The March Foundation makes concentrated, place-based charitable investments in the Memphis community by funding local philanthropic infrastructure rather than direct service providers. Their sole reported grant is a sizable unrestricted/operational gift to the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, suggesting a preference for supporting intermediary organizations that can allocate resources across local needs. This pattern indicates an interest in flexible, community-directed impact rather than earmarked program funding.
Single large, concentrated donation to a local intermediary (one-time or infrequent; funds channeled through a community foundation rather than direct service grantees).
The March Foundation’s clearest recent signal is a single unrestricted gift of $298,461 to the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis for general operating support. That grant points to a funder that uses flexible, intermediary philanthropy rather than direct program awards, channeling resources through a community foundation that can distribute support across local needs. The foundation’s work is centered on Memphis and the broader Mid-South, with every reported grant landing in Tennessee. Beyond that flagship award, March Foundation’s active programs show a strong preference for locally rooted grantmaking structures. It supports community-directed vehicles such as giving circles, scholarship funds, rapid-response support, and endowed community grantmaking. It also backs nonprofit infrastructure through LIVEGIVEmidsouth.org, a platform for researching nonprofits and building public profiles. The pattern suggests a foundation focused on place-based capacity, flexible community funding, and intermediary organizations that can move money efficiently within the Memphis area. Its recent grant history is tightly concentrated, but the program set spans emergency response, education, community grantmaking, and nonprofit support.
In community philanthropy, March Foundation supports intermediary channels rather than only direct service grants. Its recent $298,461 unrestricted gift to the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis fits that pattern, reinforcing a model built around flexible local allocation. Education is another clear area of support. The foundation runs scholarship programs for students from the Memphis area, with most awards aimed at Shelby County students attending accredited two- or four-year colleges, universities, or vocational and technical schools. It also funds rapid-response and resilience work. Responsive Grants provide $20,000 to $25,000 for nonprofits maintaining essential services during funding disruption, while the Community Solutions Grants initiative launched in May 2025 to back organizations working on safer, more resilient communities, with awards of $50,000 to $150,000. A further program area is nonprofit infrastructure. Through LIVEGIVEmidsouth.org, March Foundation supports a platform used for nonprofit research and public profiles that connect donors and organizations.
$298K
-$2K
$0
$5K
Most grants fall between $298K and $298K, with a median of $298K.
25th Percentile
$298K
Median
$298K
75th Percentile
$298K
ROBERT M FOCKLER
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Notable grantees: Community Foundation of Greater Memphis
March Foundation’s recent grant size data is tightly concentrated: the p25, median, and p75 are all $298,461, reflecting a single reported award at that level. That pattern indicates very little spread in the latest file rather than a broad band of grant sizes. The foundation appears to operate through multiple named programs, including scholarships, rapid-response support, community grantmaking, and donor-advised or mission-aligned fund structures. Its recent grant record suggests a strong emphasis on flexible support, including general operating and unrestricted funding. Unsolicited applications are accepted in several of the listed programs, including GiVE 365, scholarship programs, Responsive Grants, Community Solutions Grants, and Lichterman Loewenberg Foundation Fund.
March Foundation’s reported giving is entirely local: 100% of grants go to recipients in Tennessee, with Memphis and Shelby County appearing repeatedly across its programs. The recent grant list places the largest award in Memphis, and active programs extend across the Mid-South, including West Tennessee, Eastern Arkansas, and Northern Mississippi. Specific program geographies include Memphis, Greater Memphis, and Shelby County, showing a strong concentration in the foundation’s immediate region rather than statewide or national grantmaking.
March Foundation supports community foundations, scholarship programs, nonprofit capacity-building, rapid-response grantmaking, and community grantmaking vehicles. Its recent grant went to the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis for general operating support, and its active programs include scholarship funds, Responsive Grants, Community Solutions Grants, and LIVEGIVEmidsouth.org.
Yes for several listed programs. GiVE 365, Scholarship Program, Lichterman Loewenberg Foundation Fund, Community Foundation Scholarships, FOREVER Funds, LIVEGIVEmidsouth.org, Responsive Grants, and Community Solutions Grants all accept unsolicited applications.
The latest grant size distribution is a single-point pattern: p25 is $298,461, median is $298,461, and p75 is $298,461. That matches the one reported recent grant of $298,461 to the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis.
Its active programs center on education and scholarships, community philanthropy, rapid-response support, community safety and resilience, and nonprofit infrastructure. Program descriptions also emphasize flexible funding, essential services, and community-directed grantmaking.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from March Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Nonprofits in the service area with an active LIVEGIVEmidsouth profile.
Deadline: Applications open September; awards announced in December.
Who can apply: Grants are aligned with the fund’s mission and values and are decided by the fund’s Executive Committee; nonprofits must have a LIVEGIVEmidsouth profile to participate in grant opportunities.
Deadline: Applications open January; awards announced in the spring.
Who can apply: An up-to-date LIVEGIVEmidsouth profile is required to apply for grant opportunities through the Community Foundation.
Deadline: Applications open January; awards announced in May.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $298,461 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
