Faculty Toolkit

The UofM is fortunate to have strong relationships with local and national corporations and foundations. We encourage our faculty and staff to connect with us to strategize approaches to organizations. We can assist faculty and staff in identifying appropriate prospects, approaching corporations and foundations, developing the proposal, and stewarding gifts and grants.  
 
Institutional Information 
 
Legal Name and Address: 
The University of Memphis 
315 Administration Building 
Memphis, Tennessee 38152-3370 
 
University of Memphis Foundation 
635 Normal St 
Memphis, TN 38152 
 
Federal Entity Identification Number: 
University of Memphis: 62-0648618 
University of Memphis Foundation: 62-6048540 
 
Tax Information: 
The University of Memphis is an exempt organization under 501(c). A copy of the determination letter may be found HERE.
 
The University of Memphis Foundation is incorporated as a nonprofit and is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. A copy of the determination letter may be found HERE.
 
Congressional Districts: 
U.S. Congressional District: TN009 
TN Senate: District 33 
TN House of Representatives: District 91 
Development District: TN Department of Economic/Community Development District 9 
 
Frequently Asked Questions 
 
I have a donor in mind to support my program. What do I do now? 
 
Please contact Bonita Terry-Malone or Matt Walker in the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations to ensure that your project is coordinated with other UofM efforts. The UofM may already have a relationship with the entity. Together, we can work on your proposal and develop a strategy that increases your chance of success. 
 
What is the process for submitting a proposal? 
 
Each corporation and foundation are different, and we are here to guide you through their processes. Contact us before approaching a corporation or foundation. This likely will increase your chance of success. We will work with you to develop a timeline that results in a strong proposal submission. 
 
How do I know what a corporation or foundation will support? 
 
Corporations and foundations generally list their funding priorities on their websites. Sometimes, the funder will provide a list of grant recipients for the current year. You may also find this information on an entity’s IRS Form 990. The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations can provide this information to you. We have access to a number of databases that provide insight into funding activities. 
 
Why can I not approach a particular corporation or foundation? 
 
Many of our local corporations and foundations have active relationships with the UofM. The UofM has a priority-driven agenda with a few select funders and a process in place to ensure that the same few corporations and foundations are not simultaneously inundated with requests from our University. Many of these relationships are managed through the President's Office, and approaches are made for major gifts for key University priorities.  
 
Often, there are current conversations happening with corporate and foundation funders and/or there is a longstanding relationship. Additionally, funders will sometimes request that UofM coordinates all proposals centrally, and this is accomplished through the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations. Please contact the Director of Development in your College or the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations prior to contacting any foundations or corporations for philanthropic support. 
 
What is an RFP? 
 
An RFP is a request for proposals. It is how some corporations and foundations advertise that they are seeking to fund projects in certain areas. 
 
What is an LOI? 
 
An LOI is a letter of interest/inquiry/intent. An LOI introduces the organization and program/project to prospective funders in a brief proposal in a format usually outlined by the funder. This is often your best opportunity to engage with a funder and determines if you are invited to submit a full proposal. 
 
What is a match? 
 
Sometimes as a condition of receiving a grant, a funder requires the applicant to provide or raise cash or in-kind goods and services for the project. The match is often expressed as a ratio. A 1:1 match means the applicant must provide or raise an amount equal to the amount requested of the funder. A synonymous term is cost-sharing. An important question to ask of the funder is if in-kind services can be utilized as the match. 
 
What are in-kind services and goods? 
 
In-kind goods and services are items of value for which an organization would have to pay cash if it were necessary to purchase them. In-kind goods and services can often be used to fulfill a match requirement. For example, if a colleague who has expertise in program assessment agrees to assess your project without expecting payment, the value of those services could be considered an in-kind contribution. 
 
Funding Resources 
 
Our team of experienced corporate and foundation relations officers can help you identify funding opportunities for your projects. Contact us (mail to cfr@memphis.edu) and we will be happy to work with you to meet your funding needs. 
 
FoundationSearch - FoundationSearch is one of North America's leading sources of funding information for non-profits and charities. Their online resource includes more than 120,000 foundations, representing billions of dollars in annual granting, and includes tools to locate grants by type, value, year, recipient, donor and historical giving trends, and much more. 
 
ProPublica Non-profit Explorer – Free database with summaries of three million tax returns from tax-exempt organizations. You can use this database to see where charitable organizations are directing their contributions.