Skip to content
Memphis Equity Through Arts Inc at a glanceMostly funded, not a grantmaker: see who funds it →

· Public charity

Memphis Equity Through Arts Inc

Investing in youth development through transformative music engagement and creating equitable opportunities for black and brown youth in memphis

$439k
Granted FY2024still arriving
19
Grants FY2024still arriving
1
States reached
$50k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Arts & Culture$2.1MYouth Development$1.6MCrime & Legal$123kEducation$99kReligion$51kHuman Services$30kCommunity Improvement$21k
02FY2024 · 19 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 19 grants below total $398,600, the rows itemized in this filing. The $439,072 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $40,472 is giving the schedule does not break out (grants under the $5,000 itemization floor, grants to individuals, grants on other schedules). Every figure below describes the itemized rows only.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k5 grants · $37k
  • $10k–50k13 grants · $312k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $50k
$20,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$1.5M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
HARMONIC SOUTH STRING ORCHESTRA$50,000
YOUNG ACTORS GUILD$40,000
LEEJAZZOMEGA INC$40,000
ANGEL STREET INC$30,000
PERFECTING GIFTS$30,000
PRINCETON JAMES PROJECTS$30,000
RAISING THE BAR MEMPHIS$30,000
CAZATEATRO BILINGUAL THEATRE GROUP$26,500
MEMPHIS SLIMHOUSE COLLABORATORY$25,000
MEMPHIS BLACK ARTS ALLIANCE$20,000
MEMPHIS YOUTH ARTS INITIATIVE$10,000
CODECREW$10,000
WE WANT MUSIC$10,000
BLUES CITY CULTURAL CENTER$10,000
TIME IS NOW DOUGLASS REDEVELOPMENT$9,600
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY17–19, $33k) land where the poverty rate runs at 17%, against an area that typically sits at 13%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 13%STREETS MINISTRIES: $10k → 17%NEIGHBORHOOD CHRISTIAN CENTER: $10k → 17%NEIGHBORHOOD CHRISTIAN CENTER: $8k → 17%NEIGHBORHOOD CHRISTIAN CENTER: $5k → 17%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

MI
NY
PA
CA
TN
DC
LA
MS
GA
TX
FL
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

75%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$3.0M · 27 repeat orgs$1.0M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +13% since the first grant, against +4% for those funded once.

27 repeat relationships: 16 still active in FY2024, 11 since wound down; 3 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

27
27

Total granted

$3.0M
$980k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+13%
+4%

Still filing today

85%
56%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 93% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $30k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
Arts & CultureYouth DevelopmentEducationHuman ServicesCrime & LegalCommunity ImprovementOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • AS
    ANGEL STREET INC
    6× · 2017–2024 · $268k · revenue +16%
  • LJ
    Lee Jazz Omega Inc Memphis Jazz Workshop
    6× · 2017–2024 · $239k · revenue +48% · 27% of their budget
  • MB
    MEMPHIS BLACK ARTS ALLIANCE INC
    6× · 2017–2024 · $221k · revenue +13% · 35% of their budget

Funded once

  • SF
    SOULSVILLE FOUNDATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $162k · revenue +41%
  • ML
    MEMPHIS LIBRARY FOUNDATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $129k · revenue +57%
  • AA
    ARTS AND BUSINESS COUNCIL OF GREATER NASHVILLE INCgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $123k · revenue +79% · 29% of their budget
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Black Music Entrepreneurship Incubator

Musical Education and Training

—
2
Girls Write Nashville

Girls write nashville empowers expression through songwriting, production, mentorship and creative community for teen artists. we are an artist and educator-led 501(c)(3) creative youth development program in nashville, tn allied with…

Arts & Culture
3
Intonation Music Workshop

Intonation kids explore their limitless potential by learning to play instruments and forming their own rock bands. Our year-round classes make music accessible to children in low-income neighborhoods by providing them with instruments,…

Arts & Culture
4
The Consortium Mmt

To develop a viable music industry in memphis for the future by providing a structured learning environment to enrich and equip our talents with proven tools to build the next generation of successful music professionals. the consortium…

Arts & Culture
5
Iceberg New Music Inc
Arts & Culture
6
Young Icons

Our mission is to stabilize the music community by Providing direct access to the recording arts for young musicians via mentorship, training and collaboration. We built this program to attack a major issue we see in Charlotte. "There are…

—
7
Rising Jazz Stars
Arts & Culture
8
Make Music Nola

Make music nola is an intensive music-for-social-change program. themission of make music nola is to promote academic achievement,cultivate artistic expression, and promote the healthy growth anddevelopment of children in new orleans…

Arts & Culture
9
Abx-Audiophiles
Employment
10
Philly Sound Exchange Llc

Students wrote produced and performed an original musical Bridges The musical follows students as they navigate their racial identities address issues of race at their suburban school and challenge a music education system in need of…

Arts & Culture
11
Media Rhythm Institute Studios Inc

Our vision is to create a diverse and inclusive arts ecosystem where every artist, regardless of status, identity, or background, has the opportunity to achieve potential, flourish as a creative professional, and thrive in communities…

Arts & Culture
12
Giant Step Arts Ltd
Arts & Culture
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Iris Orchestra Inc; the most unlike its peers is Cazateatro Bilngual Theater Group. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

42 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 42 of the 57 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

12
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
14
Early backer (in before they grew)
40/42
Grantees still filing
25/42
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

HARMONIC SOUTH STRING ORCHESTRA INC: $402,456 · Arts & CultureHARMONIC SOUTH STRING ORCHESTRA INCLee Jazz Omega Inc Memphis Jazz Workshop: $239,430 · Arts & CultureLee Jazz Omega Inc Memphis Jazz WorkshopSOULSVILLE FOUNDATION: $162,460 · Arts & CultureSOULSVILLE FOUNDATIONCAZATEATRO BILNGUAL THEATER GROUP: $125,148 · Arts & CultureCAZATEATRO BILNGUAL THEATER GROUPPERFECTING GIFTS INCORPORATED: $123,728 · Arts & CulturePERFECTING GIFTS INCORPORATEDPrinceton James Project: $122,728 · Arts & CulturePrinceton James ProjectPRIZM ENSEMBLE INC: $92,900 · Arts & CultureMemphis Slim Collaboratory Inc: $88,000 · Arts & CultureSUCCESSFUL INC: $58,728 · Arts & Culture+13 more: $331,825 · Arts & Culture+13 moreTHE COLLECTIVE THE CLTV INC: $225,000 · OtherTHE COLLECTIVE THE CLTV INCMEMPHIS BLACK ARTS ALLIANCE INC: $221,228 · OtherMEMPHIS BLACK ARTS ALLIANCE I…BLUES CITY CULTURAL CENTER INC: $85,000 · OtherBLUES CITY CULTURAL CENTER IN…Harmonic South String Orchestra: $82,000 · OtherHarmonic South String Orchest…RAISING THE BAR MEMPHIS: $65,252 · OtherRAISING THE BAR MEMPHISCENTER FOR SOUTHERN LITERARY: $65,000 · OtherCENTER FOR SOUTHERN LITERARYLeeJazzOmega Inc: $60,000 · OtherLeeJazzOmega IncAngel Street Inc: $60,000 · OtherAngel Street IncDC STRINGS WORKSHOP INC: $50,000 · OtherOLIVET FELLOWSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH: $41,220 · Other+9 more: $84,601 · Other+9 moreYOUNG ACTORS GUILD INC: $250,592 · EducationYOUNG ACTORS GU…MEMPHIS LIBRARY FOUNDATION: $129,000 · EducationMEMPHIS LIBRARY…Harmony Project: $55,781 · EducationHarmony ProjectURBAN WORD NYC INC: $50,000 · EducationURBAN WORD NYC …VISIBLE MUSIC COLLEGE: $49,040 · EducationVISIBLE MUSIC C…+1 more: $10,000 · EducationANGEL STREET INC: $268,496 · Youth DevelopmentANGEL STREET I…RAISING THE BAR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: $148,478 · Youth DevelopmentRAISING THE BA…GUITARS OVER GUNS ORGANIZATION INC: $25,000 · Youth DevelopmentWORKSHOP HOUSTON: $25,000 · Youth DevelopmentKNOWLEDGE QUEST INC: $16,500 · Youth Development+1 more: $11,000 · Youth DevelopmentARTS AND BUSINESS COUNCIL OF GREATER NASHVILLE INC: $122,658 · Crime & LegalNEIGHBORHOOD CHRISTIAN CENTERS INC: $22,500 · Human ServicesSTREETS MINISTRIES INC: $10,000 · Human ServicesORPHEUM THEATRE GROUP: $10,000 · Community Improvement
Arts & Culture$1,747,403Other$1,039,301Education$544,413Youth Development$494,474Crime & Legal$122,658Human Services$32,500Community Improvement$10,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetHARMONIC SOUTH STRING ORCHESTRA INC: $402,456 over 6y, 78% of budgetANGEL STREET INC: $268,496 over 6y, 18% of budgetYOUNG ACTORS GUILD INC: $250,592 over 5y, 28% of budgetLee Jazz Omega Inc Memphis Jazz Workshop: $239,430 over 6y, 27% of budgetMEMPHIS BLACK ARTS ALLIANCE INC: $221,228 over 6y, 35% of budgetSOULSVILLE FOUNDATION: $162,460 over 1y, 6.5% of budgetRAISING THE BAR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: $148,478 over 3y, 93% of budgetMEMPHIS LIBRARY FOUNDATION: $129,000 over 1y, 15% of budgetCAZATEATRO BILNGUAL THEATER GROUP: $125,148 over 3y, 26% of budgetPERFECTING GIFTS INCORPORATED: $123,728 over 4y, 58% of budgetPrinceton James Project: $122,728 over 3y, 59% of budgetARTS AND BUSINESS COUNCIL OF GREATER NASHVILLE INC: $122,658 over 1y, 29% of budgetPRIZM ENSEMBLE INC: $92,900 over 4y, 23% of budgetMemphis Slim Collaboratory Inc: $88,000 over 4y, 71% of budgetBLUES CITY CULTURAL CENTER INC: $85,000 over 5y, 18% of budgetSUCCESSFUL INC: $58,728 over 3y, 21% of budgetHarmony Project: $55,781 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetWE ARE THE CULTURE CREATORS NONPROFIT: $50,000 over 2y, 6.3% of budgetURBAN WORD NYC INC: $50,000 over 2y, 3.1% of budgetTHE TROY ANDREWS FOUNDATION: $50,000 over 2y, 3.4% of budgetHATTILOO THEATRE: $43,400 over 3y, 1.6% of budgetMemphis Youth Arts Initiative: $30,000 over 2y, 44% of budgetTHE OVERTON PARK SHELL INC: $29,825 over 2y, 2.2% of budgetROCK TO THE FUTURE INC: $25,000 over 1y, 1.8% of budgetHEAL THE HOOD FOUNDATION OF MEMPHIS: $25,000 over 3y, 3.0% of budgetGUITARS OVER GUNS ORGANIZATION INC: $25,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetWORKSHOP HOUSTON: $25,000 over 1y, 4.5% of budgetATLANTA MUSIC PROJECT INC: $25,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetNEIGHBORHOOD CHRISTIAN CENTERS INC: $22,500 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetKNOWLEDGE QUEST INC: $16,500 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetIRIS ORCHESTRA INC: $12,600 over 1y, 1.2% of budgetNotes For Notes Inc: $11,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetMEMPHIS LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION INC: $11,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetORPHEUM THEATRE GROUP: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLorraine Civil Rights Museum Foundation: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCODECREW: $10,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetWE WANT MUSIC FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 62% of budgetSTREETS MINISTRIES INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetCOLLAGE DANCE COLLECTIVE: $10,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

ArtsmemphisCommunity Foundation …Thomas W Briggs Found…Jr Hyde III Family Fo…Christian Community F…The Kemmons Wilson Fa…The Assisi Foundation…Women's Foundation fo…The Kresge FoundationJohn Dustin Buckman C…Slingshot Memphis IncCrews Family Foundati…
ArtsmemphisTN41× affinity17 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Artsmemphis · Community Foundation of Greater Memphis Inc · Thomas W Briggs Foundation Inc · Jr Hyde III Family Foundation · Christian Community Foundation of Memphis · The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation · The Assisi Foundation of Memphis Inc · Women's Foundation for a Greater Memphis · The Kresge Foundation · John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust · Slingshot Memphis Inc · Crews Family Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Memphis Equity Through Arts Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Memphis Equity Through Arts Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%13%25%38%50%share of the org’s income from government →median 1%
  • Guitars Over Guns Organization Inc: 1% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
0get no government money at all
17report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–50%
typical government reliance, FY20–25
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 57 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Memphis Equity Through Arts’ filings →

More from the funding graph

The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home