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Non-profit

Foundation for the Mid South (FMS)

Website:

fndmidsouth.org/
Location:

Jackson, MS
Tax ID:

72-1151070
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2022):

Revenue: $1,593,028
Expenses: $1,757,905
Assets: $19,522,565
Type:

Grantmaking organization
Formation:

1989

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The Foundation for the Mid South (FMS) is a left-of-center regional grantmaking organization operating across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Founded in 1989, the organization provides funding and resources to various community initiatives while promoting progressive approaches to economic development, education, and racial equity in the Mississippi Delta region. 1 The foundation has historically maintained connections with larger national foundations that fund left-of-center causes and has embraced social justice frameworks in its programming. 2

History

The Foundation for the Mid South was established in 1989 through a coalition of regional leaders to create a dedicated funding vehicle for left-of-center grantmaking in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The organization was designed to transcend state boundaries in addressing persistent socioeconomic challenges in the economically depressed Mississippi Delta region. As compared to other regional community foundations, FMS was created to provide a sophisticated philanthropic infrastructure capable of attracting and disbursing significant funding claiming to address regional poverty, education inequities, and economic development challenges. 3

The Foundation maintained its headquarters in Jackson, Mississippi, where it centralized its operations while serving the region. This strategic positioning allowed the organization to establish connections across state lines while maintaining influence in an area historically underserved by mainstream philanthropy but increasingly targeted by national funders with left-wing agendas such as the Alluvial Collective, the Neshoba Youth Coalition, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. 4

Funding and Financials

As of 2022, the Foundation for the Mid South reported approximately $16 million in total assets, with annual revenues generally ranging between $1.5 to 2 million. As a community foundation, FMS holds various donor-advised funds and maintains endowments specifically designed to address regional issues according to donor priorities. 5

FMS has secured significant funding from larger left-of-center philanthropic organizations. In January 2023, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, a major funder of left-wing causes, awarded FMS $1.5 million to continue the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) efforts, a program that frames societal inequities through the lens of historical racism. 6

In late 2021, FMS became a partner recipient of a $15-million college-readiness grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education through Delta State University. 7

Racial Justice Initiatives

In recent years, the Foundation for the Mid South has increasingly focused on racial justice programming through its involvement with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation‘s Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) initiative. This program represents a significant investment in advancing concepts of structural racism and systemic inequity across the region. 8

References

  1. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. “Foundation Provides Base of Progress for the Mid South.” Bridges, Summer 1998. https://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/bridges/summer-1998/foundation-provides-base-of-progress-for-the-mid-south.
  2.  GuideStar. “Foundation for the Mid South Inc – GuideStar Profile.” Accessed March 3, 2025. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/72-1151070.
  3. Boardwalk Consulting. “President & Chief Executive Officer: Foundation for the Mid South.” Leadership Profile, March 1, 2023. https://boardwalkconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/FMS-Leadership-Profile-updated.pdf
  4.  Foundation for the Mid South. “MS Truth Racial Healing and Transformation Alliance.” Accessed March 3, 2025. https://fndmidsouth.org/ms-truth-racial-healing-and-transformation-alliance/.
  5. “Foundation For The Mid South Inc,” ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, accessed March 3, 2025, https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/721151070.
  6. Boardwalk Consulting. “President & Chief Executive Officer: Foundation for the Mid South.” Leadership Profile, March 1, 2023. https://boardwalkconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/FMS-Leadership-Profile-updated.pdf.
  7. SuperTalk Mississippi Media. “Delta State Awarded $15 Million.” Accessed March 3, 2025. https://www.supertalk.fm/delta-state-awarded-15-million.
  8. Foundation for the Mid South. “Why Racial Healing in Mississippi?” Accessed March 3, 2025. https://fndmidsouth.org/ms-truth-racial-healing-and-transformation-alliance/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: January 1, 1991

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2022 Dec Form 990 $1,593,028 $1,757,905 $19,522,565 $3,135,909 N $1,301,213 $0 $291,815 $223,883 PDF
    2021 Dec Form 990 $2,493,672 $1,476,621 $21,522,499 $1,237,753 N $2,217,080 $0 $276,592 $221,212
    2020 Dec Form 990 $897,383 $1,660,126 $18,987,383 $2,342,478 N $627,856 $0 $269,527 $325,401
    2019 Dec Form 990 $931,826 $2,018,795 $16,488,806 $1,183,659 N $634,668 $0 $297,158 $330,174 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $1,184,344 $1,801,008 $14,392,860 $565,157 N $916,571 $0 $267,227 $327,553 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $919,852 $2,079,629 $16,298,746 $938,094 N $611,915 $0 $242,937 $325,057
    2016 Dec Form 990 $2,161,473 $1,505,893 $15,516,287 $545,990 N $1,933,780 $0 $227,693 $331,644 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $1,087,723 $1,799,598 $14,269,387 $638,652 N $873,370 $0 $214,353 $264,346 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $990,868 $2,236,100 $15,243,528 $664,014 N $780,799 $0 $210,069 $262,426 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $918,694 $2,546,311 $16,054,437 $781,228 N $716,977 $0 $201,717 $255,215 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $2,195,199 $2,968,467 $16,639,255 $1,030,550 N $1,854,707 $0 $215,876 $252,303 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $4,062,079 $2,931,375 $17,444,093 $1,694,965 N $3,625,803 $0 $245,708 $248,589 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Foundation for the Mid South (FMS)

    134 E AMITE ST
    Jackson, MS 39201-2101