Memphis Education Fund Inc
Memphis Education Fund Inc is a public charity based in Memphis, Tennessee. Formed in 2015, it works to improve K–12 educational outcomes in the Greater Memphis area through school improvement, educational initiatives, advocacy, and partnerships.
Memphis Education Fund Inc at a glance
In short: Memphis Education Fund Inc gave $4.1M across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $217K), mostly in Tennessee. 42% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,128,834
- +33.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- +137.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $217,307
- -43.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $93,120
- Total assets
- $3,358,516
- -11.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (8 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (59% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Memphis Education Fund Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 1350 Concourse Ave Ste 434, Memphis, TN 38104
Phone: (901) 435-0400
Website: https://memphiseducationfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Memphis Education Fund Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was City Year Memphis ($883K). Together the top 10 received $3.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
70 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 22 grants of 70 (31%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization states that its work is intended to improve K–12 educational outcomes in Greater Memphis and describes investments serving Memphis and Shelby County students. In 2025, 59% of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee, 21% to Massachusetts, 9% to New York, 4% to California, and 3% to Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Memphis Education Fund Inc open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 19 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $79K; repeat grants $318K. How we count
Medians: $62K first-time, $220K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2018–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2018 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.3M (2022) to $8.5M (2018). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $4.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| City Year Memphis Boston, MA | Educational Support | $883,000 |
| Literacy Mid-South Memphis, TN | Educational Support | $670,374 |
| Peer Power Foundation Memphis, TN | Educational Support | $591,693 |
| Man up Teacher Fellowship Memphis, TN | Educational Support | $400,000 |
| Teach Like a Champion New York, NY | Educational Support | $392,211 |
| Fullfill Education Nashville, TN | Educational Support | $234,859 |
| Relay Graduate School of Education Memphis, TN | Educational Support | $220,480 |
| Summer Boost - 50CAN Washington, DC | Educational Support | $110,000 |
| TN Can Nashville, TN | Educational Support | $100,000 |
| Attendance Works Oakland, CA | Educational Support | $93,120 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,358,516 | $5,029,348 | $5,629,344 | $4,128,834 | 19 | $2,786 |
| 2024 | $3,781,085 | $4,867,433 | $4,702,797 | $3,089,286 | 8 | $2,181 |
| 2023 | $3,117,869 | $3,781,184 | $4,283,873 | $2,569,800 | 13 | $2,107 |
| 2022 | $3,358,065 | $3,275,166 | $3,899,062 | $2,265,927 | 18 | $999 |
| 2021 | $2,231,951 | $3,044,264 | $4,555,615 | $2,910,000 | 12 | $348 |
| 2020 | $2,536,598 | $5,955,711 | $8,604,088 | $5,602,450 | 17 | $1,046 |
| 2019 | $4,833,076 | $7,169,853 | $8,831,058 | $7,276,288 | 13 | $2,042 |
| 2018 | $6,697,400 | $11,907,072 | $15,415,988 | $8,462,399 | 16 | $1,071 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission stated in the organization’s 2025 filing is to work in partnership with the Shelby County School District and the Achievement School District on strategies supporting school improvement and initiatives to increase K–12 educational outcomes in Greater Memphis.
On its website, Memphis Education Fund describes work to expand access to high-quality public schools and empower families and communities through education and advocacy. It also describes data-driven investments in direct-to-school support and innovative school designs, as well as an Advocacy Coalition focused on school funding, policies, and expanding high-quality public school options.
The 2025 grant list includes organizations whose own missions span literacy, school support, and education policy. For example, Literacy Mid-South says its mission is to mobilize the community to maximize the impact of literacy and learning services. Tennessee Charter School Center says it supports and cultivates high-performing public charter schools and advocates for autonomy, accountability, and choice in Tennessee public education. Instruction Partners says it strengthens instructional leadership so teachers have support to improve student learning, with attention to specified student groups.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Memphis Education Fund reported 19 grants totaling $4,128,834. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $883,000, with a median of $93,120. The largest awards included $883,000 to City Year Memphis, $670,374 to Literacy Mid-South, $591,693 to Peer Power Foundation, $400,000 to Man Up Teacher Fellowship, and $392,211 to Teach Like a Champion. Each was listed for educational support.
Other 2025 grants included $234,859 to FullFill Education, $220,480 to Relay Graduate School of Education, $110,000 to Summer Boost – 50CAN, $100,000 to TN CAN, and $93,120 to Attendance Works. The organization’s website describes the InnovatEd Fellowship as a two-year program providing school leaders with individualized support as they design and launch an innovative school model in Memphis. Its published timeline ran from July 2023 through August 2025.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Darryl Cobb as chairman; Terence Patterson as CEO; and Tomeka Hart, Tosha Downey, Sheri Catron Cooper, and Bobby White as board members. It also lists Binh Doan as director of finance. The organization’s website identifies Patterson as president and chief executive officer and Doan as director of finance and strategy.
Memphis Education Fund Inc is led by Terence Patterson, CEO since 2019 (on filings since 2018); 2 of 7 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Terence Patterson
CEO
Incoming CEO → CEO, 2019
On filings since 2018
40 hrs/week
$37K (2018) → $256K (2025)
Darryl Cobb
Chairman
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Binh Doan
Director of Finance
Director of Finance & Strategy → Director of Finance, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$106K (2024) → $108K (2025)
Tosha D. Downey
Board Member
Director of Advocacy → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2018
1 hr/week
$176K (2018) → $0 (2025)
Tomeka Hart
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bobby White
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sheri Catron Cooper
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (14)
- Former: David Mansouri (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Michelle Armstrong (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Dorsey Hopson (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Timico Boykins-Cox (2022–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Venita M. Doggett (2022–2024) — Director of Advocacy
- Former: Holly Coleman (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Teresa Sloyan (2018–2023) — Board Member
- Former: James R. Boyd (2018–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Kevin Huffman (2018–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Timico Boykins (2019–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Beverly Robinson (2018) — Chairman
- Former: Lesley M. Brown (2018) — Director of Human Capital
- Former: Marcus C. Robinson (2018) — Outgoing CEO
- Former: Regina M. Marsh (2018) — Director of Operations
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $256K, to Terence Patterson (CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Memphis Education Fund Inc
How much does Memphis Education Fund Inc give each year?
Memphis Education Fund Inc gave $4.1M across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $3.1M across 8 grants.
What is Memphis Education Fund Inc's typical grant size?
Memphis Education Fund Inc's median grant in 2025 was $93,120, and its average grant was $217,307, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Memphis Education Fund Inc that year got $79K on average.
Where does Memphis Education Fund Inc give grants?
Memphis Education Fund Inc gives mostly in Tennessee: 59% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (21%) and New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Memphis, TN (9 grants) and Nashville, TN (2 grants).
Does Memphis Education Fund Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on Memphis Education Fund Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Educational Support" (19 grants).
Who are Memphis Education Fund Inc's largest grantees?
Memphis Education Fund Inc's largest 2025 grantees include City Year Memphis ($883,000), Literacy Mid-South ($670,374) and Peer Power Foundation ($591,693), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Memphis Education Fund Inc?
Memphis Education Fund Inc reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $5.0M.
What does Memphis Education Fund Inc fund?
The mission stated in the organization’s 2025 filing is to work in partnership with the Shelby County School District and the Achievement School District on strategies supporting school improvement and initiatives to increase K–12 educational outcomes in Greater Memphis. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Memphis Education Fund Inc?
Memphis Education Fund Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check memphiseducationfund.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Memphis Education Fund Inc's EIN?
Memphis Education Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-3660677. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2018 (received by the IRS March 2, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 11, 2024)
Live grants for the work Memphis Education Fund Inc funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Memphis Education Fund Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Memphis Education Fund Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/memphis-education-fund-inc-morg_32d1b6363c6d4e72b8131b4c704e7387
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_473660677_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Memphis Education Fund Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/memphis-education-fund-inc-morg_32d1b6363c6d4e72b8131b4c704e7387},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Memphis Education Fund Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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