This plan is the culmination of years of planning and collaboration. Voices from various sectors, neighborhoods, and lived experiences all joined together to address inequity and generate better outcomes for children and families in Shelby County.
The first step was to develop a shared vision and then, step by step, build the roadmap to get there. The process involved research, data analysis, and countless conversations to help surface the true needs of our community. It led to a focus on better alignment among nonprofits, community organizations, and institutions; improved allocation of resources and guidelines to ensure effective use; and policies that are fair and strengthen the systems shaping residents’ quality of life.
Learn about the major goal of the plan:
TIMELINE
Here is a timeline of the work that brought us to where we are today, and the people who were involved along the way:
- Designing the Process: 2020 – 2021
- Writing the Plan: 2021 – 2023
- Putting the Plan into Action: 2024 – Present
The Design Committee
During the design phase, a committee of 32 stakeholders known as the Design Committee was assembled to establish the plan’s goals and outline its writing process. These members established the mission and vision, values, projected outcomes, and the six focus areas now reflected in the plan.
GOAL
Improved social and economic mobility in Memphis
VISION
Liberated, equitable Memphis
MISSION
Transform Memphis, through dismantling unjust systems, into an inclusive city with a deep sense of community, liberation, and access to wealth-building systems
OUTCOMES
Sense of Community
Liberation
Wealth-Building
DESIGN COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Robert Armstrong
Community Member
Cynthia Bradford
Public Health
Sonji Branch
Supportive Services
Anthony Branch
Faith-Based Intermediary
Daisy Brown
Mental Health & Trauma
Zahra Chowdhury
Youth
Chris Collier
Community Leader
Dominique Crutchfield
Community Member
John Daniel
Large Business
Earle Fisher
Faith Based Leader
Andre Gibson
Transportation
J.W. Gibson
Small Business
Cedrick Gray
Public/Government: County Government
Jeffrey Higgs
Community — Neighborhood CDC
Brooke Hyman
Public Government: Memphis City Council
Eddie Jones
Public/Government: County Commission
Malinda Jones
Community Member
Shahidah Jones
Non-Traditional Org
Jeffrey Lichtenstein
Labor & Wages
Sarah Lockridge-Steckel
Postsecondary & Workforce Development
Gio Lopez
Community Member
Mary Lurry
Community Leader: Smokey City
Natalie McKinney
Criminal Justice & Policing
Theresa Medlock
Parent
Justin Merrick
Community Development & Housing
Apryl Potter
Business Community Association
Dominique Pryor-Anderson
Economic & Business Development
Shania Richardson
Non-Traditional Organization
Natalie Saulsberry-Scarboro
Parent
Amity Schuyler
Public/Government: School System
Renae Taylor
Community Member
Kandace Thomas
Early Childhood Care & Development
Ximena Villa
Youth
Establishing the Brand
A 12-member marketing & branding subcommittee worked with consultants over a period of six months to create a brand for the initiative that would resonate locally.
Design by Champions Design.
Focus Areas
As part of their initial work, the Design Committee identified six key focus areas that make a city great, which eventually became chapters in the plan.
Community Development
Education & Youth
Economic Development
Health & Well-Being
Justice & Safety
Arts & Culture
Anchor Collaboratives
In order to write these chapters, anchor collaboratives were formed of nonprofits, businesses, policymakers, and community members who had expertise in the focus area to contribute. Each of these collaboratives was also supported by a Seeding Success Public Policy Analyst who assisted with research and writing.
Process
Anchor collaboratives met regularly with their stakeholders and worked with their policy analyst to identify pressing issues in their focus area, identify barriers to success, and generate well-researched recommendations for improvement. They used focus groups, surveys, and comparative policy research to inform their work. Each produced a chapter of the current report that outlined strategies that will guide the work moving forward.
A governing body was established to handle decision-making and guide the plan writing process. The governing body served as a coordinating and supportive entity to the six anchor collaboratives and their respective workgroups. It advised and prioritized the intersection of the work in each of the six focus areas with input from the entire partnership and informed by the community.
Adopt & Advocate
November 2023, the community-wide plan was compiled and presented to the governing body, which approved the plan to move forward to the city and county governments for consideration.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
- Lead:
BLDG Memphis - Partners:
Clean Memphis, Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, LISC Memphis, Memphis Medical District Collaborative, MICAH - Policy Analyst:
Rachel Starks
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
- Lead:
Collective Blueprint - Partners:
Agape Child & Family Services, CodeCrew, Greater Memphis Chamber, Tech901, United Way of the Mid-South, Urban Strategies, Workforce Mid-South, Knowledge Quest, University of Memphis - Policy Analyst:
Marshall Ogier
JUSTICE & SAFETY
- Lead:
Stand for Children - Partners:
Just City, Memphis for All Education Fund, MICAH, Official BLM Memphis - Policy Analyst:
Erica Coleman
EDUCATION & YOUTH
- Lead:
Communities in Schools of Memphis - Partners:
Memphis Athletic Ministries, MICAH, Southwest Tennessee Community College, Su Casa Family Ministries, TN SCORE, Memphis-Shelby County Schools - Policy Analyst:
Constance Clark
HEALTH & WELL-BEING
- Lead:
Common Table Health Alliance - Partners:
Legacy of Legends CDC, Shelby County Health Department, Church Health Center, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Baptist Memorial Health Care, University of TN Health Sciences, Youth Villages - Policy Analyst:
Felicia Hernandez
ARTS & CULTURE
- Lead:
Memphis Music Initiative - Partners:
Center for Transforming Communities, Innovate Memphis, Collage Dance Collective, Orpheum, TONE, National Civil Rights Museum - Policy Analysts:
Amy Ruggaber, Arielle Williams
The More For Memphis Governing Body
Cardell Orrin
AC — Justice & Safety
Rosa Barber
Community Member
Lisheena Clark
Community Member
LaJOYce Harris
Community Member
Malcom Rawls
Community Member
Barbara Farmer-Tolbert
Community Member
Robert Armstrong
Youth
Carrigan Burress
Youth
Aidan Farris
Youth
Brianna Brinson
Youth
Randy Truong
Youth
Teresena Medlock
Summer Governance Committee
Ephie Johnson
Summer Governance Committee
Dr. Angela Whitelaw
M-SCS Administration
Rychetta Watkins
AC — Cutlture
Sarah Lockridge-Steckel
AC — Economic Development
Teshanda Middleton
AC — Education & Youth Development
Justin Merrick
AC — Health & Well-Being
Jevonte Porter
Community Member
Tomisha Edwards
Assistant to Chief of Staff — Mayor’s Office
Danielle Inez
Shelby County Mayor’s Office
Michael Whaley
Shelby County Commission (Non-Voting)
Michelle Mckissack
M-SCS School Board (Non-Voting)
Mark Sturgess
Seeding Success (Non-Voting)
Sutton Mora
Community Foundation of Greater Memphis (Non-Voting)
Ximena Villa
Youth
Transition Planning
A workgroup involving members of the anchor collaboratives and community representatives was formed to tackle three categories of transition work:
-
Implementation Planning
-
Governance for Implementation
-
Capital Aggregation
The Implementation Plan Workgroup
This workgroup developed a more specific 6–12 month implementation plan to build on existing assets and accelerate short-term opportunities. It focused on equitable resource distribution aligned to MFM plan priorities. They outlined the implementation steps for the earliest wave of strategies and set up data infrastructure.
Workgroup Members
The Governance Workgroup
This workgroup developed a recommendation for a public-private decision-making body to govern implementation. The workgroup outlined member composition and selection for equitable representation, legal structure, and charter specifics, with input from partners and the public sector. This recommendation was subject to public sector consideration and approval.
The More for Memphis regional strategic plan called for a $1.5 billion investment to be achieved through a mix of federal, state, and local public and philanthropic funds over five years.
Workgroup Members
The Capital Aggrigation Workgroup
This workgroup determined how local and national philanthropic funds would be raised and who would be accountable for various fundraising tactics, including grants, individual donations, and larger foundation donations.
Workgroup Members
Present Day
The plan has been submitted to funders across the nation for consideration and has several early adopters, including initial support from Blue Meridian Partners for a proof of concept launch in South Memphis.
