“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together, we can do great things.”
– Mother Teresa
Those words – shared by Scott Hartwig from the stage – set the stage for a Regions Bank event bringing 100-plus nonprofit leaders together this spring.
The goal? Uncovering ways to address community challenges through collaboration.
The incentive? A $25,000 Regions Bank grant funding innovative ways to do it.
Regions launched its St. Louis Community Convening a decade ago.
“We originally set out to introduce the nonprofits we worked with and encourage them to break down silos in serving people, families and neighborhoods across our region,” said Hartwig, Mid America Commercial Banking leader and Greater St. Louis market executive for Regions Bank. “Ten years later, we’ve tripled the number of organizations joining us and they’re the catalysts in finding ways to work together – not just during our event, but throughout the entire year.”
Ten years later, we’ve tripled the number of organizations joining us and they’re the catalysts in finding ways to work together – not just during our event, but throughout the entire year.
Scott Hartwig, Greater St. Louis market executive for Regions Bank
Shawntelle Fisher, founder and CEO of the SoulFisher Ministries, has attended the Convening for seven years. This year, she presented as a previous Regions grant recipient.
“We took that check and did amazing things with it – and we continue to do amazing things through it,” Fisher said of the second chance employer panel idea she co-presented with the University of Missouri- St. Louis back in 2020. “This partnership gave SoulFisher some clout. We’re now growing and thriving with employers who continue to get involved in this work.”
We took that check and did amazing things with it – and we continue to do amazing things through it.
In addition to presentations from Fisher and previous grant recipient Missouri Women in Trades, the event, this year specifically focusing on development, included nonprofit breakouts and a panel discussion. Gina Sian, head of Regions’ Making Life Better Institute, served as a panelist.
“This event offers such a unique opportunity to brainstorm community solutions together – not just as organizations, but also as leaders who care about the success of the people we serve,” said Sian. “It was an honor to share Regions’ associate volunteer services like financial education, mock interviewing and more skills-based projects during the conversation to strengthen St. Louis’s community fabric.”
Discover some insights leaders from three Regions community partners gained from this year’s event.
Miranda Walker Jones, CEO, The Little Bit Foundation
What do you enjoy most about the Convening and what do you typically gain from it?
I’ve attended the past three years, and I love networking with other leaders in the community. Every time, I make new connections. Bringing community leaders together is crucial for collective impact. We want to make sure we are using our resources to ensure powerful impact for the greater good. And the panels are well coordinated and are always very informative.
What were your specific takeaways from this year’s event?
- Collaborations are vital in this moment.
- Upscale and elevate your development
- We are in this together!
Julius B. Anthony, Founder and CEO, St. Louis Black Authors of Children’s Literature and The Believe Projects
You’ve attended the Convening three times. What makes this event special?
The most powerful experience each year for me is the nonprofit roundtables led by the Regions team. It’s an opportunity to connect with leaders you haven’t met before and learn about nonprofits you weren’t aware of. The in-depth discussions generated by the facilitators’ questions make the roundtable experience a highlight. I’ve always left with new strategies for The Believe Projects and innovative ways to consider generating partnerships and new revenue streams. Those conversations are always engaging and valuable!
Why does Regions bringing together nonprofit leaders matter?
Regions has the brand power and bandwidth to bring together nonprofits of all sizes to:
- Consider the challenges facing the mission work community
- Collaborate on how to help solve big issues facing St. Louis; and
- Give nonprofit leaders a venue to connect, talk and vibe in spirit among each other!
“All three are hugely important to ensure St. Louis as a city continues to thrive and be a place anyone would be proud to be a resident of.
Rachel Thurston, ABCToday Network manager, Big Brothers Big Sisters Eastern Missouri
You attended the Convening for the first time last year. What drew you back?
I value any opportunity to come together as community service providers and learn with and from each other. I value the opportunity to make connections, learn about new organizations and their missions, and leave with actionable goals to improve our work.
What is the impact of bringing together so many nonprofits?
So often, we get busy in our work and don’t make time or have the opportunity to gather for shared learning, and this is a detriment to us all. Regions, by bringing the collective together, allows us to understand where we can learn from and lean on each other to expand the work and improve services, by embracing collective work, instead of siloed work or duplicating services. We all do better when we all do better.