Mississippi First Inc concentrates its philanthropy on expanding and supporting charter schools and charter ecosystem capacity in Mississippi, funding both direct charter operators and intermediary organizations that build the sector. Its grants prioritize startup capital, CSP subgrant administration, and organizational relaunch/technical assistance to accelerate charter school openings and sustainability across the state. The foundation tends to channel large, multi-hundred-thousand-dollar grants to a small set of partners that act as pass-throughs or conveners for charter development.
Mississippi First Inc’s recent grantmaking is shaped by charter-school launch support: large awards are used to move federal Charter Schools Program money through subgrantee agreements, strengthen the Mississippi Charter Schools Association, and build startup capital for new or expanding schools. In 2023, the foundation awarded $517,000 to the Ms Charter Schools Association to facilitate the successful re-launch of the association, signaling that sector infrastructure matters alongside direct school support. It also backed the Community Foundation of Mississippi with $400,000 in 2023 and $250,000 in 2024 to create a startup grant fund for charter schools, a pattern that ties the foundation to early-stage school development rather than broad operating support. Direct school-level grants appear as well: Republic Schools Inc received $239,835 in 2024 through a CSP subgrant agreement, while LeFlore Legacy Academy received $45,000 in 2024 under a similar arrangement. Across these awards, the foundation works through intermediaries and charter operators to support openings, expansion, and administrative execution.
A central theme is charter-school sector infrastructure. Mississippi First Inc gave $517,000 to the Ms Charter Schools Association in 2023 to support its relaunch, showing interest in the organizations that sit around charter school growth, not only the schools themselves. Another theme is startup capital: the Community Foundation of Mississippi received $400,000 in 2023 and $250,000 in 2024 to create a startup grant fund for new or expanding charter schools. The foundation also funds CSP subgrant administration. Instant Impact Global Prep received $443,060 in 2024 and $234,777 in 2023 to disburse Charter Schools Program subgrants under its awards, which points to a role in routing federal charter support. Direct operator support appears too, including $239,835 to Republic Schools Inc for CSP subgrant disbursement and $45,000 to LeFlore Legacy Academy under the same framework.
Mississippi First Inc gives at a large, fairly concentrated scale: the 25th percentile grant is $237,306, the median is $250,000, and the 75th percentile is $421,530. The pattern suggests a small number of sizable project grants rather than many small awards. Recipients can appear in multiple years; for example, the Community Foundation of Mississippi and Instant Impact Global Prep both received grants in 2023 and 2024. The foundation is a public charity, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The grants shown are project-restricted and often structured as subgrantee or subgrant agreements tied to charter-school funding.
$2.5M
$2.5M
$1.8M
$4.6M
Most grants fall between $237K and $422K, with a median of $250K.
25th Percentile
$237K
Median
$250K
75th Percentile
$422K
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High-dollar, concentrated giving to a small number of repeat grantees and intermediaries; funds are often structured as subgrants or pass-throughs to on-the-ground charter operators rather than many small direct grants.
Notable grantees: Instant Impact Global Prep, Community Foundation of Mississippi, MS Charter Schools Association, Republic Schools Inc, LeFlore Legacy Academy
Giving is entirely in Mississippi, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Jackson appears repeatedly as a recipient city, including the Ms Charter Schools Association, the Community Foundation of Mississippi, and Republic Schools Inc. Natchez also appears as a recipient location through Instant Impact Global Prep, and Greenwood appears through LeFlore Legacy Academy. The geographic pattern is statewide, but the grants cluster around Mississippi organizations that administer or support charter-school development.
It funds Mississippi charter-school organizations and intermediaries: the Ms Charter Schools Association for its relaunch, the Community Foundation of Mississippi to create a startup grant fund, and charter operators such as Republic Schools Inc and LeFlore Legacy Academy through CSP subgrant agreements.
Its grants are generally large. The 25th percentile is $237,306, the median is $250,000, and the 75th percentile is $421,530.
No. Some recipients appear in multiple years. Instant Impact Global Prep received grants in 2023 and 2024, and the Community Foundation of Mississippi also received grants in both years.
Its giving is local and entirely in Mississippi. All 7 recent grants went to recipients in MS, with recipients in Jackson, Natchez, and Greenwood.
The grants center on charter-school startup and expansion, CSP subgrant administration, and charter-sector capacity building. Examples include startup grant funds for new or expanding charter schools and a relaunch grant for the Mississippi Charter Schools Association.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MISSISSIPPI | JACKSON, MS | $1,407,500 | 2026 | TO CREATE A START-UP GRANT FUND FOR NEW OR EXPANDING CHARTER SCHOOLS. |
| REPUBLIC SCHOOLS INC | JACKSON, MS | $396,325 | 2026 | ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2024 CSP AWARD. |
| CLARKSDALE COLLEGIATE | CLARKSDALE, MS | $242,139 | 2026 | ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2024 CSP AWARD. |
| INSTANT IMPACT GLOBAL PREP | NATCHEZ, MS | $174,146 | 2026 | ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2024 CSP AWARD. |
| SR1 COLLEGE PREPARATORY AND STEM ACADEMY | RIDGELAND, MS | $141,884 | 2026 | ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2024 CSP AWARD. |
| JACKSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | JACKSON, MS | $45,000 | 2026 | ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2024 CSP AWARD. |
| AMBITION PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL | JACKSON, MS | $45,000 | 2026 | ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2024 CSP AWARD. |
| MISSISSIPPI GLOBAL ACADEMY | CHICAGO, IL | $44,050 | 2026 | ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2024 CSP AWARD. |
| INSTANT IMPACT GLOBAL PREP | NATCHEZ, MS | $443,060 | 2024 | ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2023 CSP AWARD. |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MISSISSIPPI | JACKSON, MS | $250,000 | 2024 | TO CREATE A START-UP GRANT FUND FOR NEW OR EXPANDING CHARTER SCHOOLS. |
| REPUBLIC SCHOOLS INC | JACKSON, MS | $239,835 | 2024 | ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2023 CSP AWARD. |
| LEFLORE LEGACY ACADEMY | GREENWOOD, MS | $45,000 | 2024 | ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2023 CSP AWARD. |
| MS CHARTER SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION | JACKSON, MS | $517,000 | 2023 | ENTERED INTO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE SUCCESSFUL RE-LAUNCH OF THE MS CHARTER SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION. |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MISSISSIPPI | JACKSON, MS | $400,000 | 2023 | TO CREATE A START-UP GRANT FUND FOR NEW OR EXPANDING CHARTER SCHOOLS. |
| INSTANT IMPACT GLOBAL PREP | NATCHEZ, MS | $234,777 | 2023 | ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2022 CSP AWARD. |
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MISSISSIPPI
$1,407,500TO CREATE A START-UP GRANT FUND FOR NEW OR EXPANDING CHARTER SCHOOLS.
REPUBLIC SCHOOLS INC
$396,325ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2024 CSP AWARD.
CLARKSDALE COLLEGIATE
$242,139ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2024 CSP AWARD.
INSTANT IMPACT GLOBAL PREP
$174,146ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2024 CSP AWARD.
SR1 COLLEGE PREPARATORY AND STEM ACADEMY
$141,884ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2024 CSP AWARD.
JACKSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
$45,000ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2024 CSP AWARD.
AMBITION PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL
$45,000ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2024 CSP AWARD.
MISSISSIPPI GLOBAL ACADEMY
$44,050ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2024 CSP AWARD.
INSTANT IMPACT GLOBAL PREP
$443,060ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2023 CSP AWARD.
TO CREATE A START-UP GRANT FUND FOR NEW OR EXPANDING CHARTER SCHOOLS.
REPUBLIC SCHOOLS INC
$239,835ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2023 CSP AWARD.
LEFLORE LEGACY ACADEMY
$45,000ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2023 CSP AWARD.
MS CHARTER SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION
$517,000ENTERED INTO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE SUCCESSFUL RE-LAUNCH OF THE MS CHARTER SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION.
TO CREATE A START-UP GRANT FUND FOR NEW OR EXPANDING CHARTER SCHOOLS.
INSTANT IMPACT GLOBAL PREP
$234,777ENTERED INFO A SUBGRANTEE AGREEMENT TO DISBURSE A CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM (CSP) SUBGRANT UNDER THE ORGANIZATIONS 2022 CSP AWARD.