This grant amendment will support Memphis Filmworks, a Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis grantee, who has been funded to create, “Our Neighbors Our Stories,” a documentary film series that captures the stories of residents from Memphis neighborhoods to serve as a community advocacy tool. These additional resources will support the documentary’s continued development following project disruptions caused by COVID-19 and increased social unrest throughout 2020. View Website

This $35,000 grant amendment will continue to support the operations of The CLTV, a Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis grantee, as it works to elevate Black artists and empower Black communities, especially in the city’s Orange Mound neighborhood. The CLTV (Collective) is a Black arts organization dedicated to elevating Black artists, empowering Black communities, and shifting the culture of Memphis.  View Website

This grant supports Communities Unlimited's efforts to provide technical assistance to minority-owned small businesses in Memphis experiencing challenges due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mission of Communities Unlimited (CU) is to move rural and under-resourced communities in areas of persistent poverty to sustainable prosperity. Communities Unlimited is also a Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis grantee.  View Website

This financial amendment will help Knowledge Quest, a Memphis NextGen cohort member, maintain delivery of services and support their participants by facilitating their ability to move to a virtual platform in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. View Website

This grant supports a coalition of place-based organizations, led by Whole Child Strategies, Inc., providing emergency relief to families living with low incomes in eight Memphis neighborhoods, specifically cash assistance for food and other household necessities; relief funds for households experiencing loss of income due to the pandemic; and internet access and devices for households without broadband or hardware. The coalition includes: Agape Child and Family Services; Center for Transforming Communities, Inc.; Knowledge Quest; Memphis Medical District Collaborative; Neighborhood Christian Center, Inc.; Refugee Empowerment Program; and The Urban Strategies, Inc. Whole Child Strategies, Inc. empowers neighborhoods and communities disproportionately affected by poverty to self- determination in addressing barriers hindering children from graduating on-time, career and college-ready – providing funding, critical supports and coordinated efforts around collective accountability, public advocacy and community development. View Website

This grant provides general operating support to the organization. Whole Child Strategies, Inc. empowers neighborhoods and communities disproportionately affected by poverty to self- determination in addressing barriers hindering children from graduating on-time, career and college-ready – providing funding, critical supports and coordinated efforts around collective accountability, public advocacy and community development. View Website

The Heights CDC builds community through just-housing redevelopment and a commitment to serving with and learning from our neighbors. This two-year grant provides planning and implementation support for The Heights CDC to undertake a series of creative placemaking projects that will create safe and attractive public spaces in the Highland Heights, Mitchell Heights, Brinkley Heights and Graham Heights neighborhoods of Memphis, including maintaining transportation infrastructure, expanding options for outdoor play and recreation, and commissioning temporary and permanent public art projects, all as part of the pilot round of the Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis (KIP:M) initiative. View Website

OUTMemphis empowers, connects, educates, and advocates for the LGBT community of the Mid-South. This one-year grant provides project support for OUTMemphis: The LGBTQ Center for the Mid-South to create a plan for a social enterprise event space that hosts public programming for the LGBTQ+ community at-large as part of the pilot round of the Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis (KIP:M) initiative. View Website

Whole Child Strategies, Inc. empowers neighborhoods and communities disproportionately affected by poverty to self- determination in addressing barriers hindering children from graduating on-time, career and college-ready – providing funding, critical supports and coordinated efforts around collective accountability, public advocacy and community development. This grant provides project support for Whole Child Strategies, Inc.’s Neighborhood and Youth Council to undertake a series of projects identified by community members to improve educational attainment in the Klondike/Smokey City neighborhood as part of the pilot round of the Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis (KIP:M) initiative. View Website

The mission of the Hub is to connect homeless people with the resources they need to begin their journey out of homelessness. This grant provides project support for Hospitality Hub of Memphis to create a safe and secure place in the Memphis Medical District for people experiencing homelessness to rest during the day as part of the pilot round of the Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis (KIP:M) initiative. View Website

Explore Bike Share's mission is to: develop and implement a bike-sharing program for the benefit of the general public with access to as many Memphians as possible; promote bike culture in Memphis through community development, bike education and safety training; and encourage exercise and healthy lifestyles. This grant provides project support for Explore Bike Share to pilot a neighborhood-centric approach to Bike Share access, adoption and integration in the community of Binghampton as part of the pilot round of the Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis (KIP:M) initiative. View Website

Historic Clayborn Temple seeks to create a place that responds respectfully to Memphis’ growth and evolution. This grant provides project support for the Historic Clayborn Temple to implement “The Welcome Table,” an initiative designed to bring together community members, capture their stories, restore hope and amplify their voices through a documentary film that will serve as a tool for community advocacy as part of the pilot round of the Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis (KIP:M) initiative. View Website

Let’s Innovate through Education equips African-American/Latinx students with 21st-century skills to create wealth.  This grant provides project support for Let's Innovate Through Education to provide 50 high school students of color in Memphis with entrepreneurship training, internship pairing and/or business venture launch support, as part of the pilot round of the Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis (KIP:M) initiative. View Website

Memphis Filmworks, Inc. supports artistic freedom in visual storytelling and advocate for a community of visionaries who epitomize diversity of thought, creativity and the tenacity to challenge the societal status quo. This grant provides project support for Memphis Filmworks, Inc. to create “Our Neighbors,” a documentary film series that capture the stories of residents from nine Memphis neighborhoods to serve as a community advocacy tool that uplifts resident concerns and ideas as it relates to the development of their neighborhoods as part of the pilot round of the Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis (KIP:M) initiative. View Website

Blues City Cultural Center is committed to utilizing the visual, creative and performing arts as a platform for entertainment, education, engagement, and empowerment.This grant provides project support for Blues City Cultural Center to build upon “STORIED PLACES”, a resident-led initiative that builds neighborhood connectivity by providing creative engagement opportunities for youth to shape the narrative of their neighborhoods and view themselves as stewards in the future of the community as part of the pilot round of the Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis (KIP:M) initiative. View Website

Memphis Slim Collaboratory seeks to create spaces for Soulsville musicians to gather, rehearase, learn and create legendary music. This grant provides project support for the Memphis Slim Collaboratory to increase access to the arts in the Soulsville neighborhood of Memphis by creating an outdoor performance space, and completing additional to renovations, as part of the pilot round of the Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis (KIP:M) initiative. View Website

The Works Inc. works to rebuild, restore and renew community and families through housing, economic development, and social services. This grant provides project support to The Works, Inc. for the installation of traffic calming infrastructure which will increase safety and foster a more vibrant community in South Memphis as part of the pilot round of the Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis (KIP:M) initiative. View Website

Hattiloo Theatre, a 501(c)3 nonprofit Black repertory, was founded by Ekundayo Bandele in 2006 with a mission “to develop a Black theatre that is accessible to, relevant to, and reflective of a multicultural community.” It opened in a small 75-seat storefront in the Edge District near Downtown Memphis. Hattiloo presents the works of Black playwrights and showcases the talents of Black actors, dancers and musicians for the enjoyment and cultural enrichment of diverse audiences. This grant provides project support for Hattiloo Theatre to strengthen Memphis’s Black artist community by establishing a cooperatively developed and produced performing arts festival as part of the pilot round of the Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis (KIP:M) initiative. View Website

The CLTV (Collective) is a Black arts organization dedicated to elevating Black artists, empowering Black communities, and shifting the culture of Memphis. This grant provides project support for The Collective (CLTV), Inc. to develop community homes which will serve as resource centers and convening spaces for current Orange Mound residents, studio and living spaces for Black artists, and places to create collaborative projects to uplift the community as part of the pilot round of the Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis (KIP:M) initiative. View Website

The mission of Communities Unlimited (CU) is to move rural and under-resourced communities in areas of persistent poverty to sustainable prosperity. This grant provides project support for Communities Unlimited to partner with Frayser CDC and utilize a resident-engagement strategy to launch and grow locally-owned and -operated small businesses in the Frayser neighborhood as part of the pilot round of the Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis (KIP:M) initiative. View Website