Hour Children and Mental Health Innovations Teams Win Morgan Stanley’s 2026 Strategy Challenge Supporting Nonprofits in the U.S. and the UK

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) today announced the winners of its 17^th annual Strategy Challenge, the Firm’s flagship pro bono program which brings together rising talent to help nonprofits solve strategic, mission-critical challenges. The winning teams supported Hour Children in the U.S. and Mental Health Innovations in the UK.

Over the past 10 weeks, Morgan Stanley employees provided in-depth, pro bono consulting services to 14 nonprofits on topics such as expanding programming, enhancing productivity, and improving service delivery and business models. The 2026 Strategy Challenge culminated in events in New York and London, where teams presented their recommendations to nonprofit sector experts and senior leaders at the Firm.

“Drawing on the breadth of talent across Morgan Stanley, the Strategy Challenge is a powerful example of how our employees leverage their skill sets to make a concrete impact on our communities,” said Joan Steinberg, Global Head of Philanthropy at Morgan Stanley and President of the Morgan Stanley Foundation. “Through rigorous analysis and fresh perspectives, this year’s teams all developed actionable proposals to help nonprofits improve their operations and advance their missions to address important issues facing society.”

In the U.S., the winning team worked with Hour Children, an organization that helps currently and formerly incarcerated women reunify with their children and rebuild stable, independent lives. Morgan Stanley employees analyzed how the nonprofit can more effectively deliver financial literacy programming to members of its Hour Working Women Program. The team developed a plan for a hybrid education model consisting of CFP-led in-class instruction, one-on-one virtual coaching and on-demand mobile support intended to reinforce long-term financial stability for participants.

“The new financial literacy curriculum will be a valuable addition to our programming, helping us equip women and children impacted by incarceration with the tools needed for financial stability and independence,” said Dr. Kimberly Cason, Director of Hour Children’s Hour Working Women Program. “The Morgan Stanley team demonstrated an outstanding understanding of the lived realities of the families we serve, which made their recommendations highly relevant, thoughtful and impactful.”