Programs
Institute for Responsible Citizenship

Philanthropic Literacy

Learning the Art of Leadership & Community Impact Through Philanthropic Gifts

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  • Philanthropic Literacy Board

    One part of the Institute for Responsible Citizenship, and a cornerstone of Hutchison Invests, is the Philanthropic Literacy Board. Upper school girls build and manage an endowment fund and then determine how to distribute grants to Memphis-area nonprofits. Participating on the board, girls will learn about the formidable responsibilities that come with how and why particular projects and organizations receive funding.

Hutchison Community Service Endowment Fund

The Hutchison Community Service Endowment Fund offers a unique 21st century learning experience for upper school girls. Through direct involvement with the decision making processes that accompany managing a grant dispersal fund, girls develop skills in financial literacy and a lifelong understanding of the powerful responsibilities that come with how and why particular projects and organizations receive funding. The goal of the Community Service Endowment Fund is to generate interest income distributed to Memphis-area nonprofits. Girls administering the grants serve on the Philanthropic Literacy Board and work with The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis to make wise investments, solicit requests for proposals, evaluate applicants, and manage the grants once they are awarded.

2024 MISSION STATEMENT AND GRANT APPLICATION

The 2023-24 Philanthropic Literacy Board members have set their goal for this year's grant to support a program that provides educational opportunities for children living below the poverty line in Memphis. The complete Mission Statement of the Board is provided below:

“Memphis is ranked 4th in child poverty and 5th in overall poverty within the United States, which can severely impact the well-being of future Memphians specifically regarding education. Children who live below the poverty line are 1.3 times more likely to have developmental delays or learning disabilities than those who don’t live in poverty. We believe that every child, regardless of background or circumstance, deserves access to a quality education. Based on these statistics, the Philanthropic Literacy Board at Hutchison seeks to fund a program committed to providing educational support to Memphis’ youth living below the poverty line in order to boost future success in higher learning and job opportunities. The board hopes to financially support a Memphis nonprofit in an attempt to mitigate the effects of poverty by increasing educational opportunities across all age groups.”

If you know any local nonprofits with related programming that may want to apply, please share this opportunity with them. The grant application can be found by clicking the button below.

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Philanthropic Literacy Board Grants for 2023

For 2023, Hutchison’s Philanthropic Literacy Board awarded $11,000 in grants to two local nonprofits: Porter-Leath and Neighborhood Christian Centers, Inc.

The seniors on this year’s PLB operated in two groups: the Hutch Board and the Sting Board. The Hutch Board’s goal was to aid an organization that provides youth mental and physical wellness resources, and the Sting Board aimed to support a Memphis nonprofit that facilitates youth education initiatives.

The Hutch Board gifted a $5,500 grant to Porter-Leath to support its Early Head Start program, which focuses on children from six weeks to 3 years old. The program provides resources for academic, social, and emotional development as well as health and nutrition services. The Sting Board selected Neighborhood Christian Centers, Inc. for a $5,500 grant with assistance from investment management and advisory firm Gerber Taylor. This grant will support the organization’s Learning with Lunch program, a 7-week-long summer camp that helps 250 elementary school students in under-resourced communities work on literacy.

The work conducted by Porter-Leath and Neighborhood Christian Centers, Inc. is making real change, and the Philanthropic Literacy Board couldn’t be happier to help with their missions to create a stronger Memphis.
    • 2023 Philanthropic Literacy Board Grant

      Members of Hutchison’s 2023 Philanthropic Literacy Board made grants to two local organizations: Porter-Leath and Neighborhood Christian Centers, Inc.