New Memphis Institute

What New Memphis Institute does

New Memphis Institute is a Memphis-based nonprofit organization founded in 1979 (originally as Leadership Academy) whose stated mission is to develop, activate, and retain talent in the Memphis metropolitan area. It operates a portfolio of interconnected leadership development programs organized by career stage: Embark (early-career professionals, founded 2013), Fellows (mid-career leaders), and LDI (senior executive leaders, celebrating 25 years in 2022), supported by collegiate programs (Accelerate, Summer Experience), an educator program (Stride), the Educators of Excellence Award, and a pro bono nonprofit consulting practice integrated from Give Back Memphis in April 2023.

The organization delivers these programs through in-person curriculum, facilitated cohorts, 360 reviews, and personal coaching, complemented by the 'Meanwhile in Memphis' podcast broadcast on WYXR 91.7 FM. There is no proprietary technology platform; core capabilities are leadership curriculum, program facilitation, community building, and audio content production. The technology stack is conventional (website, podcast distribution, social media), and the product surface is human-delivered rather than software-mediated.

The business model is donor- and grant-funded, not transactional. All participant-facing programs are offered at no cost, supported by corporate donors including FedEx, AutoZone, International Paper, and Nike, and by family foundations including the Assisi Foundation, Hyde Family Foundation, Burton Weil Family Foundation (endowing Weil Embark in 2025), and Crews Family Foundation. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Distribution is regional (Memphis metro only), with acquisition driven by nominations, alumni referrals, and community events. As a private nonprofit, New Memphis has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no stock listing.

Name

New Memphis Institute

Legal name

New Memphis Institute

Website

https://newmemphis.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Memphis Institute is a 1979-founded Memphis nonprofit that develops, activates, and retains local talent through a portfolio of free, donor-funded leadership programs spanning college students, educators, early-career, mid-career, and senior executive cohorts, plus a pro bono nonprofit consulting practice and civic podcast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development and Talent Retention Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific) (EDAMAKAA)

Keywords

• Leadership development programs
• Talent retention services
• Executive coaching programs
• Nonprofit pro bono consulting
• Community leadership initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor Funding and Foundation Grants: As a nonprofit, New Memphis Institute is funded primarily through donations from corporate sponsors and foundation grants. The organization has a broad base of donors including FedEx, AutoZone, International Paper, Nike, and others, plus foundation support from organizations like the Assisi Foundation, Hyde Family Foundation, and Burton Weil Family Foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

New Memphis Institute develops, activates, and retains Memphis-area talent through a portfolio of free, donor-subsidized leadership development programs spanning the entire career lifecycle. Core programs include Embark for early-career professionals, Fellows for mid-career leaders, and LDI for senior executive leaders, complemented by Accelerate (college undergraduates), Stride (early-career educators), Summer Experience (interns), the Educators of Excellence Award, Launch: Campus to Career, the "Meanwhile in Memphis" podcast, and Pro Bono Nonprofit Consulting (formerly Give Back Memphis). All programs are offered at no cost to participants, funded by corporate and foundation donations.

Product overview

New Memphis Institute is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected leadership development programs serving professionals at all career stages. The core programs include Embark (early-career leaders, founded 2013), Fellows (mid-career leaders), and LDI (senior executive leaders, celebrating 25 years). The organization also runs Accelerate and Summer Experience for college students, and Stride for early-career educators. Community engagement is delivered through the Pro Bono Nonprofit Consulting program (formerly Give Back Memphis, integrated April 2023), the Educators of Excellence Award, and the 'Meanwhile in Memphis' podcast. Additional offerings include Launch: Campus to Career for under-resourced students and Community Leadership Spotlights. The portfolio works together to develop, activate, and retain talent in Memphis across educational, professional, and community leadership dimensions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Embark (Weil Embark Program): Signature leadership development program for early-career professionals, founded in 2013. Now known as the Weil Embark Program thanks to Burton Weil Family Foundation support.
• Fellows
• LDI (Leadership Development Intensive)
• Accelerate
• Stride
• Summer Experience
• Meanwhile in Memphis
• Give Back Memphis

Products and services

• Embark (Weil Embark Program) Leadership development program for early-career professionals that empowers high-performing young talent to grow as leaders, build relationships, and prepare to make a difference in Memphis. Founded in 2013 and now funded through the Burton Weil Family Foundation multi-year gift.
• Fellows Leadership development program for mid-career high performers that expands leadership skills and enhances self-awareness through a structured curriculum.
• LDI (Leadership Development Intensive) Senior executive leadership program providing transformational leadership development for Memphis's top executives through 360 reviews and personal coaching; celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022.
• Accelerate Free semester-long experience for college undergraduates offering skills and networks necessary to launch successful careers in Memphis through six sessions, two social outings, and graduation.
• Stride Leadership program for early-career educators in their first 1-3 years of teaching, supporting professional growth and retention in the education sector.
• Summer Experience Free annual event series spanning June and July connecting college students, recent grads, and interns with the Memphis community through networking events and professional development activities.
• Meanwhile in Memphis Podcast Weekly podcast and radio show on WYXR 91.7 FM exploring how changemakers in Memphis are building the city's future; available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, featuring over 500 changemaker conversations from 270+ organizations.
• Pro Bono Nonprofit Consulting (Activate) Program providing skilled professionals as pro bono consultants to Memphis-area nonprofits (formerly Give Back Memphis, integrated into New Memphis in April 2023). Has completed 82 unique consultancies serving 68 different nonprofits in Shelby County.
• Educators of Excellence Award Annual award celebrating transformational leaders in Memphis schools with recognition and stipend for winners; now in its seventh year and supported by the Crews Family Foundation.
• Launch: Campus to Career Program connecting under-resourced college students with networks and professional opportunities to help them launch meaningful careers in Memphis; piloted by Anna Mullins Ellis.

Quantifiable outcome

• 82 unique nonprofit consultancies completed serving 68 nonprofits
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Give Back MemphiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023Give Back Memphis merged with New Memphis in April 2023 to support local nonprofits through pro bono consulting. Founded by Bill Craddock and Babs Feibelman, Give Back Memphis provides skilled professionals to enhance nonprofit efficiency and effectiveness. Since inception, GBM completed 82 unique consultancies serving 68 different nonprofits in Shelby County. The program continues under New Memphis leadership with dedicated staff and resources, leveraging the existing consultant network and New Memphis alumni base. Supported by Assisi Foundation and Hyde Family Foundation.
• Independent BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndependent Bank (iBank) powers the Meanwhile in Memphis podcast as the official sponsor, supporting the weekly podcast and radio show that explores Memphis changemakers and community initiatives.
• NikeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for Summer Experience Kickoff event; official technology partner designation mentioned for New Memphis events.
• WYXR 91.7 FMminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublic radio station broadcasting the Meanwhile in Memphis podcast weekly; partnership provides radio distribution for New Memphis content.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Net Impact: Nonprofit that develops leaders for social impact through student and professional chapters. Comparable career-stage mission for early-career professionals (overlaps with Embark and Accelerate) and focus on purpose-driven careers.
• Aspen Institute: National policy and leadership nonprofit running fellowship-style leadership programs (e.g., Henry Crown Fellowship, Aspen New Voices). Comparable nonprofit leadership-development fellowship model, broader and more national in scope.

Broad incumbents

• Vistage Worldwide: Established paid peer-advisory and executive coaching franchise serving CEOs and senior leaders globally. Overlaps with New Memphis's LDI and Fellows programs but operates a paid, scalable model and broader footprint.
• Young Presidents' Organization (YPO): Global peer network for chief executives offering leadership development, forums, and learning programs. Overlaps with New Memphis's LDI program for senior executives but at a much larger scale and dues-funded.

Direct peers

• Coro Foundation: National civic leadership fellowship running cohort-based programs for emerging and mid-career leaders. Most structurally comparable peer: nonprofit, multi-stage curriculum, civic and cross-sector focus, alumni network model.
• Leadership Austin: City-based civic leadership nonprofit offering multiple cohort programs (Leadership Austin, Essentials, etc.) for emerging, mid-career, and executive leaders. Closest functional analog in another mid-sized city.
• Leadership Nashville: Tennessee-based civic leadership program with similar cohort model serving mid-career and senior leaders. Direct market-region peer operating an analogous Leadership Nashville program for community leadership development.
• Leadership Louisville Center: Regional civic leadership organization running multi-stage cohort programs including Ignite, Focus, and Louisville Leadership. Comparable multi-program nonprofit model targeting talent retention in a mid-sized metro.

Regional players

• Greater Memphis Chamber: Local Chamber of Commerce running leadership programs, talent attraction initiatives, and member-based talent retention efforts. Same geographic market with overlapping talent retention agenda, though not a direct program competitor.
• CEO Memphis / The CEO Group of Memphis: Memphis-based peer organization for chief executives offering forums and leadership development. Overlaps with New Memphis's LDI program in the same city for C-suite leaders.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeopen.spotify.com/show/6WYLBZ8XuEGJskv7fL4wcF
• Facebookfacebook.com/newmemphisinstitute
• Instagraminstagram.com/thenewmemphis
• Xx.com/thenewmemphis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-memphis-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Memphis Institute