Grant Details

The Foundation for the Mid South aims to improve the quality of life for residents in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The Foundation focuses its funding on the following four priority areas:

Education - They partner with individuals and organizations committed to improving high school graduation rates, college preparedness and life outcomes of students. Current areas of focus include tutoring, coaching, career development and learning and study strategies.

• Academic Success for All Students - Focusing on academic strategies and enrichment opportunities to help students learn in effective and innovative ways.
• Academic Success for Males of Color - Identifying critical skills to improve academic performance and life skills for young men of color.

Wealth Building - They provide programs and information to enable residents to manage their finances effectively and grow their wealth:

• Financial Competency - Giving individuals and families the tools they need to make smart financial decisions.
• Asset Building - Assisting families to accumulate and preserve long-term productive assets, such as homes, education and businesses.

Health - Foundation for the Mid South seeks to improve health for individuals and communities. Health is not a standalone issue; it is an interrelated part of improving our region, enabling people to learn effectively and improve their economic situations. They aim to improve individual and community health outcomes through:

• Healthy Behaviors to Reduce Obesity - Increasing access to and use of physical activity and access to fresh, healthy foods.
• Mental Health Awareness and Access - Helping individuals identify everyday stressors and connecting them to resources and services to address their mental health needs.
• Access to Healthcare Resources - Ensuring individuals have access to healthcare services and knowledge to make informed decisions.

Communities - Foundation for the Mid South believes that the solution to regional challenges lies in building the skills and knowledge of communities to transform themselves. When individuals, organizations and businesses engage in the change process, they are able to build the community they wish to see, creating vibrant places to live, work and play.

• Community Enrichment - Increasing safe, affordable housing, improving green space and parks and preserving the local environment and culture.
• Economic Development - Strengthening the economy through workforce education and training, small business development and industry growth.
• Leadership Development - Building the skills and capacities of local organizations working to strengthen both adult and youth leadership.
• Mississippi Delta Workforce Funding Collaborative - The Mississippi Delta Workforce Funding Collaborative is a partnership of philanthropic, public sector, private sector, and community leaders working to improve job growth and retention for all of Mississippi. We support the development and implementation of sector-based workforce partnerships in key in-demand industries. Our goal is to increase the skills and education of unemployed and/or underemployed residents of Mississippi. We work to increase the Mississippi residents' skills, thereby allowing them to receive better-paying jobs and better provide for their families.