and changing donor and shopper expectations.  

These initiatives allow Goodwill to create and implement innovative solutions that meet the unique needs of local communities. By testing and refining these ideas locally, Goodwill ensures that the broader network benefits from proven, effective programs. 

Pilot Locations 

The map below highlights where donated goods retail and sustainability pilots are currently underway across the Goodwill network. Many of the pilots highlighted here are supported through the 2025 DGRS Innovation Fund, a Goodwill Industries International-funded source designed to support local experimentation and collaboration across donated goods retail and sustainability initiatives.

Donated Goods Retail

These pilots focus on improving core donated goods retail performance, including pricing, processing and operational efficiency, while testing tools and approaches that may be relevant across multiple markets. 
  • The Amazon Return Kiosk (ARK)
    • The Amazon Return Kiosk (ARK) program enables Goodwill stores to host Amazon return kiosks that drive incremental foot traffic. When implemented effectively, these visits convert to both increased retail sales and donation activity. The program was originally piloted in select Seattle-area stores, and we are now expanding with a cohort of 5 additional Goodwills who will run a 90-day trail across ~93 stores from June to August. The cohort was intentionally selected to collect real-world data and evaluate performance across different geographies and store formats. Following the trial, results will be shared with the broader network, and additional Goodwills will be invited to participate.
    • GII Contact: Eric Siegel
  • Dynamic Market Intelligence and Mobility Insights
    • The Dynamic Market Intelligence & Mobility Insights pilot, from the DGRS Innovation Fund, is led by Marion Goodwill Industries, Inc. and Goodwill Renaissance Quebec. The pilot applies AI‑backed data dashboards to analyze consumer location patterns and characteristics, supporting more informed store‑level acquisition and planning decisions. The goal of the pilot is to strengthen local decision‑making by improving visibility into market dynamics.
    • Contact: Adrian Gessen
  • Reverse Logistics
    • While household donations form the backbone of Goodwill's volume, corporate partners represent a significant and underutilized acquisition channel. Returns, excess inventory, and surplus goods from major retailers and manufacturers offer high-value product that members can sell in store. Through collaboration with the network, GII is actively piloting partnerships with major corporate partners to facilitate both donated and purchased product acquisition at scale, unlocking new revenue streams and high-volume sourcing opportunities that individual members may not be able to access alone.
    • GII Contact: Will Miller

For overall learnings related to AI in Production, please contact either Will Miller, GII's Vice President of Innovation and Business Development or Robert Prescott, GII's Manager of Strategy and Innovation.

  • AI / ML Dynamic Pricing Pilot
    • The AI / ML Dynamic Pricing Pilot, supported by the DGRS Innovation Fund, is led by Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona. The pilot applies machinelearning to train models on largescale historical sales and production data to predict optimal pricing and sellthrough for donated goods retail. The objective is to improve pricing accuracy, support consistent decisionmaking, and validate a scalable, datadriven approach to dynamic pricing that can integrate with production and retail systems over time.
    • Contacts: Matt Zuba and Danielle Saldivar
  • AI-based Dynamic Pricing of DGR
    • The AI-based Dynamic Pricing of DGR pilot, supported by the DGRS Innovation Fund, is led by Goodwill Greater Milwaukee and Chicago, Inc. This pilot uses the Cash Monkey platform to apply image recognition and third‑party market data to inform routing and pricing decisions for select donated goods categories, initially focusing on a narrow scope to enable controlled testing and learning. The goal of the pilot is to improve value recovery and e‑commerce performance while identifying operationally feasible, scalable approaches to AI‑supported pricing and production workflows.
    • Contacts: Skip Dexter and Brittany Orlovsky
  • AI-Driven Vision and Automation
    • The AI-Driven Vision and Automation Processing pilot, from the DGRS Innovation Fund, is led by Goodwill Industries of Central Texas with collaboration from Goodwill Industries of San Antonio, Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, Inc., Goodwill North Central Texas, Goodwill Industries of Houston, and Goodwill Industries of Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia. The pilot focuses on building an intelligence layer for production by capturing brand, category, and condition data to support more consistent, data‑informed pricing decisions. As part of this effort, Austin is piloting a voice‑assisted AI tool that enables rapid item identification and pricing at the speed of voice, reducing manual lookups and operator variability. The goal is to maximize donation value, improve production efficiency, and support scalable, staff‑friendly approaches to AI‑enabled pricing in retail environments.
    • Contact: Hilton Keats and Nick Adams
  • AI-Powered Donation-Sorting and Pricing Assistant
    • The AI‑Powered Donation‑Sorting and Pricing Assistant pilot, from the DGRS Innovation Fund, is led by Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania with collaboration from Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio, Inc., and Goodwill Industries of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Inc. The pilot leverages the ReNu platform to apply image recognition and machine‑learning capabilities that support routing, pricing, and workflow decisions across e‑commerce and production. The goal of the pilot is to improve processing efficiency and consistency while informing scalable decision‑support tools for donated goods retail.
    • Contacts: Andrew Marano and Brandon Winger
  • Pilot Shoe Program to Optimize DGR Volume with AI
    • The Pilot Shoe Program to Optimize DGR Volume with AI pilot, from the DGRS Innovation Fund, is led by Goodwill Keystone Area. The pilot uses imaging and AI‑driven recognition to improve backroom production, with shoe identification and sorting serving as the initial test case. The goal of the pilot is to assess how AI‑enabled recognition can streamline processing decisions and inform broader applications across donated goods retail operations.
    • Contact: Andrew Gackenbach and Thomas Moll
  • Customer Experience Project
  • Regional Collaborations
    • Regional Collaborations have grown out of member interest in collaborating across geographic boundaries to address shared challenges and unlock new opportunities at scale. Through the Regional Collaboration Working Group, members work together to formally scale product acquisition, textile disposition, and non-textile disposition across their combined territories. By operating at this larger regional scale, Hubs will be able to unlock significant revenue streams and national brand partnerships that are often inaccessible to individual members alone. This structured collaboration ensures that the network maximizes financial returns by presenting a unified, high-volume front to the global recycling and retail markets.
    • Contact: Will Miller

Sustainability

These pilots explore approaches related to reuse, recovery and responsible disposition, with a focus on long‑term supply, environmental considerations and emerging expectations. 
  • Reju & WM (Waste Management)
    • Goodwill is working with major textile-to-textile recyclers to advance textile recycling. One such project includes a partnership between the textile recycler Reju and WM, formerly known as Waste Management. We are collaborating on building a circular textile-to-textile ecosystem which includes pilots to collect, sort and grade discarded textiles for resale and recycling. In February 2026, the Northeast Goodwill Circularity Hub, led by Goodwill of the Finger Lakes, signed an agreement with Reju to supply polyester-rich materials to Reju’s Regeneration Hub, which is planned to be located in Rochester, NY.
    • Contact:  Sydney Muñoz
  • Advanced Sorting and Grading
    • The Advanced Sorting and Grading Test Site pilot evaluates the economic feasibility of a large‑scale, automated sorting line to improve the grading and disposition of post‑retail textiles. Led by Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina, Inc., the pilot is designed to inform scalable approaches to responsible textile management across the network.
    • Contact: Sydney Muñoz
  • Preparing and Selling End of Use Textile for Circularity
    • The Preparing & Selling End of Use Textiles for Circularity pilot builds capabilities to sort and monetize non‑re‑wearable, post‑retail textiles, supporting more sustainable disposition outcomes in the Northeast. Led by Goodwill of the Finger Lakes in collaboration with Goodwill Industries of Western New York, Inc., Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc., Goodwill Industries of North Central Pennsylvania, Inc., Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, Inc., Goodwill Keystone Area, Goodwill Industries of Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia, Goodwill Northern New England, Goodwill of Southern New England, Inc., and Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut Inc., the pilot is designed to inform scalable circularity models across the Goodwill network.
    • Contact: Sydney Muñoz
  • Product Traceability Study
    • Funded through a grant from the Walmart Foundation, this two-year study is tracking the global journey of secondhand textiles, providing critical insights to improve global reuse and recycling strategies. The study will help set new industry standards for transparency and product lifecycle stewardship, enhancing accountability and maximizing the value of donated goods.
    • The traceability study involves detailed tracking of post-retail textiles through the salvage stream, helping to provide insights to support the network’s ongoing textile circularity and recycling work. The grant period will conclude in July 2026.
    • GII Contact: Brittany Dickinson

Mission Pilots

These pilots test new tools, partnerships and approaches that support workforce development and mission service delivery. They’re designed to help the Goodwill network explore what works, learn quickly and determine what has the potential to scale.
  • Cisco NetAcademy
    • ​​​​​​​Cisco Networking Academy (NetAcad) provides networking and IT training (e.g., networking fundamentals, cybersecurity, programming) to build entry-level tech skills and support completion of technology training and certifications. 
    • Pilot timeline: May 2024–Sep 2025 (concluded). The pilot launched an instructor-led Cisco NetAcad CCST Networking course; learners prepared for the CCST certification with instruction from Stanley Community College. Target outcome was at least 20 learners ready for certification. 
    • End-of-pilot results (Sep 2025): Participation – 13 Goodwills in advanced IT field testing (IBM SkillsBuild + Cisco NetAcad); Completions – 60 learners completed Cisco Level 5 training; Certification readiness – 31 learners reached certification readiness (not all certified). This initiative is a significant step towards equipping individuals with the skills needed for career advancement in the technology sector. 
    • GII Contact: Kamala Kannan
  • IBM Skillsbuild
    The IBM SkillsBuild pilot aims to help individuals discover their strengths and interests while providing training in critical areas such as data science, cloud computing and cybersecurity. By integrating IBM SkillsBuild, the pilot seeks to increase completions of Foundation Skills Training and Industry-Specific Training, equipping individuals with essential digital skills and tech-enabled job readiness through personalized learning pathways.

    Running from May 2024 to December 2024, the pilot has already made significant progress. Multiple Goodwill organizations have been successfully onboarded to IBM SkillsBuild, granting access to valuable learning resources. In October, guided learning experiences were launched with three cohorts: two in Cybersecurity (4-week and 10-week programs) and one in Data Analytics (4-week course). Active support is provided through 1:1 assistance and webinars to address challenges and ensure smooth implementation across all sites.

    The expected outcomes of this initiative include engaging at least 10 Goodwill organizations and 1000 users on IBM SkillsBuild, with 500 users completing certificate training and 100 users entering advanced tech training. So far, 13 Goodwill organizations have engaged, with 426 learners logged onto the platform. This initiative marks a significant step in our mission to provide industry-relevant training and enhance our members' career prospects.

    GII Contact: Kamala Kannan
     
  • Northstar Digital Literacy:
    The Northstar Digital Literacy pilot offers comprehensive digital literacy assessments and training modules, covering essential skills such as computer basics, internet usage and productivity tools. This initiative aims to increase the usage of Northstar within the Goodwill network and provide deeper insights into digital skills training and client success through API data access.

    The field-testing period for the pilot runs from May 2024 to May 2025. During this time, the program aims to have at least 30 Goodwill organizations using Northstar and to conduct 5,000 assessments within one year. So far, 45 Goodwill organizations have been onboarded and completed training. The GII team is currently working with Northstar on an API integration to bring individual-level data into CaseWorthy, enhancing the ability to track and measure digital literacy progress. The task order is currently under legal review.

    By leveraging Northstar's digital literacy tools, the pilot seeks to empower people with the necessary skills to navigate the digital world effectively, ultimately contributing to their personal and professional growth.

    GII Contact: Amy Johnson
  • Cengage Ready-to-Hire Healthcare:
    The Cengage Ready-to-Hire Healthcare pilot is an end-to-end training and hiring program developed in collaboration with local employer partners. This initiative focuses on demand-driven decision making for healthcare training, aiming to create a sustainable model for training and placing individuals in healthcare careers.

    Running from July 2024 to July 2025, the pilot involves three Goodwill organizations. The program aims to train, certify and place 30 learners in healthcare careers. Cengage is currently working with employers in Dallas and Miami to finalize agreements and begin vetting candidates. Once these agreements are in place, Cengage will expand its outreach to Greenville, SC.

    By partnering with local employers, the Cengage Ready-to-Hire Healthcare pilot ensures that the training provided aligns with the specific needs of the healthcare industry, enhancing job placement rates and creating a robust pipeline of qualified healthcare professionals.

    GII Contact: Amy Johnson
     
  • Clean Tech Accelerator:
    The Goodwill Clean Tech Accelerator™, developed through a partnership between Accenture and GII, aims to prepare the workforce for the clean energy transition by creating job opportunities in the sector. It was determined that three main job types would be the initial focus based on industry demand and upcoming exponential growth: Solar and Storage Installer, Heat Pump Technician and Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Technician.

    In the summer of 2023, a competitive process was held to select training partners for the program. As a result, GRID Alternatives was chosen for solar and storage, BlocPower for heat pumps and ChargerHelp! for EVSE. Four pilot sites were then chosen: Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, Inc. (Nashville) for solar and storage, Goodwill of Houston (TX) for heat pumps and Goodwill of North Georgia (Atlanta) and Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit (MI) for EVSE.

    The first cohorts began training in January 2024, with plans to expand to 30 Goodwill locations within five years. The program emphasizes accelerated learning, hands-on lab work and employability skills, supported by national branding and government relations initiatives to enhance its impact.

    GII Contact: Chris Purington

Other Pilots

These pilots capture emerging initiatives focused on operational efficiency, technology enablement and cross-sector collaboration. 
  • Administrative Processing:
    The Administrative Processing Pilot, funded by Google AI, aims to reduce escalating administrative costs by implementing automated solutions. This project focuses on improving efficiency, enhancing work quality, and enabling rapid information dissemination and predictive analysis to adapt to a changing environment. The objectives include leveraging advanced technology to automate tasks in legal, HR, finance and marketing, integrating these technologies to enhance functions like financial reporting and analysis, and exploring AI to improve member communication and handle inquiries.

    Expected outcomes include delivering several automated and enhanced solutions across administrative areas, which will enhance efficiencies and streamline processes. Additionally, an AI-powered platform will be developed to respond to member inquiries, and a business analysis platform will provide insights into member performance and predictive analysis for financial planning.

    The test period for the project is divided into two phases: Phase 1 from September 2024 to November 2024, and Phase 2 from January 2025 to September 2025. This pilot represents a significant step towards optimizing administrative processes and improving overall operational efficiency.

    GII Contact: Jodi Henrickson
  • Find Help:
    The Findhelp pilot, developed through a collaboration between Goodwill Industries International (GII) and United Healthcare, aims to enhance the delivery of social services by streamlining the process of sending and receiving social care referrals. This initiative focuses on connecting individuals with essential resources such as food, housing and healthcare through the comprehensive platform, Findhelp.org.

    Phase 1 of the pilot, running from April 2024 to April 2025, has successfully onboarded 34 members. These members will utilize Findhelp.org to coordinate workforce development services, ensuring that individuals in the community receive timely and effective support.

    The pilot emphasizes best practices for social care referrals, enabling Goodwill members to deliver mission services more effectively. 

    GII Contact: Kamala Kannan
     
  • Unite Us:
    The Unite Us pilot is designed to connect health and social care providers, facilitating coordinated care and addressing social determinants of health (SDoH). This platform creates a seamless network where organizations can collaborate to support individuals' comprehensive health needs.

    Phase 1 of the pilot, which ran from March 2023 to March 2024, involved select members across several key states. These members adopted the use of Unite Us to streamline the acceptance of workforce development referrals. During this phase, 33 members attended the Mission Possible ART Session, 16 signed up, and 14 were onboarded.

    Phase 2, running from April 2024 to April 2025, will continue to build on these efforts. This phase will involve Fueling the OA Subgrantees in various locations, further expanding the reach and impact of the initiative. The pilot also aims to assist our network in tracking and measuring our mission impact, providing a better understanding of the needs of the people we serve. By gaining insights into the needs of people accessing mission services, the program seeks to enhance the overall support provided to the community.

    GII Contact: Kamala Kannan
If you want to learn more about innovaiton across the Goodwill network,  contact Will Miller, GII's  Vice President of Innovation and Business Development.
To learn more about how these pilots and collaborations contribute to the strategic plan, click here.
About/Mission

Goodwill Industries International is dedicated to providing a wide spectrum of resources and services that equip local Goodwill® organizations with support to successfully execute the Goodwill mission. Goodwill Exchange is a centralized platform that empowers Goodwill employees and board volunteers to stay connected, access tools that foster collaboration, and collectively strengthen the power of our network.