Memphis Education Fund
Memphis Education Fund is a Memphis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that improves K-12 public education through data-driven advocacy, direct school investments, and community programs serving Memphis and Shelby County students, families, and schools.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersMemphis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Memphis Education Fund does
Memphis Education Fund (MEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015 and headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, focused on improving K-12 public education outcomes across Memphis and Shelby County. The organization operates as a coordinating "quarterback" through an Advocacy Coalition of local and statewide education-focused organizations, aligning previously isolated education sectors around a coordinated, accountable, and student-centered improvement strategy. MEF's primary beneficiaries are Memphis public schools (district, optional, and open-enrollment charter), Memphis/Shelby County families and community stakeholders, and partner advocacy organizations.
MEF's core offerings include strategic investments in schools ($3,863,000 deployed since 2020), community investments ($9,499,000 since 2020), the Memphis School Guide (a parent-facing school selection resource), the annual Memphis Ed Reports (2024, 2025, and 2026 editions), the Memphis State of Education Dashboard, the Breaking Barriers Awards program recognizing high-performing schools serving economically disadvantaged students, and a Memphis Schools Map integrated with Google Maps. Underlying these is a data-driven research platform covering ESSER fund usage, charter spending analysis, and school building condition reports. The organization does not sell products or charge for services.
MEF generates revenue exclusively through philanthropic grants and donations from local and national foundations and donors, which it reinvests into education programs and advocacy. The organization is led by President & CEO Terence Patterson (since 2018) and operates with a small team (1–10 employees). Notable milestones include the 2016 charter compact passage, talent pipeline partnerships credited with training approximately 1,000 teachers since 2018, the 2022 passage of Tennessee's TISA funding formula, and approximately $1.3M in Family CARES grants distributed to students and families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Memphis Education Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Memphis Education Fund
- Legal name
- Memphis Education Fund
- Website
- https://memphiseducationfund.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Memphis Education Fund is a Memphis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that improves K-12 public education through data-driven advocacy, direct school investments, and community programs serving Memphis and Shelby County students, families, and schools.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Memphis Education Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Advocacy Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Education Policy, Research & Advocacy Organizations (Nonprofit) (BPAGADAN), Education Policy Advocacy & Lobbying Organizations (EDADADAB)
Keywords
Where Memphis Education Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Memphis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Memphis Education Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Others, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Grants and Donations: As a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Memphis Education Fund generates revenue through philanthropic grants and donations from local and national foundations and donors. The organization reinvests these funds into educational programs, advocacy initiatives, and school improvement projects in Memphis and Shelby County.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Memphis Education Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Memphis Education Fund is a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that invests philanthropic capital in Memphis and Shelby County public schools, leads an Advocacy Coalition of local and statewide organizations to influence education policy and funding, and publishes data-driven research and family-facing resources such as the Memphis School Guide and the Memphis State of Education Dashboard. The fund disburses grants directly to schools and families and convenes partners to align efforts across the local education ecosystem.
Product overview
Memphis Education Fund operates as a unified platform offering multiple interconnected programs focused on improving Memphis public education. The core offerings include the Memphis School Guide (school selection resource), Memphis Ed Reports (annual publications), Memphis State of Education Dashboard (data visualization), Data Research publications, Breaking Barriers Awards (recognition program), and Investments in Schools/Communities initiatives. The organization functions as a philanthropic 501(c)3 that convenes educational partners and supports successful public schools through advocacy, data-driven school improvement, and strategic investments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Memphis School Guide: Memphis's #1 school choice guide for families in the 901 area, providing unbiased, accurate data about all public and private schools in the city and surrounding region.
- Memphis Ed Report
- Breaking Barriers Awards
Products and services
- Memphis School Guide
- Memphis State of Education Dashboard
- Data Research Publications
- Memphis Schools Map
- Innovation Fund
Quantifiable outcome
- Disbursed $1.3M in Family CARES grants to students and families during COVID-19 pandemic
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Memphis Education Fund
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Memphis Education Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Memphis Education Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Teacher For AmericacoreTalent pipeline partner that has helped recruit and train approximately 1,000 teachers for the Memphis education landscape as part of MEF's talent development initiatives.
- Memphis Teacher ResidencycoreTalent pipeline partner contributing to the recruitment and training of teachers for Memphis schools through teacher preparation and residency programs.
- Relay Graduate School of EducationcoreTalent pipeline partner in MEF's educator development efforts, helping train effective teachers and school leaders in Memphis. MEF supported launching the Memphis campus.
- Shelby County School BoardcorePartnered through the Advocacy Coalition to pass the charter compact enabling partnership between the district and charter schools it authorizes.
- Advocacy CoalitioncoreCoalition of local and statewide education-focused organizations working together to improve per pupil funding allocations, optimize policies for academic outcomes, and expand quality public school options in Memphis neighborhoods.
- MSCS (Memphis-Shelby County Schools)corePrimary school district partner for research and data analysis on charter spending and federal relief ESSER funds usage.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Memphis Education Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Mind Trust: Indianapolis-based education nonprofit that invests in high-quality schools, runs data-driven research, and drives community advocacy to improve K-12 public education. Operates a charter-incubation and talent-pipeline model highly comparable to MEF's playbook.
- Stand for Children: Education advocacy nonprofit that organizes families and communities around student-centered policy, including funding and school-quality issues. Closely parallels MEF's Advocacy Coalition model and family/community empowerment focus.
- NewSchools Venture Fund: National nonprofit venture fund that invests in innovative K-12 school models and education entrepreneurs. Comparable as a philanthropic fund deploying multi-million-dollar commitments into schools and communities to drive equity-focused outcomes.
- Teach For America: Core talent-pipeline partner of MEF that recruits and trains teachers for high-need schools including Memphis. Directly comparable as a K-12 educator-pipeline organization operating in the same regional labor market.
- Memphis Teacher Residency: Memphis-based teacher preparation and residency program and core MEF partner. Closely comparable as a regional K-12 teacher-talent pipeline feeding the same schools MEF funds.
- Relay Graduate School of Education: Graduate school of education and MEF partner that trains teachers and school leaders, including supporting launch of the Memphis campus. Comparable as a talent-pipeline provider operating in the same K-12 ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- KIPP Foundation: National network operating high-performing public charter schools in underserved communities, including Memphis. Comparable as a K-12 school operator whose outcomes MEF tracks and recognizes via the Breaking Barriers Awards.
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (K-12 Education Program): Major national foundation funding K-12 school improvement, teacher effectiveness, and postsecondary success. Comparable as a philanthropic investor in education innovation and policy at a much larger scale.
Regional players
- Hyde Family Foundations: Memphis-based philanthropic foundation that has historically funded education initiatives in Shelby County. Relevant as a fellow Memphis funder (and Patterson's prior employer) with overlapping K-12 reform priorities in the same geography.
Emerging players
- EdReports: Independent nonprofit that publishes free, evidence-aligned reviews of instructional materials for K-12. Comparable as a data-and-research-driven education nonprofit informing school and policy decisions, similar in spirit to MEF's dashboard and research products.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Memphis Education Fund social profiles
Digital presenceMemphis Education Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Memphis Education Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Memphis Education Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Memphis Education Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Memphis Education Fund
What does Memphis Education Fund do?
Memphis Education Fund is a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that invests philanthropic capital in Memphis and Shelby County public schools, leads an Advocacy Coalition of local and statewide organizations to influence education policy and funding, and publishes data-driven research and family-facing resources such as the Memphis School Guide and the Memphis State of Education Dashboard. The fund disburses grants directly to schools and families and convenes partners to align efforts across the local education ecosystem.
Is Memphis Education Fund a public or private company?
Memphis Education Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Memphis Education Fund founded?
Memphis Education Fund was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Memphis Education Fund based?
Memphis Education Fund is headquartered in Memphis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Memphis Education Fund make money?
One revenue line is on record: philanthropic Grants and Donations.
Who are Memphis Education Fund's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Mind Trust, Stand for Children, NewSchools Venture Fund, Teach For America, Memphis Teacher Residency and Relay Graduate School of Education. Broad incumbents are KIPP Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (K-12 Education Program). Hyde Family Foundations is listed as a regional player. EdReports is listed as an emerging player.
Does Memphis Education Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Memphis Education Fund.
What industry is Memphis Education Fund in?
Memphis Education Fund's product category is Education Advocacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAB, K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGADAN, Education Policy, Research & Advocacy Organizations (Nonprofit). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8300.