Responsive Grants is a grant program from the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis that funds nonprofit organizations addressing pressing community needs in west Tennessee, eastern Arkansas, and northern Mississippi. The Foundation's current grantmaking priorities include reforming housing and justice systems and advancing public safety through Community Solutions grants.

The Foundation has paused other traditional grantmaking to respond to the current funding environment, particularly as organizations face growing service demands alongside budget pressures and public funding uncertainty. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) organizations in the tri-state region with an active LIVEGIVEmidsouth. org profile.

Typical awards range from approximately $20,000 to $25,000.

Responsive Grants - The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis A PAUSE IN TRADITIONAL GRANTMAKING The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis is moving forward this year with our long-term commitments to Reforming the Housing and Justice Systems and our Community Solutions grants focused on public safety. At the same time, we have paused our other traditional grantmaking to better understand, and respond to, the moment we’re in.

We know that many organizations are responding to growing needs while navigating budget pressures, staffing challenges, and uncertainty in public and private funding. To respond to the needs of nonprofits as expressed by themselves, we invited organizations across the region to complete a survey and more than 100 organizations responded.

We heard: Some nonprofits are already feeling the strain, facing funding cuts, freezes, and policy shifts that have forced reductions in services. Others are bracing for what’s ahead, anticipating shifts in funding priorities and further reductions from government or philanthropic sources.

Flexible, general operating support remains critical, as organizations work to sustain services, retain staff, and adapt to changing conditions. This grant round is our direct response to what we heard, offering flexible support designed to meet the realities nonprofits are navigating right now.

The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis is offering general operating support to stabilize nonprofits responding to both long-standing and emerging threats especially those serving communities that have been historically under-resourced, overlooked in public funding, or excluded from traditional philanthropic investment.

These grants are intended to help organizations continue essential services, sustain core operations, and maintain stability in a time of uncertainty. While we recognize that every nonprofit is navigating pressures, this opportunity is designed to support organizations working with and within the communities most impacted by harmful policy shifts, funding reductions, and widening public sector gaps.

There is approximately $800,000 available for 2026. The average Responsive Grant is expected to range between $20,000 and $25,000. Because funding is limited, applications will be prioritized according to the urgency of the organization’s context and alignment with the purpose of this grant round.

For funding consideration, an organization must demonstrate that it is either under threat, serving communities facing heightened risk, or working in ways that make visible the voices, needs, and experiences of those often ignored or erased.

Additional consideration will be given to organizations showing signs of organizational stamina and are doing what it takes to hold steady in uncertain conditions, especially those maintaining strong connections to the communities they serve.

Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria: Risk / Threat : The organization or the community it serves is facing significant challenges such as funding cuts, harmful policy changes, increased scrutiny, or a history of exclusion from public and philanthropic investment.

Voice / Visibility : The organization is elevating the stories, perspectives, or lived experiences of communities that are often overlooked or erased in the public sphere. Stamina : The organization demonstrates persistence and reliability in continuing services, retaining staff, and staying present for its community despite unstable conditions.

Services to Communities with Great Need : The organization’s mission and work are deeply connected to communities experiencing the most pressing barriers or inequities, with strong relationships and trust built over time. If you are unsure whether your organization aligns with the goals of this grant opportunity, please contact Aerial Ozuzu, Director of Community Impact, to discuss your eligibility or application approach.

To be eligible for a Responsive Grant, your organization must have an in-progress profile on LIVEGIVEmidsouth. org. This profile must be published by the grant award date and maintained for the duration of the grant period.

The in-progress LIVEGIVEmidsouth.

org profile of eligible applicants will demonstrate that the organization: Has operated as a 501(c)(3) agency for the last two consecutive years or longer Operates in the Community Foundation’s service area: west Tennessee, northern Mississippi, and/or eastern Arkansas Is permitted by the Tennessee Secretary of State to solicit funds Has the last two years of 990’s and audits, if required Operates under sound financial management and is financially stable Has at least one paid staff member and stable, demonstrated board leadership Provides significant community impact in, has solid relationships with, and reflects the makeup of the communities it serves September 4 - Attend an optional pre-application information session REGISTER HERE September 9 - Application opens online in GranteeView September 19 - Deadline to have LIVEGIVEmidsouth.

org profile in progress OR updates to an existing profile September 30 - Deadline to submit application online via GranteeView October - Applicants notified via e-mail whether they are invited to continue in the grant process by hosting a grant committee site visit October, November - Grant committee organization interviews or site visits December 19 - Applicants notified of funding decision via e-mail January 1 – December 31, 2026 - Grant term A complete application includes a submitted application through GranteeView, the organization's budget, and an in progress LIVEGIVEmidsouth.

org profile with identified fields approved. The budget should be submitted along with the application through the Community Foundation’s online grant portal, GranteeView. Click here to access GranteeView .

All eligible applications are reviewed by a Community Foundation grant committee to determine which applicants are invited to move forward in the process and host a site visit. (If your organization is invited to host a site visit, further information and instructions will be provided upon notification.)

Members of the committee then attend applicant site visits, before making funding recommendations to present to the Community Foundation’s Board of Governors. The Strengthening Nonprofits Committee is composed of 22 members who reflect our community and/or serve on the Community Foundation’s Board of Governors.

Committee members have significant nonprofit leadership experience, other deep industry experience, and/or are engaged donors to the foundation. A core value of our Community Investment Principles (see below) is inclusion.

Therefore, it is expected that the membership of this committee goes beyond subject-matter experts to consider other parts of the community and other lived experiences that may be affected by the work of this committee and the Board of Governors. All members understand the grant requirements and are given a grant evaluation tool by which to guide their decision making. HOW ARE APPLICATIONS PRIORITIZED?

All else being equal, the grant committee gives funding priority to the following. Demonstrate a clear and current organizational or community-level threat, such as active funding cuts, policy changes, increased scrutiny, or other destabilizing conditions. Have an annual operating budget under $1 million.

Serve communities facing heightened risk or historical underinvestment, with strong connections and trust within those communities. Show strong connections to and involvement from the population(s) served in leadership, staff, or board roles.

2025 Responsive Grant Guidelines 2025 Responsive Grant Presentation 2025 Responsive Grant Information Session Recording 2025 Sample Evaluation Tool Frequently asked questions about a LIVEGIVEmidsouth. org profile Instructions for registering on GranteeView, the Community Foundation's grant portal For any questions, please contact Aerial Ozuzu, Director of Community Impact, at [email protected] or (901) 722-0022.

Need to submit a grant progress report? Organizations that are awarded a grant are required to check-in with staff at 12 months after to share the grant’s short-term impact on the organization. These and any other grant requirements are included in your organization's grant contract.

Click to Login to GranteeView and submit written grant reports. Once you have logged in, click on 'Application Status & History' in the portal's navigation menu. Search for the application associated with your grant by updating the search date range to 'Before [today's date]'.

Click on the associated application, and complete your reporting requirements listed in the Application Uploads table. If the person who initially submitted your organization's application is NOT who will be the best contact throughout the grant term, please notify Aerial Ozuzu, Director of Community Impact, at [email protected] or (901) 722-0022.

A PAUSE IN TRADITIONAL GRANTMAKING The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis is moving forward this year with our long-term commitments to Reforming the Housing and Justice Systems and our Community Solutions grants focused on public safety. At the same time, we have paused our other traditional grantmaking to better understand, and respond to, the moment we’re in.

We know that many organizations are responding to growing needs while navigating budget pressures, staffing challenges, and uncertainty in public and private funding. To respond to the needs of nonprofits as expressed by themselves, we invited organizations across the region to complete a survey and more than 100 organizations responded.

We heard: Some nonprofits are already feeling the strain, facing funding cuts, freezes, and policy shifts that have forced reductions in services. Others are bracing for what’s ahead, anticipating shifts in funding priorities and further reductions from government or philanthropic sources.

Flexible, general operating support remains critical, as organizations work to sustain services, retain staff, and adapt to changing conditions. This grant round is our direct response to what we heard, offering flexible support designed to meet the realities nonprofits are navigating right now.

The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis is offering general operating support to stabilize nonprofits responding to both long-standing and emerging threats especially those serving communities that have been historically under-resourced, overlooked in public funding, or excluded from traditional philanthropic investment.

These grants are intended to help organizations continue essential services, sustain core operations, and maintain stability in a time of uncertainty. While we recognize that every nonprofit is navigating pressures, this opportunity is designed to support organizations working with and within the communities most impacted by harmful policy shifts, funding reductions, and widening public sector gaps.

There is approximately $800,000 available for 2026. The average Responsive Grant is expected to range between $20,000 and $25,000. Because funding is limited, applications will be prioritized according to the urgency of the organization’s context and alignment with the purpose of this grant round.

For funding consideration, an organization must demonstrate that it is either under threat, serving communities facing heightened risk, or working in ways that make visible the voices, needs, and experiences of those often ignored or erased.

Additional consideration will be given to organizations showing signs of organizational stamina and are doing what it takes to hold steady in uncertain conditions, especially those maintaining strong connections to the communities they serve.

Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria: Risk / Threat : The organization or the community it serves is facing significant challenges such as funding cuts, harmful policy changes, increased scrutiny, or a history of exclusion from public and philanthropic investment.

Voice / Visibility : The organization is elevating the stories, perspectives, or lived experiences of communities that are often overlooked or erased in the public sphere. Stamina : The organization demonstrates persistence and reliability in continuing services, retaining staff, and staying present for its community despite unstable conditions.

Services to Communities with Great Need : The organization’s mission and work are deeply connected to communities experiencing the most pressing barriers or inequities, with strong relationships and trust built over time. If you are unsure whether your organization aligns with the goals of this grant opportunity, please contact Aerial Ozuzu, Director of Community Impact, to discuss your eligibility or application approach.

To be eligible for a Responsive Grant, your organization must have an in-progress profile on LIVEGIVEmidsouth. org. This profile must be published by the grant award date and maintained for the duration of the grant period.

The in-progress LIVEGIVEmidsouth.

org profile of eligible applicants will demonstrate that the organization: Has operated as a 501(c)(3) agency for the last two consecutive years or longer Operates in the Community Foundation’s service area: west Tennessee, northern Mississippi, and/or eastern Arkansas Is permitted by the Tennessee Secretary of State to solicit funds Has the last two years of 990’s and audits, if required Operates under sound financial management and is financially stable Has at least one paid staff member and stable, demonstrated board leadership Provides significant community impact in, has solid relationships with, and reflects the makeup of the communities it serves September 4 - Attend an optional pre-application information session REGISTER HERE September 9 - Application opens online in GranteeView September 19 - Deadline to have LIVEGIVEmidsouth.

org profile in progress OR updates to an existing profile September 30 - Deadline to submit application online via GranteeView October - Applicants notified via e-mail whether they are invited to continue in the grant process by hosting a grant committee site visit October, November - Grant committee organization interviews or site visits December 19 - Applicants notified of funding decision via e-mail January 1 – December 31, 2026 - Grant term A complete application includes a submitted application through GranteeView, the organization's budget, and an in progress LIVEGIVEmidsouth.

org profile with identified fields approved. The budget should be submitted along with the application through the Community Foundation’s online grant portal, GranteeView. Click here to access GranteeView .

All eligible applications are reviewed by a Community Foundation grant committee to determine which applicants are invited to move forward in the process and host a site visit. (If your organization is invited to host a site visit, further information and instructions will be provided upon notification.)

Members of the committee then attend applicant site visits, before making funding recommendations to present to the Community Foundation’s Board of Governors. The Strengthening Nonprofits Committee is composed of 22 members who reflect our community and/or serve on the Community Foundation’s Board of Governors.

Committee members have significant nonprofit leadership experience, other deep industry experience, and/or are engaged donors to the foundation. A core value of our Community Investment Principles (see below) is inclusion.

Therefore, it is expected that the membership of this committee goes beyond subject-matter experts to consider other parts of the community and other lived experiences that may be affected by the work of this committee and the Board of Governors. All members understand the grant requirements and are given a grant evaluation tool by which to guide their decision making. HOW ARE APPLICATIONS PRIORITIZED?

All else being equal, the grant committee gives funding priority to the following. Demonstrate a clear and current organizational or community-level threat, such as active funding cuts, policy changes, increased scrutiny, or other destabilizing conditions. Have an annual operating budget under $1 million.

Serve communities facing heightened risk or historical underinvestment, with strong connections and trust within those communities. Show strong connections to and involvement from the population(s) served in leadership, staff, or board roles.

2025 Responsive Grant Guidelines 2025 Responsive Grant Presentation 2025 Responsive Grant Information Session Recording 2025 Sample Evaluation Tool Frequently asked questions about a LIVEGIVEmidsouth. org profile Instructions for registering on GranteeView, the Community Foundation's grant portal For any questions, please contact Aerial Ozuzu, Director of Community Impact, at [email protected] or (901) 722-0022.

Need to submit a grant progress report? Organizations that are awarded a grant are required to check-in with staff at 12 months after to share the grant’s short-term impact on the organization. These and any other grant requirements are included in your organization's grant contract.

Click to Login to GranteeView and submit written grant reports. Once you have logged in, click on 'Application Status & History' in the portal's navigation menu. Search for the application associated with your grant by updating the search date range to 'Before [today's date]'.

Click on the associated application, and complete your reporting requirements listed in the Application Uploads table. If the person who initially submitted your organization's application is NOT who will be the best contact throughout the grant term, please notify Aerial Ozuzu, Director of Community Impact, at [email protected] or (901) 722-0022.

Celebrate Black Philanthropy Month by Supporting Give 8/28 In celebration of Black Philanthropy Month, the Community Foundation proudly joins Give 8/28, a nationwide day of giving to support Black-led nonprofits on August 28. Click below to find local nonprofit partners providing vital services to uplift the black community. Support Black-Led Organizations