Memphis Center City logo

Memphis Center City

Foundation · Grantmaker Memphis, TN EIN: 58-1330667 Website

MEMPHIS CENTER CITY is a public charity based in Memphis, Tennessee. Its stated mission is to assist private development projects, and its recent grants include storefront and tenant improvement grants, as well as a downtown grant.

Key facts about Memphis Center City

In short: Memphis Center City gave $1.1M across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $68K), mostly in Tennessee. 81% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

EIN
58-1330667
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$1,081,292
Grants made (2025)
16
Average grant
$67,581
Median grant
$33,747
New grantees (estimate)
81% first-time grantees (13 of 16, 2025)
Total assets
$13,111,126
Primary geography
Tennessee (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$13.1M

+5.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.1M

+35.1% YoY

Grant Count

16

-11.1% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$68K

+52.0% YoY

Is Memphis Center City open to new grantees?

81%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 13 of 16 grantees (81%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $40K; repeat grants $188K. How we count

Medians: $30K first-time, $80K repeat.

  • 6% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving fell 25% from 2022 to 2025. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The organization states its mission as “ASSIST PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.” Its 2025 grants included awards designated for storefronts, tenant improvements, a downtown grant, and a special grant incentive.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, MEMPHIS CENTER CITY gave 16 grants totaling $1,081,292. Grant amounts ranged from $15,000 to $445,298, with a median of $33,747.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

All grant dollars in filing year 2025 went to recipients in Tennessee.

Grant Distribution by State

5states

Share of all 16 itemized 2025 grant dollars.

Cities

MemphisColliervilleAtlantaMcDonoughMinneapolisMoscowNashvilleNew YorkVenice

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M8 grants20199 grants202031 grants202116 grants202223 grants202318 grants202416 grants2025

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Downtown Memphis Commission: $445KDowntown Memphis Commission$445K400 Main LLC: $80K400 Main LLC$80KOrpheum Theater Group: $80KOrpheum Theater Group$80KCaliber Homes LLC: $60KCaliber Homes LLC$60K383-385 South Main Investors LLC: $60K383-385 South Main InvestorsLLC$60KCorey Klein - Klein Fitness: $59KCorey Klein - Klein Fitness$59KMonroe Associates LLC: $40KMonroe Associates LLC$40KH&S Printing CO: $37KH&S Printing CO$37KZio Matto LLC: $30KZio Matto LLC$30KAfter Burners Cigar Lounge - Marvin Roddy: $30KAfter Burners Cigar Lounge -Marvin Roddy$30K

Grant Size Distribution

104 grants across all recorded years

67<$50K28$50–100K3$100–250K4$250–500K2$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS COMMISSION Memphis, TNDOWNTOWN GRANT$445,298
400 MAIN LLC Memphis, TNSTOREFRONT GRANTS$80,000
ORPHEUM THEATER GROUP Memphis, TNSPECIAL GRANT INCENTIVE$80,000
CALIBER HOMES LLC Collierville, TNSTOREFRONT GRANTS$60,000
383-385 SOUTH MAIN INVESTORS LLC Memphis, TNSTOREFRONT GRANTS$60,000
COREY KLEIN - KLEIN FITNESS Memphis, TNSTOREFRONT GRANTS$58,500
MONROE ASSOCIATES LLC Memphis, TNSTOREFRONT GRANTS$40,000
H&S PRINTING CO Memphis, TNSTOREFRONT GRANTS$37,494
ZIO MATTO LLC Memphis, TNTENANT IMPROVEMENT GRANT$30,000
AFTER BURNERS CIGAR LOUNGE - MARVIN RODDY Memphis, TNTENANT IMPROVEMENT GRANT$30,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants given Grant count
2025 $13,111,126 $2,250,295 $1,579,646 $1,081,292 16
2024 $12,465,355 $1,345,075 $1,445,086 $800,262 18
2023 $12,203,798 $1,738,728 $1,631,052 $1,877,047 23
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$1M$2M$3M$4M2019202020212022202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$13,111,126$12,465,355$12,203,798
Revenue$2,250,295$1,345,075$1,738,728
Expenses$1,579,646$1,445,086$1,631,052
Qualifying Distributions———
Net Investment Income$498,070$582,756$307,456
Distributable Amount———

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 13, 2020)
  2. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
  3. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists TANJA MITCHELL as chairperson; DACQUIRI BAPTISTE as secretary; KEVIN BREWER as treasurer; and CHANDELL RYAN as president and CEO. Directors listed are WILLIAMS BRACK, CARL PERSON, VICTORIA YOUNG ROBINSON, ANGEL PRICE, LISA BROWN-TUCKER, and SURAYYAH HASAN.

Memphis Center City is led by Chandell Ryan, President & CEO on every filing since 2024; none of the 10 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Chandell Ryan

    President & CEO

    On filings since 2024

    40 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tanja Mitchell

    Chairperson

    Board Member → Chairperson, 2024

    On filings since 2022

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Carl Person

    Director

    Member → Board Member, 2020

    Board Member → Director, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Angel Price

    Director

    Board Member → Director, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lisa Brown-Tucker

    Director

    Board Member → Director, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Surayyah Hasan

    Director

    Board Member → Director, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Williams Brack

    Director

    Board Member → Director, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Victoria Young Robinson

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kevin Brewer

    Treasurer

    Board Member → Treasurer, 2025

    On filings since 2022

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dacquiri Baptiste

    Secretary

    Board Member → Secretary, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (14)
  • Former: Patrick Hillard (2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Victoria Young (2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Anton Mack (2019–2023) — Chairperson
  • Former: Benjamin Orgel (2019–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Deni Carr Reilly (2019–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Paul Young (2021–2023) — President & CEO
  • Former: Demar Roberts (2022–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Elizabeth Low (2022–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Julie Lansky (2019–2022) — Secretary
  • Former: Michael B Chance (2019–2022) — Chairman
  • Former: Ray Brown (2019–2021) — Treasurer
  • Former: Sharon Leicham (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Terry Woodard (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Jennifer Oswalt (2020) — President & CEO

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: 114 N Main Street, Memphis, TN 38103
Phone: (901) 575-0550
Website: https://downtownmemphiscommission.com

Frequently asked questions about Memphis Center City

How much does Memphis Center City give each year?

Memphis Center City gave $1.1M across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $800K across 18 grants.

What is Memphis Center City's typical grant size?

Memphis Center City's median grant in 2025 was $33,747, and its average grant was $67,581, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Memphis Center City that year got $40K on average.

Where does Memphis Center City give grants?

Memphis Center City gives mostly in Tennessee: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Memphis, TN (15 grants).

Does Memphis Center City give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Memphis Center City's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Storefront Grants" (6 grants) and "Tenant Improvement Grant" (6 grants).

Who are Memphis Center City's largest grantees?

Memphis Center City's largest 2025 grantees include Downtown Memphis Commission ($445,298), 400 Main LLC ($80,000) and Orpheum Theater Group ($80,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Memphis Center City?

Memphis Center City reported $13.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.3M.

What does Memphis Center City fund?

The organization states its mission as “ASSIST PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.” Its 2025 grants included awards designated for storefronts, tenant improvements, a downtown grant, and a special grant incentive.

How do I apply for a grant from Memphis Center City?

In filing year 2025, MEMPHIS CENTER CITY gave 16 grants totaling $1,081,292. Grant amounts ranged from $15,000 to $445,298, with a median of $33,747. The largest award was $445,298 to DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS COMMISSION for a downtown grant. Other notable awards included $80,000 to 400 MAIN LLC for storefront grants and $80,000 to ORPHEUM THEATER GROUP for a special grant incentive. Storefront grants also included $60,000 to CALIBER HOMES LLC, $60,000 to 383-385 SOUTH MAIN INVESTORS LLC, and $58,500 to…

What is Memphis Center City's EIN?

Memphis Center City's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-1330667. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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