When national organizations invest locally, it means they see what we’ve always known: Memphis is full of talent, creativity, and young people who were born ready to lead.
The NBA Foundation recently announced its 2026 Local Grantees, awarding funding to organizations across the country that are creating real school-to-career pathways for young people. This year, Memphis showed up strong, with several powerful local nonprofits receiving support, including City Leadership, the umbrella organization behind Choose901.
This investment isn’t just generous, it’s intentional. It’s about providing a new level of access and opportunity for young Memphians. And it’s already making an impact right here in the 901.
City Leadership: Building Pipelines, Not Just Programs
At the heart of this announcement is City Leadership, a non-profit consulting agency dedicated to recruiting, developing, and catalyzing leaders in the city of Memphis.
One of its most impactful initiatives is the Choose901 Alumni Program: a growing pipeline of thousands of young Memphians who attend and graduate from one of the Choose901 Alumni partner schools. Every student automatically becomes a Choose901 Alum, unlocking access to:
- Mentorship and coaching
- Networking and career exposure
- Professional development resources
- A real-life team of cheerleaders invested in their success!
The goal is simple but powerful: help young people not only launch careers, but build lives they’re excited to enjoy right here in Memphis.
Beyond the Alumni Program, City Leadership also powers four sister campaigns—Choose901, Teach901, Serve901, and Give901—each tackling the city’s biggest opportunities from a different angle. Whether it’s talent attraction, education, service projects, or generosity, City Leadership is helping move the city forward together.
Junior Achievement of Memphis & the Mid-South: Future-Ready Skills, Right Now
Junior Achievement empowers young people to solve problems, think critically, and become engaged members of their communities, so they feel excited about the future and know how to reach their dreams.
Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South has been educating K–12 students about entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy since 1955. Through hands-on programs and best-in-class curriculum, JA helps young Memphians build practical tools they can carry for life, whether that’s learning how money works, how careers take shape, or what it really looks like to turn an idea into something real!
Memphis Medical District Collaborative (MMDC): Connecting Talent to Opportunity
The Memphis Medical District Collaborative (MMDC) is another NBA Foundation grantee making a tangible difference in workforce development.
Home to hospitals, universities, businesses, and neighborhoods, the Medical District sits at the intersection of several different industries. In all of that, MMDC focuses on five core priorities:
- Collaborating with anchor institutions
- Increasing housing opportunities
- Growing mixed-use developments
- Improving public life
- Building community
Through its Hire Local initiative, MMDC connects residents in surrounding zip codes to training, education, and employment opportunities within the Medical District. The program partners directly with local workforce providers to make sure the community’s talent can access local jobs.
Man Up Teacher Fellowship: Building a Pipeline of Leaders in the Classroom
Man Up is on a mission to recruit, train, and place a talented pipeline of men of color who can be impactful in any school setting, and to work relentlessly to ensure the success of all young Memphians they come across.
Through the Man Up Teacher Fellowship, participants have the opportunity to obtain licensure, earn a Master’s of Education, and become certified in Educational Leadership at no cost. This is a five-year program designed to remove barriers, invest deeply in educators, and strengthen classrooms with leaders who are prepared to serve students for the long haul.
At its core, Man Up is about more than staffing classrooms, it’s about shaping school culture, increasing representation, and building the kind of long-term support the city’s local students deserve.
Crosstown Arts: Creativity as a Career Path
Career readiness doesn’t look the same for everyone, and Crosstown Arts proves that creative expression can be a powerful pathway forward.
As a nonprofit contemporary arts organization, Crosstown Arts prioritizes helping Memphians develop their voices through project-based, hands-on art workshops. Crosstown Art’s work is deeply connected to Crosstown High School, while also extending to partnerships with schools across the city, including Central High, The Soulsville Charter School, Snowden, Northwest Prep, and Humes Middle School.
Through after-school workshops, exhibition tours, and creative mentorship, students move from inspiration to finished work, often showcased to the city in legit ways. Through these workshops, young artists are building confidence, technical skills, and a sense of belonging in Memphis’ creative community.
Why This Is a Big Deal for Memphis
The NBA Foundation’s investment sends a clear message: Memphis’ young people are worth betting on.
From workforce training and job placement to creative development and leadership pipelines, these organizations are helping ensure the next generation has the tools and the support to thrive.
This is what it looks like when national resources meet local vision. And it’s just the beginning.
