THE MID SOUTH COMMISSION
TO BUILD PHILANTHROPY
Developing Community Wealth,
Promoting Racial and Social Equity

With funding from the Ford Foundation, the Mid South Commission to Build Philanthropy was established in January 2003 and consisted of thirty-two philanthropic, nonprofit, and corporate leaders from the region. The goal of this diverse group of Mid South citizens was to explore new ways to build philanthropy in the Mid South. The Commission developed a set of recommendations and strategies to make philanthropy more effective in dealing with racial and social equity for all citizens in the region.

The Commission studied community-based philanthropy in the Mid South, Chicago, and also internationally in Brazil and South Africa where it visited areas and organizations that are currently facing or overcoming similar problems. The Commission toured these programs, asked questions, studied their models, and integrated the information into their own suggestions for addressing the problems facing the people of the Mid South.

The Commission's report to the region was released on February 14, 2005. Click >>>here for a PDF of the full report (1.2MB).

Click >>>here to download a printable version of the Mid South Commission to Build Philanthropy fact sheet.