PUBLIC POLICY
At Seeding Success (S2), we strive to shift the social policy conversation from simply developing programs to creating comprehensive systems of support. When these systems are coordinated, we can improve the lives of children and families.
How do we get there?
Policy Research and Development
Legislation from the city, county, and state affects your daily life—from the school you attend to your available career paths. Effective policy is evidence-based and sustainable, which is why our policy department is dedicated to developing research-backed solutions that foster economic security and fair access for all.
S2’s policy advisors contributed immense research and writing to the More for Memphis plan. This plan is a comprehensive, county-wide collaboration to improve the quality of life for all residents by ensuring everyone has access to the essential services and resources they need to thrive. It covers 30+ strategies across six vital focus areas: Arts and Culture, Community Development, Economic Development, Education and Youth, Health and Well-being, Justice and Safety.
As the strategies in the More for Memphis plan become reality, our policy team will be there to help leaders understand the unfolding policy context and how these strategies can be adjusted to meet the collaboration’s priorities.
Working with the Public Sector
Good policy that helps local families access resources, like pre-K and computer science education, is most effective when enshrined into law. Seeding Success advances policy in our city, county, and state governments to promote better quality of life for every resident.
For example, when the expiration of a federal preschool development grant put 1,000 pre-K spots in danger in 2019, Seeding Success mobilized a coalition of stakeholders to advocate for local government support. By framing lack of child care as a workforce issue and highlighting its impact on families experiencing poverty, we secured new funding—not only for the existing spots but also for an additional 1,000 students.
We also worked with the Memphis City Council and Shelby County Commission to create a joint ordinance to provide pre-K education to all income-eligible four-year-olds within the region. More recently, we collaborated with First 8 Memphis to create a new joint ordinance to expand public Pre-K to three-year-olds. This ordinance is expected to pass in late April of 2025.
After policy is adopted, it may need further support to make a positive impact. This is why Seeding Success also works with leaders across all relevant public agencies to ensure policy is implemented in the best way possible.
Grant Writing
Funding is key to the success and sustainability of innovative projects. By acting as a hub for grant writing and helping fellow Memphis and Shelby County-based organizations pursue funding opportunities, Seeding Success has helped bring more than $320 million into local schools and communities since 2019.
Thanks to a successful collaboration throughout 2022, North Shelby County communities have seen an additional $15 million investment from the U.S. Department of Education’s Full-Service Community Schools grant. We also raised a $15 million local match, resulting in a total of $30 million going toward students and families in Memphis and Shelby County.
The Shelby County Community Schools Partnership, a collaboration between several local education agencies and S2, meets quarterly to discuss how they are addressing challenges students and families face through the community schools model. This model brings resources and services, such as food pantries or health care, into schools, increasing access to identified needs in a particular area.
In 2024, Seeding Success received a $999K grant to fund a study of the Returning Neighbors Program alongside the Shelby County Office of Reentry (SCOR), the Center for Research in Educational Policy (CREP) at the University of Memphis, Hope Credit Union, and Hospitality Hub.
Returning Neighbors provides safe, affordable housing, employment opportunities, and wraparound services to justice-involved individuals. With funding received from the grant, the study will be able to demonstrate the impact of providing housing support on recidivism, employment, and housing stability in Shelby County.
