Ask MARCA Projects

Memphis Tenants Union

Created a comprehensive database and GIS map of Health and Education Facility Board (HEHF) properties with eviction and code data as of October 2025, which will inform MTU's housing blitzes that assess tenant housing conditions.

“We're going to be using this project to make data informed decisions about our future organizing projects. It's also going to help us communicate the need for greater accountability over how our local tax dollars are being spent.”

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis

Distilled a 25+ page economic white paper into brief key findings using everyday language. Key findings will be used by staff in communicating the impact of Habitat's work in presentations and reports.

“Accessing findings quickly is a necessity for non-academic staff who need to incorporate research in ways that are accessible to a variety of audiences and easily understood and applied. This project provided a tool for clearer dialogue for leaders without research backgrounds who must meet highly detailed expectations and tight deadlines quickly.”

Memphis Public Interest Law Center

Developed a report about promising practices for commercial building to housing conversion, paired with an inventory of vacant commercial Memphis buildings with a potential for conversion. The findings will inform the feasibility of this strategy for affordable housing development in Memphis.

“Our MARCA team is helping us access information and connect dots about local problems in a way that will help us better understand critical aspects of our housing crisis and advocate for solutions based on local realities and numbers, and several years ahead of schedule!”

Housing for All TN

Completing analysis and developing data visualizations of data captured in a statewide tenant survey in Spring 2026. The data will be included in a report that will be used for advocacy related to tenants' rights across the state of Tennessee.

Black Clergy Collaborative of Memphis

Conducted a review of the organization's pre-existing landlord and tenant rights surveys with a focus on methodological feasibility and clarity for respondents. Two new surveys were developed along with an outline of additional recommendations to improve data collection. The surveys informed the Housing for All TN statewide tenant survey.

“MARCA's review of the survey questions helped our research group get off the ground by ensuring the language was clear, relevant, and easy for the intended audience to understand... we strengthened the survey's quality and credibility, reduced potential bias, and launched the project with greater confidence and momentum.”

The VETS

Compiling an inventory of data focused on Shelby County veterans’ health, access to healthcare, and other benefits information. The data will be used to inform survey development to engage veterans in healthcare advocacy efforts.

Center for Transforming Communities

Compiled existing health, food access, and demographic data to develop a survey around barriers to health care access to help support the organization's work on the Project Diabetes grant. An infographic with data for key zip codes was also produced for use with project participants.

“This collaboration with MARCA has given CTC a firm launch pad for Project Diabetes to help realize food, health, and transportation access to disinvested communities across Memphis.”

Friends For All

Developed infographic visualizations that simply and clearly explain the tool used to screen clients, connect them to services, and the pathways to retaining clients in care. Infographics will be used for conversations with funders and for reference in grant applications.

Memphis Inner City Rugby

Developing a report focused on factors that influence upward social mobility for young people, specifically in a southern context. The report connects the organization’s sports programming and mentorship opportunities to pathways of upward social mobility to be used in funding conversations.

Agape Child & Family Services

Developed an inventory of data focused on community wellbeing, economic mobility, education, safety and housing stability.

City Leadership

Prepared a report focused on college persistence among young people, the transition into early career and the role of place attachment to inform the work of City Leadership’s Alumni 901 program and data collection practices.

Dress for Success Memphis

Compiled existing data and developed visualizations around women's labor force participation, unemployment, and sectors of employment across Memphis zip codes. Data and infographic will be used in grant applications.

Everystory

Analyzed data collected by the organization on a community violence intervention program delivered at Memphis Allies. Provided interpretation and visualization of findings for Everystory to use in reporting and for program improvement.

HopeWorks

Developed a report focused on best practices for work readiness programs with a focus on programs that serve individuals with felony backgrounds in a southern context. Findings will be used to inform local programming and in grant applications.

Women's Foundation for a Greater Memphis

Developed an inventory of data focused on community wellbeing, education, workforce development and housing stability in WFGM’s investment areas. The data was compiled into infographics for use in internal conversations around strategic planning.

Conducted a review of the organization's pre-existing landlord and tenant rights surveys with a focus on methodological feasibility and clarity for respondents. Two new surveys were developed along with an outline of additional recommendations to improve data collection. The surveys informed the Housing for All TN statewide tenant survey.

“MARCA's review of the survey questions helped our research group get off the ground by ensuring the language was clear, relevant, and easy for the intended audience to understand... we strengthened the survey's quality and credibility, reduced potential bias, and launched the project with greater confidence and momentum.”

Built an online inventory of community development in Klondike Smokey City dating back to the 1910s in support of a community museum initiative.

“The MARCA partnership gave us more capacity to dive deeper into our archival work. It will help us with creating a more in-depth community museum archive.”

Compiled existing data around youth high school dropout rates and adult education and attainment rates in Memphis and the Midsouth to inform program development and grant applications. Prepared an infographic for reference in grant applications.

Completed data entry and developed a report focused on assessing behavior among preschool-aged students to improve internal data tracking for the Early Childhood Academy program. Prepared an infographic on data from the Early Childhood Academy program to be used in conversations with current and prospective ECA families.