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Non-profit

The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis

Website:

cfgm.org
Location:

Memphis, TN
Tax ID:

58-1723645
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $514,967,342
Expenses: $163,008,169
Assets: $619,564,365
Type:

Private Grant Maker
Founded:

1969

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The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis is a collection of 950 donor funds established by individuals, families, and organizations. The foundation is the largest grantmaker in Tennessee and is among the 50 largest community foundations in the United States. 1 2

Background

The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis is a community foundation focused on Memphis, Tennessee and the surrounding region. 3 The organization is comprised of 950 charitable funds and awarded $40 million to 1,600 organizations through 6,400 grants. 4

The foundation is the largest grant maker in Tennessee. 5 It is among the 50 largest community foundations in the United States out of about 600 community foundations in the country. 6

The organization says it develops and manages charitable funds and endowments, offers expertise to individuals, families, and institutional donors; addresses the needs of the community through distributing resources, engages in advocacy, and convenes meetings. 7

The organization says its staff works with individuals, families, and organizations to achieve their charitable goals. 8

Prominent Partnerships

Prominent Community Foundation of Greater Memphis projects include a five-year grant to match funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to support the Teachers Effectiveness Initiatives in Shelby County schools. 9

In December 2020, MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, donated $8 million to the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis to provide aid to 138 organizations across the mid-South region. 10

Priorities

The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis describes the Memphis region as challenged with “high rates of poverty and incarceration, limited access to affordable housing and quality healthcare, and schools which continue to struggle to educate all our children.” Further, it says the Memphis area has “institutional racism and inequity” that “disproportionately affect our African-American and Latinx neighbors.” However, the foundation says Memphis has a “vibrant arts community,” and a “world-class healthcare system.” It says its goal is to “create a just and equitable region where all individuals and groups receive the resources and opportunities.” 11

The foundation has established “Forever Funds,” with the idea of having a permanent endowment directed by donors drawn from throughout the region. 12 The group provides technical assistance to other nonprofits. 13

The organization funds the Community Partnership Fund, which supports arts, education, the environment, animal welfare, health services and research, mental health, hunger and shelter, disaster relief, youth, human services, philanthropy, and religious institutions. 14

The foundation focuses on the homeless in the area. It also helps secure national funding and provides training to homeless service providers. 15

The organization established a COVID-19 Regional Response Fund in March 2020 to respond to regional needs created by the pandemic. 16 The organization also supports a financial program to combat payday lending. 17

As regards K-12 education, the organization tries to focus more on after-school and summer programs, noting that a bulk of charitable donations already goes into the classroom. 18

The foundation helped establish the Rise Foundation, which assists public housing residents. 19Leadership

Robert M. Fockler is the president of the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis. 20

Sutton Mora is the executive vice president and COO of the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, 21 while George Lumm is the CFO. 22

Veronica Jamison is the vice president of donor services of the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis. 23

References

  1. Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2020. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/community-foundation-of-greater-memphis,581723645/
  2. Cicci, Samuel. “The Community Foundation has constantly evolved to uplift Memphis.” Memphis Magazine. November 23, 2021. https://memphismagazine.com/business/biz-901-the-community-foundation/
  3. “Community Foundation of Greater Memphis.” Charity Navigator. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/581723645
  4. “Community Foundation of Greater Memphis.” Community Wealth. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://community-wealth.org/content/community-foundation-greater-memphis
  5. Cicci, Samuel. “The Community Foundation has constantly evolved to uplift Memphis.” Memphis Magazine. November 23, 2021. https://memphismagazine.com/business/biz-901-the-community-foundation/
  6. Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2020. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/community-foundation-of-greater-memphis,581723645/
  7. “Community Foundation of Greater Memphis.” Charity Navigator. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/581723645
  8. “Community Foundation of Greater Memphis.” LinkedIn. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/company/community-foundation-of-greater-memphis/
  9. Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2020. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/community-foundation-of-greater-memphis,581723645/
  10. Kayembe, Astrid. “MacKenzie Scott donates to Memphis Music Initiative and Collage Dance Collective.” Commercial Appeal. June 22, 2021. https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/local/2021/06/22/mackenzie-scott-donations-jeff-bezos-amazon-memphis-nonprofits/7727606002/
  11. “Mission & Vision.” Community Foundation of Greater Memphis. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.cfgm.org/mission-vision
  12. Cicci, Samuel. “The Community Foundation has constantly evolved to uplift Memphis.” Memphis Magazine. November 23, 2021. https://memphismagazine.com/business/biz-901-the-community-foundation/
  13. Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2020. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/community-foundation-of-greater-memphis,581723645/
  14. “Community Foundation of Greater Memphis.” Community Wealth. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://community-wealth.org/content/community-foundation-greater-memphis
  15. Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2020. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/community-foundation-of-greater-memphis,581723645/
  16. Cicci, Samuel. “The Community Foundation has constantly evolved to uplift Memphis.” Memphis Magazine. November 23, 2021. https://memphismagazine.com/business/biz-901-the-community-foundation/
  17. Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2020. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/community-foundation-of-greater-memphis,581723645/
  18. Cicci, Samuel. “The Community Foundation has constantly evolved to uplift Memphis.” Memphis Magazine. November 23, 2021. https://memphismagazine.com/business/biz-901-the-community-foundation/
  19. “Community Foundation of Greater Memphis.” Community Wealth. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://community-wealth.org/content/community-foundation-greater-memphis
  20. “Staff.” Community Foundation of Greater Memphis. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.cfgm.org/staff
  21. “Staff.” Community Foundation of Greater Memphis. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.cfgm.org/staff
  22. “Staff.” Community Foundation of Greater Memphis. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.cfgm.org/staff
  23. “Staff.” Community Foundation of Greater Memphis. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.cfgm.org/staff
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: April - March
  • Tax Exemption Received: August 1, 1990

    • 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
    2020 Apr Form 990 $514,967,342 $163,008,169 $619,564,365 $1,473,940 N $485,890,619 $3,692,204 $22,309,291 $897,714 PDF
    2019 Apr Form 990 $160,585,711 $175,944,573 $364,416,579 $1,763,298 N $144,306,803 $3,495,983 $6,866,975 $695,310 PDF
    2018 Apr Form 990 $236,615,020 $210,726,023 $382,565,126 $2,742,895 N $218,261,891 $414,222 $6,699,230 $1,176,838 PDF
    2017 Apr Form 990 $121,353,702 $168,373,829 $356,966,108 $7,314,273 N $107,754,232 $409,891 $6,414,369 $1,262,914 PDF
    2016 Apr Form 990 $208,822,974 $145,498,163 $387,345,048 $9,120,779 N $195,668,208 $312,256 $5,239,235 $1,269,036
    2015 Apr Form 990 $193,851,576 $128,276,626 $376,388,453 $26,919,190 N $170,527,578 $296,260 $5,081,927 $797,697 PDF
    2014 Apr Form 990 $121,261,364 $98,634,891 $299,097,697 $10,977,872 N $97,449,462 $261,089 $4,283,189 $705,336 PDF
    2013 Apr Form 990 $96,594,302 $77,883,923 $263,558,957 $5,228,758 N $80,859,416 $241,898 $4,491,561 $657,736 PDF
    2012 Apr Form 990 $42,672,734 $45,771,859 $235,558,073 $5,867,506 N $34,332,797 $245,665 $3,971,839 $636,809 PDF
    2011 Apr Form 990 $41,428,162 $32,140,283 $246,602,063 $5,665,939 N $31,624,207 $276,165 $3,871,416 $633,013 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis

    1900 Union Avenue
    Memphis, TN