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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.

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A woman with long hair and a gray jacket sits indoors, attentively listening and talking to a man in glasses and a plaid shirt. They appear to be having a serious conversation.

Guidance

Giving is personal—and it doesn’t have to be complicated. We offer tools, local insight, and trusted guidance to help you or your clients give with intention, connect with real needs, and make an impact that reflects your values.

Quick links

Giving plan
LIVEGIVEmidsouth
For fund holders
For professional advisors

Guidance for purposeful giving

Guidance at the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis starts with access—to information, to local context, and to people who understand this community. Whether you’re just beginning to think about giving or have been supporting causes for years through a charitable fund, we help you make sense of your options and take meaningful next steps.

Some guidance is available to everyone. Some is tailored for fundholders and professional advisors. All of it is grounded in trust, local knowledge, and a shared commitment to strengthening the Mid-South.

Create a giving plan

Mid-Southerners are generous—but many of us give reactively, responding to requests or moments that move us. A giving plan helps you slow down and be more intentional, so your generosity reflects what matters most to you.

Creating a giving plan doesn’t require wealth, legal documents, or a long-term commitment. It simply means taking time to clarify your values, the causes you care about, and the kind of impact you want to have—now or in the future.

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This free framework is a place to start, whether you give occasionally or are thinking about a lasting legacy.

A simple giving plan framework

Use these questions to reflect on your priorities and shape a more thoughtful approach to giving—at your own pace.

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Think about the issues, experiences, or communities that matter most to you. This could be shaped by personal history, faith, neighborhood, family, or the change you want to see locally. There’s no right answer—only what feels meaningful to you.

Do you want to meet immediate needs, support long-term solutions, or help organizations grow stronger? Clarifying your goals can help focus your giving and make it more fulfilling.

Your giving might include one-time donations, recurring support, volunteering, or planning for future gifts. Understanding your options helps align your generosity with your life and resources.

Track your giving and its impact. Revisit goals regularly and adjust your approach as your interests evolve.

Reliable information and local insight matter. Tools like LIVEGIVEmidsouth and guidance from the Community Foundation can help you connect your intentions to real community needs.

LIVEGIVEmidsouth

Our free community information system connects you to the information you need for the impact you want. By researching Mid-South data and exploring local nonprofit organizations, you can make informed decisions to address our region’s needs.

Get started
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For fund holders

Take advantage of concierge services from Philanthropic Services team members.

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Give from your fund

Philanthropic advising

Schedule personalized advisory services to help clarify your values and develop a strategy for fulfilling your charitable goals.

Philanthropic Services FAQ

See common questions and a quick guide to making gifts and grants through your fund at the Community Foundation.

Investment performance

Examine the most recent quarterly investment returns, demonstrating how our pooled funds are performing.

For professional advisors

We offer professional advisors expert and strategic charitable giving solutions that enable you to build expertise and to knowledgeably guide clients’ charitable giving.

Partner with us
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Guidance for smarter giving

All Giving Strategies
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