Largest year-to-date community investment in the organization’s history

The Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis (WFGM) has unveiled its 2024-2025 Grant Cycle, awarding a record $1.8 million to 38 Memphis-based organizations.

This marks WFGM’s largest investment to date, reflecting a 12% increase over last year’s funding total. Since its inception in 1995, WFGM has granted over $37 million to 185 local nonprofits, with a strong focus on advocacy and research.

Guided by its Vision 2025 strategic plan, WFGM is committed to driving meaningful change by increasing investment and reducing poverty in five Memphis neighborhoods over five years.

“Our goal is to positively impact the lives of more than 10,000 individuals annually by advancing the economic and social mobility of women and families,” said Shant K. Avant, WFGM President and CEO. “Through Vision 2025, we are expanding the gains we’ve made in South City, zip code 38126, to other economically challenged neighborhoods.”

As part of this comprehensive plan, WFGM’s place-based investment strategy funds grantee partners offering programs in five key areas:

1. Case management and wraparound services
2. Job skills and employment
3. Early childhood development
4. Youth development and employment
5. Financial education and asset building.

WFGM’s investments have already made a significant impact on the Memphis community. Since 2020, these efforts have:

• Provided case management and wraparound services to 7,228 individuals
• Supported 1,932 children and their parents in early childhood development programs
• Engaged 5,387 youth in development and leadership programs
• Trained 4,839 individuals in job skills
• Helped 86 individuals start a business or micro-enterprise
• Offered financial education and asset-building programs to 491 individuals
• Placed 890 individuals in jobs

WFGM remains committed to advancing economic opportunity and transforming the lives of women and families in Memphis, ensuring a lasting impact for generations to come. WFGM plans to build on its success with support to the following grantee partners:

Case Management and Wraparound Services
Hope House Day Care | MIFA (Metropolitan Interfaith Association) | Neighborhood Christian Centers, Inc.| Urban Strategies Inc. | Room in the Inn | Salvation Army of Memphis and the Mid- South

Job Skills, Employment and Entrepreneurship
Advance Memphis | Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis | DeNeuville Learning Center Dress for Success Memphis | HopeWorks | Karat Place, Inc. | Memphis Urban League, Inc. Southwest Tennessee Community College Foundation | YWCA of Greater Memphis

Early Childhood Development
ALLMemphis | Early Success Coalition | Families Matter | Porter-Leath

Youth Development and Employment
A Step Ahead Foundation | JIFF Juvenile Intervention & Faith-based Follow-up| Booker T. Washington Middle and High School | Emmanuel Center, Inc. | Girls Scouts Heart of the South |Girls Inc. of Memphis| Memphis Inner City Rugby| Mustard Seed Inc.| New Ballet Ensemble and School | STREETS Ministries| University of Memphis Research Foundation-Herff-GEE | Vance Avenue Youth Development Center | Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South | Memphis Black Arts Alliance | Kids in Technology

Financial Education and Asset Building
Knowledge Quest| Community Legal Center | RISE Memphis | South City a Community of Opportunity Revitalization Empowerment (SCORE CDC)

Designated Grant Docket Allocations National Partnerships and Local Initiatives: AECF E2S Programs, YWI, and South City Digital Inclusion | Responsive Funding and Special Projects in zip codes 38126 and 38106 | Program Assessment, Research, and Evaluation | Technical Assistance

Grantee Partners 2024-2025