Why
Organizations
Are Saying Yes
Organizations join the Collaborative because it strengthens existing work without adding burden or duplication.
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Stronger positioning for joint funding and large-scale grants
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Clear referral pathways without duplicating services
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Expanded reach across South Memphis without increasing overhead
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A seat at the table where priorities and investments are shaped
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Shared visibility and credibility with funders and institutions
Value Proposition
Participation strengthens your work—it does not replace it.
What We Do Together
The Collaborative brings together organizations already serving South Memphis to align strategies, coordinate action, and leverage investments.
Rather than duplicating services, this effort strengthens existing work through shared priorities, improved referrals, and collective planning.
Align Steward Organizations
Coordinate Action
Leverage Investment
Why Coordination Matters
Challenges related to housing, workforce, youth opportunity, health, and small business growth are deeply interconnected and cannot be solved in isolation
Coordinated action ensures:
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Resources are used more efficiently
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Efforts are aligned instead of fragmented
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Residents experience clearer, more effective pathways to stability and opportunity
Focus Areas
1
Workforce & Economic Mobility
Aligns workforce providers, employers, and support organizations to strengthen pathways into quality jobs and career advancement.
2
Youth & Opportunity
Pathways
Coordinates education, mentoring, career exposure, and
re-engagement efforts for youth and opportunity youth ages 16–24.
3
Community
Stability & Revitalization
Aligns housing, infrastructure, and neighborhood revitalization strategies to strengthen stability and quality of life
across South Memphis.
4
Health,
Safety & Well-Being
Coordinates health access, prevention, wellness, and safety partners to improve community well-being.
5
Entrepreneurship & Small Business Development
Aligns entrepreneurship support organizations, lenders, and anchor institutions to strengthen business formation, growth, access to capital, and community wealth-building.
Participation strengthens your work—it does not replace it.
How the Collaborative Grants Model Works
Quarterly convenings set shared priorities, while monthly focus area meetings maintain momentum and advance grant readiness.
A.N.C.H.O.R. CDC serves as the backbone convener, supporting alignment and follow-through without duplicating
Steward Organizations services.
The Anchor Way
Align
Steward Organizations to plan solutions aligned to the mission
Rationale! If we fail to plan
we plan to fail!
Accelerate
Engage continuously to transform South Memphis Communities.
Rationale! Sustainability through continuous engagement!
Activate
Collaborate for purpose-driven execution.
Rationale! Every action is aligned to predefined solutions!
Meetings & Events
Quarterly Collaborative Convenings
Last Friday of the first month of each quarter except Q4 it will be held the first Friday in December.
All Steward Organizations | In-Person | 9:00–11:00 AM (CT)
New Friendship Baptist Church
1490 Gold Ave Memphis, TN
Monthly Focus Area Meetings (Virtual | 1 Hour)
Second Tuesday of each month, beginning March 10, 2026.
Monthly Working Group Meetings (Virtual):
• Youth & Opportunity Pathways: 9:00 – 10:00 AM
• Health, Safety & Well-Being: 11:00 – 12:00 PM
• Workforce & Economic Mobility: 1:00 – 2:00 PM
• Community Stability & Revitalization: 3:00 – 4:00 PM
Ways to Engage
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Stay informed
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Attend convenings
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Join a focus area
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Collaborate on funding
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Support or grow small businesses
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Advise and inform
Valued
Steward
Organizations
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We Are Commited!
The South Memphis Community Collaborative is committed to transparency, respect for Steward Organizations autonomy, and shared success.
Coordination will never require organizations to give up control of their programs, data, or identity.