Contact

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.

Redefining Safety: Decarcerate Memphis

Decarcerate Memphis is reimagining safety in our city—shifting from punitive systems to community-led solutions that center equity, restoration, and the voices of Memphians themselves.

Grantmaking

Published: April 22, 2026

Redefining Safety: Decarcerate Memphis

In Memphis, safety is being reimagined—not through more policing, but through community power.

Decarcerate Memphis, a Community Solutions grantee of the Community Foundation, is working to change how justice looks and feels in our city.

Founded in 2020 in response to increased federal law enforcement efforts, this grassroots coalition brings together advocates, attorneys, clergy, and residents to challenge harmful systems and push for transparency. Their work helps Memphians better understand their rights while advocating for a justice system rooted in equity and restoration.

By shifting resources away from punitive approaches and toward community-led solutions, Decarcerate Memphis is uplifting a new vision of safety, one defined by the people themselves. With support from the Community Foundation, they’re building a future where every resident has a voice in what safety truly means.

Decarcerate Memphis will host a free Brake Light Clinic on Tuesday, April 28, from 4:00–7:00 p.m. at the Westwood Community Center, where community members can get broken vehicle lights repaired at no cost—reducing the risk of traffic stops and costly fines that a faulty brake light can bring.

Sign up for action updates & volunteer opportunities
Other upcoming Community Solutions grantee events:
  • Memphis Artists for Change will host TamE & Friends Open Mic on Saturday, April 25 from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. at Art House Cafe, located at 1023 Mississippi Blvd.
  • Everystory presents a special Juneteenth Memphis Matters performance, a celebration and commemoration of the liberation of enslaved Black people in America, and a celebration of the African Diaspora. The performance will take place on Saturday, June 13, at 7:00 p.m. at TheatreSouth, located inside First Congregational Church at 1000 S. Cooper St. Get tickets here.

Community Solutions

A three-year commitment, Community Solutions grants address public safety and wellbeing through community-driven strategies.

A person stands and speaks to a seated group in a room decorated with African art and masks, fostering healing through sharing stories. A flip chart, wooden bookshelf, and colorful artwork are visible in the background.
See recent grants

Supporting Safe and Resilient Places

Launched May 2025, the multi-year Community Solutions initiative funds five organizations creating innovative, tangible solutions for safer, more resilient communities.

Building long-term public safety

Community Foundation president Bob Fockler shares his perspective on public safety, collaboration, and community solutions in The Commercial Appeal.

Powered by the FOREVER Funds

Community Solutions grants, decided by a diverse panel of ear-to-the-ground volunteer committee members, are funded by the FOREVER Funds: our community-centered investment in Greater Memphis.

Related News & Stories

All News & Stories posts
  • A woman with short blond hair, wearing a black everystory t-shirt, extends her arms while performing on stage, sharing stories as others stand behind her. The everystory logo is at the bottom right corner.
    Grantmaking

    Sharing Stories That Heal: everystory

    Community Solutions grantee everystory uses the power of storytelling to bring people together—proving Playback Theatre isn’t just art; it’s a pathway to healing and stronger communities.

  • A brown and white bulldog sits in front of a yellow background. Behind the dog, a framed photo of a smiling woman with short dark hair celebrates responsible pet ownership and the special bond we share with our pets.
    Philanthropy & Giving

    Empowering Responsible Pet Ownership Through Legacy Giving

    The Margarette J. Sather Animal Welfare Fund endowment annually supports efforts to control our pitbull and pitbull mix breed dog population.

  • Logo with a green circular border and the words trust-based philanthropy project in bold, dark blue lowercase letters centered inside. The hyphen in trust-based is green. The background is white.
    Philanthropy & Giving

    Trust-Based Philanthropy

    Individual donors can embody the trust-based philanthropy model that is common with foundation funders and place confidence in nonprofits’ expertise to respond where needs are greatest.