The Kresge Foundation has announced a $1.25 million funding opportunity to support non-profit, private and public sector organizations advancing the social and economic mobility of children and families in Memphis.

The Memphis Next Generation Initiative, which builds off the foundation’s national NextGen efforts, is an integral part of Kresge’s commitment to reimagine the human services sector and accelerate social and economic mobility for people with low income. Memphis is the second place-based, NextGen city. Detroit was the first NextGen city, which launched in December 2018.

Both the national and place-based initiatives seek to identify and partner with organizations or networks that go beyond traditional human services delivery methods and engage in new ideas to create permanent pathways out of poverty.

Eligible organizations for this funding and learning opportunity are person-centered; outcomes-based; data-driven; apply a racial equity lens; and focus on greater sector impact and systems-wide change.  In addition, these organizations adhere to innovative best practices that have the potential to revolutionize the human services sector such as brain-science informed and two generation, whole family approaches.

The foundation will award grants of up to $250,000 over two years to five organizations in Memphis. Grantees will also be supported through a two-year learning and collaboration program consisting of three components:

1) Leadership development training for participants;

2) Development of a community of practice; and

3) Development of organizational and cohort action plans toward advancing and accelerating social and economic mobility using two-generation, whole-family approaches that emphasizes the importance of including fathers.

Completed applications are due by 12 p.m. (EST) Friday, June 7, 2019. All proposals must be submitted through Fluxx, Kresge’s online application system.

The foundation will host an informational session from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday May 14, 2019 at the Assisi Foundation, 515 Erin Drive, Memphis, TN.

Please register to attend by Monday, May 13, 2019. To RSVP, click here.

For more information and to download the application packet, visit the Current Funding Opportunities page at Kresge.org, where you can also find answers to Frequently Asked Questions.