Foundation for the Mid South

What Foundation for the Mid South does

Foundation for the Mid South is a regional philanthropic foundation founded in 1990 and headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi. It serves the three-state Mid South region of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, an area that accounts for nearly 30% of the nation's poverty. The foundation operates as a private nonprofit, deploying charitable contributions through grantmaking, community convening, and strategic partnerships with educational institutions, healthcare providers, advocacy organizations, and local leaders. Over its 35-year history, FMS has invested more than $800 million in the region across priority areas of education, health, economic opportunity, and racial healing.

The foundation's core offerings are organized into priority program areas: Educational Opportunities (K-12 improvement, college readiness via the Mississippi Delta GEAR UP Partnership), Healthy Opportunities (maternal health, mental health, chronic disease), Economic Opportunities (workforce, financial security, affordable housing), and Racial Healing (Mississippi TRHT Alliance). Signature initiatives include the $15 million Mississippi Delta GEAR UP Partnership serving 10 rural school districts, the Mississippi Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Alliance, the Giving Circles collective giving program, and the Mississippi Truth, Poverty and Democracy Tour. Revenue is derived from philanthropic contributions and institutional co-funding rather than product sales, with major funding partners including the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Casey Family Programs, and Woodward Hines Education Foundation. The foundation is currently operating under a Strategic Sprint period and a 2025-2030 strategic plan under President & CEO Greg Johnson and Board Chair Theo Bunting.

Name

Foundation for the Mid South

Legal name

Foundation for the Mid South

Website

https://fndmidsouth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Foundation for the Mid South is a regional philanthropic foundation founded in 1990 and headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, that deploys grants and convenes partnerships across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi to address poverty, education, health, economic opportunity, and racial healing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Social Advocacy Organizations (81331)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Community development
• Regional foundation
• Nonprofit funding
• Community health programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Jackson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grantmaking: As a regional foundation, FMS raises and deploys charitable funds from donors and institutional partners to support community programs in education, health, and economic development across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Revenue is derived from contributions, not product/service sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Foundation for the Mid South is a regional philanthropic foundation that raises and deploys charitable funds through grantmaking and programmatic initiatives to address poverty, educational disparities, healthcare gaps, and economic inequality across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. It manages signature initiatives such as the Mississippi Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Alliance, the Mississippi Delta GEAR UP Partnership, and Giving Circles, alongside three priority program areas: Educational Opportunities, Economic Opportunities, and Healthy Opportunities.

Product overview

The Foundation for the Mid South operates as a regional philanthropic organization managing a portfolio of community development programs rather than a unified technology product. Its core offerings include: the Mississippi Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Alliance which promotes racial healing through narrative change and community dialogue; the Mississippi Delta GEAR UP Partnership supporting college and career readiness in rural schools; the Giving Circles initiative enabling collective philanthropy; and three priority program areas covering Educational Opportunities, Economic Opportunities, and Healthy Opportunities. Additional offerings include a Grants Program for funding community solutions and Resources/Publications providing research and guides for community development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mississippi Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Alliance: An initiative focused on racial healing through narrative change, storytelling, relationship-building, and economic transformation, launched with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
• Mississippi Delta GEAR UP Partnership
• Giving Circles
• Mississippi Justice Fund

Products and services

• Mississippi Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Alliance A community-based initiative that promotes racial healing through narrative change, storytelling, relationship-building, and economic transformation, following a national model aimed at empowering communities to address systemic challenges. Launched with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
• Mississippi Delta GEAR UP Partnership A $15 million initiative managed in partnership with Casey Family Programs, Delta State University, and Woodward Hines Education Foundation, designed to resource and support 10 rural Mississippi school districts with emphasis on college and career readiness.
• Giving Circles A collective giving initiative that invites community members across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi to pool resources and collectively decide how to support causes they care about, enabling collective philanthropy regardless of individual wealth level.
• Grants Program A multi-stage grantmaking program supporting high-quality solutions that promote education, physical and mental health, financial security, and community growth and prosperity across the Mid South region. Includes concept development, pre-proposal (direct solicitation, discussion and dialog, grant inquiry, RFP), and proposal development stages.
• Educational Opportunities Program Initiative focused on improving high school graduation rates, college preparedness, and life outcomes of students through early childhood education, literacy programs, and student support.
• Economic Opportunities Program Programs building the skills and knowledge of communities to transform themselves, including workforce training, financial education, and economic development initiatives.
• Healthy Opportunities Program Initiatives to improve individual and community health outcomes in chronic disease, mental health, and access to care, including maternal healthcare access and doula program support.
• Resources and Publications Reports, guides, and research publications including the Mississippi Reentry Guide, Black Male report, Testing Positive education study, and philanthropy building materials available for download.

Quantifiable outcome

• Holmes County Consolidated School District improved from 'F' to 'B' rating in three years, with 55% increase in high school Algebra proficiency and 51% proficiency gains in fifth grade science
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, key collaborator, signature initiative and demonstration project.

• Hope Credit Union and Hope Enterprise CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership helping families build financial strength and stability. Hope Credit Union offers financial education, access to affordable loans, and resources that empower families to achieve economic independence. Previously known as Enterprise Corporation of the Delta.
• Casey Family ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Mississippi Delta GEAR UP Partnership, which manages a $15 million initiative supporting rural school communities with college and career readiness programs.
• Delta State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Mississippi Delta GEAR UP Partnership, providing support for rural school communities emphasizing college and career readiness.
• Woodward Hines Education FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Mississippi Delta GEAR UP Partnership, contributing to college and career readiness initiatives for rural school communities.
• Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead organizer of the Mississippi Truth, Poverty and Democracy Tour (October 2024), a statewide listening tour featuring community roundtables, expert clinics, and legislative hearings to voice issues and concerns to state and local leaders.
• NAACP Legal Defense Fundkey collaboratorOthersCollaborator in the Mississippi Truth, Poverty and Democracy Tour, helping to amplify voices of Mississippi families and highlight economic needs.
• One Voicekey collaboratorOthersCollaborator in the Mississippi Truth, Poverty and Democracy Tour representing community interests.
• ACLU-MSkey collaboratorOthersCollaborator in the Truth and Poverty Tour partnership.
• Mississippi Poor People's Campaignkey collaboratorOthersCollaborator in the Truth and Poverty Tour partnership.
• Mississippi Legislative Black Caucuskey collaboratorOthersCollaborator in the Truth and Poverty Tour helping connect community voices with legislative processes.
• Mission MississippicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading TRHT Alliance partner running the 'One Community' dialogue series focused on faith and building relationships in communities including Biloxi, Hattiesburg, and Picayune.
• Millsaps CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRHT Alliance partner hosting 'Changing the World with Stories' events in collaboration with Narrative 4, engaging students from Millsaps College and Jackson State University.
• Jackson State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRHT Alliance partner collaborating on storytelling and racial healing initiatives with Millsaps College and Narrative 4.
• Tougaloo CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRHT Alliance partner with deep community ties and commitment to racial healing work.
• Neshoba Youth CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRHT Alliance partner focused on youth engagement in racial healing and community transformation.
• The Alluvial CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRHT Alliance partner organizing Jackson Water Crisis Awareness events to address environmental racism and effects of long-term neglect on Mississippi's capital.
• Narrative 4 (N4)key collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in storytelling initiatives with Millsaps College, hosting events focused on the power of storytelling with students.
• Mississippi Justice Fundsignature initiativeStrategic or Co-development PartnerSignature initiative of FMS addressing justice reform and related community challenges.
• Boss Lady Transportationdemonstration projectStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership example demonstrating how local solutions build regional progress, focused on transportation access.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Broad incumbents

• The Kresge Foundation: National foundation focused on expanding opportunities for low-income people across health, education, environment, and community development. Comparable to FMS because it funds place-based equity work in the South and overlaps on health equity and economic opportunity themes.
• Ford Foundation: Large national foundation tackling inequality across multiple issue areas through grantmaking and mission-aligned investments. Comparable to FMS as a broader incumbent that funds overlapping themes—racial equity, economic opportunity, and inclusive growth—with a substantially larger endowment but less regional concentration.
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation: One of the largest US foundations, anchoring the national Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation framework that FMS implements locally in Mississippi. Comparable as a broader-incumbent parent of the TRHT model and a major funding partner for FMS programming.
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Largest US philanthropy dedicated to health and health equity, including maternal and rural health initiatives. Comparable to FMS because of overlapping priorities on health access, maternal mortality, and rural community health in the Mid South, though its scale and national reach make it a broader incumbent rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Marguerite Casey Foundation: National equity-focused foundation supporting low-income communities and communities of color through place-based and movement-building grantmaking. Comparable to FMS because of its alignment on economic equity, racial justice, and community-power themes under a similar foundation-scale budget.
• Annie E. Casey Foundation: Major national foundation investing in children, families, and community change, with deep partnerships in Mississippi through Casey Family Programs. Comparable to FMS because it co-invests in the Mississippi Delta GEAR UP Partnership and shares the education-outcomes and family-economic-security focus.
• Woodward Hines Education Foundation: Mississippi-based education foundation focused on college access, readiness, and postsecondary completion. Comparable to FMS as a co-investor in the Mississippi Delta GEAR UP Partnership and a peer organization operating in the same state on overlapping K-12-to-college-pipeline objectives.
• Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation: Arkansas-rooted philanthropy investing in economic, education, and equity outcomes for rural and low-wealth communities. Directly comparable to FMS because of its place-based regional model addressing poverty in an overlapping Mid-South state, with similar foundation size and program structure.
• Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation: Southeast-focused foundation working to lift rural poverty out of persistent disadvantage through place-based grantmaking in education, economic opportunity, and racial equity. Comparable to FMS because it operates in a similar overlapping geography with a comparable multi-state, community-led strategy.

Others

• Hope Credit Union / Hope Enterprise Corporation: Mississippi-rooted community development financial institution providing financial services, credit, and enterprise support in underserved Deep South communities. Comparable to FMS as a longstanding strategic partner on economic opportunity and asset-building within the same Mid-South geography and demographic.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/fndmidsouth
• Facebookfacebook.com/fndmidsouth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foundation-for-the-mid-south

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Foundation for the Mid South