Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee

What Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee does

Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, that operates across 48 counties in Middle and West Tennessee. Founded in the mid-1960s (the organization is celebrating 60 years of operation as of 2025), it runs a dual-sided operating model: a retail/donation arm that collects and resells donated goods, and a workforce-development arm that delivers free education, training, and job-placement services to individuals facing employment barriers.

The retail arm consists of 32 thrift retail stores, 56 donation centers, 2 outlet stores (Berry Road and Cockrill Bend) that sell by the pound at $0.59/lb for books and $1.49/lb for other items, and an online auction presence via OnlineGoodwill.com and the national ShopGoodwill.com marketplace. Donations are accepted via drop-off, free home pickup (in select counties), corporate/community donation drives, and vehicle donations (cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, RVs, ATVs). Vehicle donations also support the Wheels-to-Work program that provides vehicles to employees who need transportation.

The mission arm provides free services to approximately 11,000 people annually, with 2025 outcomes of 8,492 job placements (78% outside Goodwill itself) and 32,242 total mission services delivered. Service delivery is via 12 Career Solutions Centers, a mobile career center, one-on-one career coaching, job fairs and hiring events (with employer partners such as Fifth Third Bank, TN Highway Patrol, Schneider Trucking), and structured training programs in construction & weatherization, forklift safety (400+ students/year), welding, basic digital literacy, employability skills, financial literacy, and office productivity. The Connecting Forward initiative, a collaboration with the Tennessee Department of Human Services (funded via TOPI/T3), extends wraparound supports—childcare, transportation, housing stability, financial coaching—to low-income families across 28 counties. Goodwill generates revenue from thrift retail (transaction-based), online auctions (marketplace commission), monetary donations, vehicle donations, and grants, with no disclosed proprietary technology or AI capabilities. Marketing combines community events, email, a Goodwill Ambassadors influencer program on Instagram, and the True Blue Rewards loyalty program. Leadership includes CEO Matthew Bourlakas and CFO Christine Skold, supported by a Development Department led by VP of Development Paige Bainbridge.

Name

Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee

Legal name

Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee

Website

https://giveit2goodwill.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating 32 thrift stores, 56 donation centers, 12 career centers, and a mobile career center across 48 Tennessee counties. It funds free job-training, career coaching, and wraparound services for ~11,000 people annually from retail and donation revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development and Thrift Retail Services

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Merchant Wholesalers (424350)

SIC

Wholesale-Durable Goods, Nec (5099)

akta.pro primary industry

Donation, Resale & Textile Recycling Coordination (HSAFABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Donation Pickup & Reuse Hauling (HSAKALAI)

Keywords

• Thrift retail stores
• Workforce development services
• Job training programs
• Career coaching
• Nonprofit donation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Thrift Store Retail Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of donated goods in 32 retail stores, 56 donation centers, and 2 outlet stores. Items sold include clothing, furniture, electronics, household items, and collectibles.
2. Vehicle Donations: Accepts vehicle donations (cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, boats, RVs, ATVs, etc.) which are either used in the Wheels-to-Work Program or sold to fund mission programs.
3. Financial Contributions: Monetary donations from individuals and organizations supporting the mission. Includes online donations, mail-in checks, planned giving, legacy gifts, and employer matching gifts.
4. Online Auction Sales: Sale of donated items through shopgoodwill.com and onlinegoodwill.com auction platform, with items like jewelry, artwork, furniture, antiques, and collectibles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee sells donated goods through 32 thrift retail stores, 56 donation centers, 2 by-the-pound outlet stores, and an online auction platform (OnlineGoodwill.com/ShopGoodwill.com). Revenue from retail and donations funds free workforce development services delivered through 12 Career Solutions Centers and a Mobile Career Center, including career coaching, job placement, Construction & Weatherization Training (with Forklift Safety Training), Introduction to Welding, Digital Literacy, Employability Skills, Financial Literacy, Office Productivity, and the Connecting Forward wraparound services initiative for low-income families.

Product overview

Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee operates a multi-channel retail and workforce development organization. The retail operations include 32 physical retail stores, 56 donation centers, and 2 outlet stores selling donated goods at discounted prices, alongside an online auction platform (OnlineGoodwill.com/ShopGoodwill.com). The workforce development division offers comprehensive services through its Career Solutions program, which includes 12 Career Solutions Centers, a Mobile Career Center, and programs such as Construction & Weatherization Training (GCTA), Welding, Digital Literacy, Financial Literacy, Employability Skills, and Office Productivity. Supporting programs include the True Blue Rewards loyalty program, Vehicle Donation Program, Donation Pickup Service, Wheels-to-Work, and the Connecting Forward initiative for low-income families. The organization serves 48 counties in Middle Tennessee.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Goodwill Thrift Retail Stores

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,492 people placed in jobs in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Bailey Equipment & IntralogisticssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 October 2025Bailey Equipment & Intralogistics repaired an aerial lift for Goodwill at no cost, supporting its Construction & Weatherization Training Program. The repair helps expand Goodwill's Forklift Safety Training Program which trains over 400 students annually for careers in logistics and construction in Tennessee.
• Tennessee Department of Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnecting Forward is a collaborative initiative with Tennessee DHS, part of a study to determine how pilot programs help people improve their economic well-being. Funded through Tennessee Opportunity Pilot Initiative (TOPI) and T3 funding.
• Connecting Forward NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA network of service providers working together to help low-income families across 28 counties in Middle Tennessee overcome barriers to economic independence and family stability.
• Employer Partners (Job Fair Participants)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerRegular job fairs connect job seekers with local employers including Fifth Third Bank, TN Highway Patrol, Schneider Trucking, Human Resource Solutions, and Able Helpers Home Care seeking to fill positions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Goodwill of Greater Washington: Another regional Goodwill chapter operating thrift stores, donation centers, and workforce development programs. Most directly comparable on operating model, mission structure, and revenue mix, differing primarily by geography.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStores: Nonprofit home goods and furniture resale channel operated by Habitat for Humanity. Competes for the same donor pool and bargain-furniture shoppers, and routes proceeds to a separate but adjacent nonprofit mission.
• Salvation Army Family Stores: National thrift retail nonprofit with a parallel model of accepting donated goods, operating resale stores, and funding social services. Direct overlap in donor base, customer base, and mission-funded retail structure.
• Deseret Industries: LDS Church-affiliated nonprofit thrift retail and workforce development operator with a mission model closely mirroring Goodwill's combination of donated-goods resale and vocational training.
• Society of St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores: Catholic nonprofit thrift retail chain that funds social services through resale of donated goods. Operates a similar donation-to-retail-to-mission revenue loop.
• AMVETS National Service Foundation Thrift Stores: Veteran-focused nonprofit thrift retail operation that sells donated goods and channels proceeds into employment and support services for veterans. Comparable mission-plus-retail structure.

Broad incumbents

• Savers / Value Village: For-profit thrift chain that purchases donated goods by the pound from nonprofit partners (including some Goodwill-style operators) and resells through Value Village / Savers stores. A scaled commercial rival in the same resale category.

Emerging players

• Year Up: Workforce development nonprofit providing training and job placement services for young adults from low-income communities. Overlaps on the career solutions and employer placement mission, but lacks the retail/donation infrastructure.

Others

• Goodwill Industries International: National umbrella organization supporting the network of 150+ regional Goodwills. Not a competitor but provides the shared ShopGoodwill online auction infrastructure and brand standards that this regional chapter depends on.

Regional players

• United Way of Metropolitan Nashville: Regional nonprofit funder and service coordinator in Middle Tennessee addressing economic stability and workforce outcomes. Comparable on regional social services footprint and corporate fundraising, though operating model differs (grantmaking vs. direct retail).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/giveit2goodwill
• Instagraminstagram.com/giveit2goodwill
• Xx.com/giveit2goodwill
• Facebookfacebook.com/giveit2goodwill

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee