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For over 50 years, the Community Foundation has helped people give with purpose, strengthening Memphis and the Mid-South.

We make giving easier and more impactful by matching your generosity with the causes and community you care about most.

We offer solutions and resources to donors and the professionals who advise them to help you give smarter and do more good.

We offer funding opportunities that helps nonprofits and students create positive change and build futures.

When you get involved with the Community Foundation, you join a group of people committed to Memphis’s future.

Learn more about the philanthropic hub that connects capital with the solutions that make our community thrive.

Modern philanthropy, practical skills

The Impact Philanthropy Advisor (IPA) certification, offered by Daylight, is designed for advisors who want a practical, contemporary approach to philanthropic advising.

IPA focuses on real-world application—helping you integrate values, purpose, and impact into client relationships while navigating today’s complex social and philanthropic landscape.

Learn more from Daylight


Who it’s for

Advisors seeking practical skills in philanthropic advising—including financial professionals, attorneys, nonprofit leaders, and family office staff.

What we offer

The Community Foundation hosts a Memphis-based IPA Study Group, combining virtual learning with in-person discussion and peer connection. Engage with fellow advisors while grounding your learning in the real needs, opportunities, and impact of the Mid-South.

How we support your IPA journey

Local study group

Join a Memphis-based IPA Study Group convened by the Community Foundation, combining national coursework with local, peer-driven learning.

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Condensed timeline

The IPA study group is expected to begin in April 2026 and conclude in September, with a manageable, cohort-based learning schedule.

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Practical, modern advising

Gain tools you can apply immediately to client conversations around values, purpose, impact, and giving strategies.

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Relational & cultural fluency

Strengthen your ability to guide philanthropic conversations across generations, identities, and evolving client priorities.

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IPA participants

These inaugural IPA participants are being equipped with a practical, contemporary framework for guiding clients through meaningful philanthropic decisions.

Kate Connell, Gilliland Investments, 2026

Sheri Gadberry, Jewish Foundation of Memphis, 2026

William Gates, Beacon Pointe Advisors, 2026

Liz Gilliland, Consultant, 2026

Veronica Jamison, Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, 2026

Elizabeth Rouse, ARTSmemphis, 2026

Larry Schaffer, Jewish Foundation of Memphis, 2026

Pooja Shah, The PS Table, 2026

Nick Sowell, Legacy Wealth Management, 2026

Cathy Wilson, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, 2026

Here to help

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Jim Marconi, CAP®, IPA

Philanthropic Advisor

Cultivating relationships with professional advisors

(901) 722-0037

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Angela Richards

Philanthropic Services Associate

Information for prospective donors and professional advisors

(901) 722-0019