First 8 Memphis
First 8 Memphis is a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2019 that coordinates early childhood education funding, accountability, and quality improvement across a 16-operator Pre-K network serving children ages 0-8 in Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersMemphis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What First 8 Memphis does
First 8 Memphis (F8M) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 2019 that serves as the backbone early childhood systems-building organization for Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee. Operating as a subsidiary of Seeding Success, F8M coordinates funding, accountability, and quality improvement across a network of 16 approved Pre-K operators and supports 80 classrooms serving approximately 1,600 students as of the 2021-22 school year. Its primary beneficiaries are children ages 0-8 and their families in the Memphis-Shelby County region, with Pre-K for All as the flagship initiative providing free public Pre-K access to all 3 and 4-year-olds regardless of income. The organization also serves Pre-K operators—including Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Bartlett City Schools, charter schools, and community organizations such as Porter-Leath, Perea Preschool, and Knowledge Quest—as a funding, capacity-building, and convening partner.
F8M's portfolio includes Pre-K for All (universal access program), Pre-K Classroom Funding and Administration, the annual Early Care & Education Conference (drawing 150+ educators), the First 8 Years Speaker Series, the ECE Providers Training Series (10-month professional development cohort), workforce development initiatives, and an Early Relational Health Framework. The organization does not develop proprietary technology platforms; rather, it relies on data tracking and outcomes measurement frameworks to monitor Pre-K effectiveness. Longitudinal analysis through Memphis-Shelby County Schools partnerships demonstrates that Pre-K interventions improved district outcomes by 13-15%, equivalent to an extra 27 days of instruction annually, with effects persisting through at least third grade based on i-Ready data on 26,500 students. F8M operates a family-facing Pre-K registration portal at prekmemphis.com and convenes an Early Literacy Consortium with regional partners.
F8M's revenue model combines three streams: recurring public funding from the City of Memphis and Shelby County (which F8M administers as designated fiscal agent following a unanimous 2019 joint ordinance), tax-deductible donations channeled through parent Seeding Success, and grant funding including outcomes-based financing arrangements such as Maycomb Capital's Community Outcomes Fund. The Memphis City Council approved a $16 million Pre-K expansion plan in 2019, indicating the scale of public funds F8M administers. Services are free to families; F8M monetizes through fiscal agent overhead, grants, and donations rather than direct service fees. The 15-person organization is governed by a Board of Directors with designees from the Mayor's Office of Memphis, Shelby County, Seeding Success, Shelby County Commission, and Memphis-Shelby County Schools, with day-to-day leadership under Executive Director Dr. Kandace Thomas (appointed February 2020).
First 8 Memphis firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- First 8 Memphis
- Legal name
- First 8 Memphis
- Website
- https://first8memphis.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- First 8 Memphis is a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2019 that coordinates early childhood education funding, accountability, and quality improvement across a 16-operator Pre-K network serving children ages 0-8 in Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
First 8 Memphis industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Early Childhood Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (61)
- SIC
- Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)
Keywords
Where First 8 Memphis is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Memphis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
First 8 Memphis business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government Funding: First 8 Memphis receives recurring public funding from City of Memphis and Shelby County to distribute for Pre-K programs. They serve as fiscal agent for city and county pre-K funds, managing distribution to operator partners.
- Donations: The organization accepts one-time, monthly, and yearly donations from individuals and organizations. They are a subsidiary of Seeding Success, a 501c3 public charity, making donations tax-deductible.
- Grant Funding: First 8 Memphis receives grant funding from various sources including outcomes-based financing arrangements with organizations like Maycomb Capital's Community Outcomes Fund.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Free Pre-K for All 3 and 4-year-olds |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
First 8 Memphis product offering
Product offeringCore offering
First 8 Memphis is a nonprofit early childhood systems-building organization that funds and coordinates Pre-K classrooms across Memphis and Shelby County as the fiscal agent for City and County public Pre-K funds. It administers Pre-K for All (free public Pre-K for all 3- and 4-year-olds), supports 16 approved Pre-K operators running roughly 80 classrooms, and operates ancillary programs including the Early Care & Education Conference, First 8 Years Speaker Series, and ECE Providers Training Series.
Product overview
First 8 Memphis is a nonprofit early childhood systems-building organization serving Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on children ages 0-8, with Pre-K for All as the flagship initiative providing free public Pre-K for all 3 and 4-year-olds. Supporting programs include Pre-K Classroom Funding & Administration (80 classrooms), the Early Care & Education Conference, First 8 Years Speaker Series, Leadership Council governance structure, ECE Providers Training Series for professional development, and an approved Pre-K Operator Network. The organization also advances workforce development initiatives, provides partner resources, and implements an Early Relational Health Framework through advocacy and coordination.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pre-K for All FREE, public Pre-K program for all 3- and 4-year-old children in Memphis and Shelby County, regardless of income, preparing children for lifelong success.
- Pre-K Classroom Funding & Administration F8M funds and supports 80 Pre-K classrooms serving approximately 1,600 students as of the 2021-22 school year, coordinating with Pre-K operators across Shelby County.
- Early Care & Education Conference Annual conference for early childhood educators, leaders, and advocates featuring professional development, networking, and celebration of the early childhood field.
- First 8 Years Speaker Series Speaker series bringing local, regional, and national experts together to discuss important themes, research, and cutting-edge early childhood topics.
- ECE Providers Training Series 10-month professional development cohort series for Early Care and Education providers serving children ages 0-8, focused on addressing challenging behaviors and fostering inclusive learning environments.
- Pre-K Operator Network Network of approved Pre-K operators including Bartlett City Schools, Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Porter-Leath, charter schools, and community organizations delivering F8M-funded Pre-K services to families.
Quantifiable outcome
- 85% of children who attended Pre-K finished the year ready for kindergarten (7,800 children)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use First 8 Memphis
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
First 8 Memphis technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
First 8 Memphis partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
25 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Tennesseans for Quality Early Education (TQEE)minorTQEE is a statewide advocacy organization for early childhood education. F8M partnered with TQEE for Day on the Hill advocacy efforts in Nashville to advocate for early childhood investment.
- Porter-LeathcoreMajor Pre-K operator partner running multiple F8M-funded classrooms including Academy II @ Frayser and Academy III @ Orange Mound. Also worked with Bellwether Education Partners on ECE workforce research.
- YMCA of Memphis and the Mid-SouthminorCommunity partner participating in Day on the Hill advocacy efforts for early childhood education.
- JESSRANminorCommunity partner participating in Day on the Hill advocacy efforts.
- Su Casa MemphisminorCommunity partner participating in Day on the Hill advocacy efforts.
- Grizzlies PrepminorEducation partner participating in Day on the Hill advocacy efforts.
- Destination EducationminorEducation partner participating in Day on the Hill advocacy efforts.
- Millington Municipal SchoolsminorPre-K operator and advocacy partner participating in Day on the Hill efforts.
- Lambs and IvyminorEarly childhood care provider partner participating in Day on the Hill advocacy efforts.
- Tennessee Reading Research CenterminorDr. Deborah Reed from Tennessee Reading Research Center presented at F8M's family literacy workshop on teaching children to read.
- LENA (University of Memphis)minorSonja Randall, LENA Coordinator at University of Memphis, presented at F8M's family literacy workshop. LENA Start and LENA Home programs referenced.
- Literacy Mid-SouthminorLiteracy Mid-South is a partner in the Early Literacy Consortium and sponsor of F8M's family literacy workshop. Recipient of Educator of Excellence Award.
- Governor's Early Literacy FoundationminorSponsor of F8M's family literacy workshop providing resources for teaching children to read.
- Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental HealthminorGlobal organization partnering with state associations of infant mental health. Co-hosted the 5th Annual Reflective Supervision Symposium with AIMHiTN.
- Association of Infant Mental Health in Tennessee (AIMHiTN)minorState association of infant mental health that co-hosted the 5th Annual Reflective Supervision Symposium at University of Memphis FedEx Institute of Technology.
- Dr. Iheoma U. IrukaminorKeynote speaker at inaugural First 8 Years Speaker Series. Research Professor at UNC-Chapel Hill and Founding Director of Equity Research Action Coalition at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute.
- NEXT MemphiscoreFirst 8 Memphis invested $1 million in NEXT Memphis over three years to improve quality of 4,000 childcare seats by 2023. NEXT Memphis strengthens early childhood care and learning support across Shelby County.
- Stand for ChildrenminorPartner in the Early Literacy Consortium presenting the Lit Families webinar series for back-to-school family literacy support.
- Arise2ReadminorPartner in the Early Literacy Consortium presenting the Lit Families webinar series for back-to-school family literacy support.
- Seeding SuccesscoreFirst 8 Memphis was launched by and is a subsidiary of Seeding Success, a Memphis cradle-to-career partnership. Seeding Success serves as the parent organization and strategic initiator of the early childhood systems-building work. First 8 Memphis is a 501c3 organization under Seeding Success.
- City of MemphiscoreCity of Memphis is a key government partner providing funding and political support for Pre-K expansion. The city council unanimously passed joint ordinance supporting F8M as fiscal agent.
- Shelby CountycoreShelby County is a key government partner providing funding and political support for Pre-K expansion. The county commission unanimously passed joint ordinance supporting F8M as fiscal agent.
- The Urban Child InstituteminorPartner in supporting, coordinating, and administering funding for comprehensive Pre-K program in Memphis and Shelby County since 2019.
- Bellwether Education PartnersminorConducted research in 2018/2019 to understand state of ECE teacher preparation and support creation of strategies to improve pipeline for operators in Shelby County. Research informed ECE workforce development planning.
- Memphis-Shelby County SchoolscoreSince 2013, Seeding Success has partnered with M-SCS to understand impact of cradle-to-career strategies. M-SCS serves approximately 5,000 Pre-K students across the county, with F8M providing funding for 80 classrooms.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
First 8 Memphis competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Nemours Children's Health: Nemours Children's Health runs a national children's health system and the KidsHealth platform that emphasizes early relational health and pediatric developmental screening. It overlaps with F8M's Early Relational Health Framework and broader ECE advocacy footprint.
- ZERO TO THREE: ZERO TO THREE is a national nonprofit focused on the early years (prenatal to age 3), providing training, advocacy, and policy research on infant-toddler care and development. It is a broader incumbent that complements F8M's age-0-8 systems-building mission, especially in the home-visiting and nurturing-relationships pillar.
- The Annie E. Casey Foundation: The Annie E. Casey Foundation is a major national philanthropy funding ECE, K-12, and family economic mobility work, including Kids Count and the Center for Child and Community Success. It is a broader incumbent funder/operator that overlaps with F8M's systems-building and outcomes measurement approach.
- Start Early (formerly Ounce of Prevention Fund): Start Early is a Chicago-based national ECE nonprofit advancing policy, funding, and direct programs for prenatal-to-age-5 children. It is a broader incumbent in the ECE nonprofit space, operating both advocacy and program delivery — similar to First 8 Memphis but at a national rather than single-metro scale.
Others
- Bainum Family Foundation: The Bainum Family Foundation is a major philanthropic funder of ECE access, quality, and workforce initiatives, including the Birth-Five Strategy and shared services work. It operates as a funder/philanthropic peer whose strategic priorities and grantmaking directly shape the ECE nonprofit landscape F8M operates in.
- National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER): NIEER is the leading national research organization on early childhood education, producing the annual State of Preschool yearbook and policy analysis. It functions as an adjacent/ecosystem peer providing the evidence base and policy benchmarking that anchors F8M's data-driven, outcomes-focused approach.
Direct peers
- Pre-K for All NYC (NYC Department of Education): NYC's Pre-K for All is a city-led universal Pre-K initiative launched in 2014 that provides free Pre-K to all 4-year-olds and many 3-year-olds. It is a directly comparable municipal universal Pre-K model that First 8 Memphis's Pre-K for All mirrors in scope and intent.
- Thrive by Five Washington: Thrive by Five Washington is a public-private partnership advocating and funding universal, high-quality Pre-K and early learning across Washington state. Like First 8 Memphis, it convenes government, philanthropy, and operators to expand Pre-K access and is funded by Maycomb Capital's outcomes-based model.
- StriveTogether: StriveTogether is a national cradle-to-career network of 70+ community partnerships that build backbone organizations to coordinate cradle-to-career outcomes — the same systems-building model First 8 Memphis applies within Memphis-Shelby County. Both serve as fiscal agents, data integrators, and conveners across K-12 and early childhood stakeholders.
Regional players
- Tennesseans for Quality Early Education (TQEE): TQEE is the statewide Tennessee ECE advocacy organization that partners with First 8 Memphis on Day on the Hill and broader policy work. It operates at the state level while F8M operates at the county level, making it a natural regional counterpart rather than a direct in-territory competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
First 8 Memphis social profiles
Digital presenceFirst 8 Memphis financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
First 8 Memphis leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
First 8 Memphis funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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First 8 Memphis M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about First 8 Memphis
What does First 8 Memphis do?
First 8 Memphis is a nonprofit early childhood systems-building organization that funds and coordinates Pre-K classrooms across Memphis and Shelby County as the fiscal agent for City and County public Pre-K funds. It administers Pre-K for All (free public Pre-K for all 3- and 4-year-olds), supports 16 approved Pre-K operators running roughly 80 classrooms, and operates ancillary programs including the Early Care & Education Conference, First 8 Years Speaker Series, and ECE Providers Training Series.
Is First 8 Memphis a public or private company?
First 8 Memphis is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was First 8 Memphis founded?
First 8 Memphis was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is First 8 Memphis based?
First 8 Memphis is headquartered in Memphis, United States, in the North America region.
How does First 8 Memphis make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations and grant Funding.
Who are First 8 Memphis's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Nemours Children's Health, ZERO TO THREE, The Annie E. Casey Foundation and Start Early (formerly Ounce of Prevention Fund). Others are Bainum Family Foundation and National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). Direct peers are Pre-K for All NYC (NYC Department of Education), Thrive by Five Washington and StriveTogether. Tennesseans for Quality Early Education (TQEE) is listed as a regional player.
Does First 8 Memphis have an API?
No public API is recorded for First 8 Memphis.
What industry is First 8 Memphis in?
First 8 Memphis's product category is Early Childhood Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAA, Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8351.