Making an Impact
At times, community members will ask The Foundation to convene meetings about specific issues. Our board or staff also will identify certain trends or activities within the community that invite a more in-depth review. These initiatives may be short term with no action taken after one or two meetings, while others may be long term, lasting several years. Although most of these meetings do not result in funding for any single organization, significant grants have been made to address broader issues or for the benefit of a collective group of organizations. Additionally, some service delivery systems have been improved as a result of these meetings.
- Arts and cultural groups
- Arts educators
- Community development financial institutions
- Local governmental agencies
- Community development organizations
- Merger explorations
- Safety net collaborative
- Youth service providers
Please visit our Events section for upcoming training dates and special community events.
Facilitated by a local nonprofit consultant with more than 30 years of experience in the sector, our “Before You Ask” educational series covers what every nonprofit should know before applying for a grant. Designed to help nonprofit executive directors and staff further define and refine goals and strategy before asking for necessary funding, first-time applicants are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity.
- Attend all 12 sessions
- Complete all assigned work
- Meet with our facilitator for individual coaching
- Participate in pre- and post-program evaluations
- Share your experience with the Foundation
- Defining your mission
- Assessing community needs
- Developing budgets
- Building a board of directors
- Record keeping, technology and evaluation
- Communication
- Accountability and business ethics
To inquire about eligibility to attend this series, please contact Ernestine Smith at [email protected] or call (901) 684-1564. See Events for upcoming sessions.
The Foundation receives applications for grants related to addressing issues whose root causes are related to poverty. Many programs appear to be guided by presumptions of lack of individual capacity and inevitability of generational poverty. Few mechanisms exist to address situational poverty; at times, assistance seems designed to maintain poverty, including unintended barriers to rational strategies for individuals to achieve self-sufficiency.
The Foundation is involved in a number of community activities to address and change the narrative about poverty. These activities include community workshops, certification training for Transition to Success, Bridges Out of Poverty and Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World, and a variety of forums convening all sectors of the community (corporate, education, religious, legal, political, philanthropic, social services, etc.).
To learn more about upcoming training opportunities, please contact Tiffanie Grier at [email protected]. For upcoming dates, see Events.
The Foundation promotes ethical awareness in the community based on the work of Rushworth Kidder, founder of the Institute for Global Ethics, through facilitating workshops and community conversations. More information is available at www.globalethics.org.
For additional information, please contact Ernestine Smith, [email protected] or call (901) 684-1564 for details.
The Foundation sponsors quarterly “lunch and learns” for topics related to being an effective nonprofit board member.
For more information or to be added to the mailing list, contact Elise McKelvey at [email protected]. See Events for upcoming sessions.