New Report: Affordable Housing Trust Fund research completed by UNC Morehead Cain Scholars
In summer 2024, our latest cohort of Morehead Cain Scholars completed new research on the City of Memphis’ Affordable Housing Trust Fund and presented their findings to Mayor Paul Young and his executive leadership team. The resulting research report and presentation include insights on Memphis’ current housing landscape and challenges, how peer cities have developed […]
Learn More
Innovate Memphis’ Susan Dalton receives 40 Under 40 recognition with Memphis Business Journal
Innovate Memphis is pleased to announce that Susan Dalton, Director of Strategic Initiatives, has been recognized in Memphis Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 cohort for 2024. Susan Dalton is a Memphis native who puts community first when she strives to make a positive social impact and has worked at Innovate Memphis for over six years. […]
Learn More
Innovate Memphis welcomes three University of Memphis graduate research fellows for 2023-24
Core to all of Innovate Memphis’ work is collaboration and an evidence-based approach to diagnosing and solving civic problems. Over the past several years, our team has partnered with the University of Memphis School of Urban Affairs & Public Policy (SUAPP) to place graduate research Fellows who work on a portfolio of innovation projects. These […]
Learn More
Director of Data Capacity Development appointed to national civic data executive board
The National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP) is a civic data-centered learning network connecting independent partner organizations in more than 30 cities. Coordinated by the Urban Institute, NNIP’s mission is to ensure all communities have access to data and the skills to use information to advance equity and well-being across neighborhoods. NNIP network organizations share a […]
Learn More
New Report: Evaluating the distribution of community development capital to low-income communities
When it comes to improving upward mobility for Black Memphians, a persistent challenge is having access to strong financial capital and advisory support from the industry. The Memphis Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Network has been bringing financial and housing institutions together with community members for nearly a decade to make access to these resources […]
Learn More
Interview: Connecting Memphis elders to digital resources with Kathy Lofton and Courtney McNeal
In 2022, Innovate Memphis launched a new pilot program to provide digital resources to the Black elder population in some of Memphis’ underserved communities. The program consists of a five-week digital literacy course curriculum, and participants who meet attendance requirements receive a free laptop at their graduation ceremony. As of June 2023, three cohorts of […]
Learn More
Blog: Applying anthropology for successful civic innovation
Guest blog by Applied Anthropology Fellow Jennie Doss, recent graduate of the University of Memphis School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy When I reflect on my time as a graduate fellow working with Innovate Memphis over these past two years, I think of the lessons learned, the work accomplished, and the new friends made […]
Learn More
MBJ: ‘Part of my purpose:’ Innovate Memphis chief of staff Courtney McNeal on her new role
This article originally appeared in the Memphis Business Journal; Photo credit Aleks Antonío Photography for MBJ A friend of Courtney McNeal likes to say that she’s had “nine lives” at Innovate Memphis, and there’s truth to this joke. For nearly six years, McNeal has held a variety of roles with the nonprofit, which designs, incubates, and sustains […]
Learn More
New Report: Clean Memphis partners with Innovate Memphis on food rescue landscape analysis and solutions
We are excited to share that Clean Memphis has published the Memphis Food Rescue Landscape Analysis, a project powered by Innovate Memphis that identifies challenges and potential solutions to address local food insecurity. With funding provided by the City of Memphis and the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), Clean Memphis partnered with Innovate Memphis to […]
Learn More
Eviction Courtwatch Data Release
April 2023 From March 18, 2021 to August 2, 2021 the research team observed the eviction proceedings of the Shelby County, TN General Sessions Civil Court. Each week during this period, researchers were given eviction dockets that provided them with relevant information to follow legal proceedings in the courtroom and complete these surveys. Throughout the […]
Learn More
Courtney McNeal Appointed as Innovate Memphis’ Chief of Staff
Innovate Memphis is pleased to announce the appointment of Courtney McNeal to a newly created Chief of Staff position. Her new duties are effective as of February 2023, and will run concurrently with her City Innovation Director role. McNeal joined Innovate over five years ago overseeing community engagement activities and working on the City’s Memphis […]
Learn More
Transit Equity for Memphis
By Jackson McNeil, Transportation & Mobility Director Transit Equity Day is a national day of action to commemorate the birthday of Rosa Parks by declaring that public transit is a civil right. In Memphis, Innovate Memphis has participated in an annual event on February 4th with other transit advocates and organizations to honor Rosa Parks […]
Learn More
Welcome Jackson McNeil, Transportation and Mobility Director
Innovate Memphis Names New Transportation and Mobility Director MEMPHIS, TN – Innovate Memphis announces the hire of Jackson McNeil as Transportation and Mobility Director for Commute Options. In this role, McNeil is responsible for providing project management and delivery of current and emerging transportation-related projects with a focus on encouraging individuals, employers, and schools to […]
Learn More
2022 in Review at Innovate Memphis
As we prepare for an exciting year ahead for our organization and city, our team at Innovate Memphis is also looking back to celebrate a year of big accomplishments in 2022. We experienced significant changes in organizational leadership with outgoing Executive Director Justin Entzminger taking on a new opportunity at the Bloomberg Center for Public […]
Learn More
How transportation can influence health outcomes
A report from the American Hospital Association suggested that close to 4 million Americans delay or do not receive the medical attention they need due to transportation barriers every year – a figure likely worsened by pandemic-associated economic hardship and isolation. In some ways, this seems obvious. If you don’t have a car – or […]
Learn More
What Rides to Wellness Means for Memphis
Memphians often take for granted our ability to navigate around such a car-dependent metropolis, enabling us to get to what and where we need – weather permitting, at least. Easy access to transportation, which for most of us means the family car, is what allows us to connect with friends and family, go shopping, and […]
Learn More
How Memphis Created the Nation’s Most Innovative Public Library
Smithsonian Magazine | Richard Grant | November 2021 Article Link: How Memphis Created the Nation’s Most Innovative Public Library A must read! Dig into this deep feature story to learn more about the innovative work of the Memphis Public Libraries. Innovate Memphis is proud to support the Memphis Public Libraries, and the downtown Cossitt Library […]
Learn More
Brooking Metro Report: A roadmap to developing inclusive regional economic indicators
Brookings Institution | Alan Berube and Nicole Bateman | October 14, 2021 Article Link: Brookings Metro Report: Inclusive Economic Indicators Brookings Metro ran an Inclusive Economic Indicators Lab to help three regions—Indianapolis, Memphis, and Orlando—develop compelling and influential indicators projects that use metrics to drive more inclusive local economic outcomes. Innovate Memphis, in partnership with […]
Learn More
Going for the Gold: Memphis Levels Up WWC Certification
Bloomberg Cities | July 14, 2021 Article Link: Going for the Gold: Memphis Levels Up WWC Certification Memphis achieved What Works Cities Certification Gold – the national standard of excellence in data-drive city government. A team from Results for America, along with experts on the Certification Standard Committee, conducts the assessment in which local governments […]
Learn More
Fighting Blight In Memphis
Article Link: Fighting Blight | Memphis Metropolis | April 11, 2021 Memphis Metropolis gets deep into the weeds to understand the causes of blight and how community developers are using innovative tools to eradicate it, one property at a time. First, Leslie Smith, executive director of Blight Authority of Memphis, explains what a land bank […]
Learn More
Memphis Metropolis Highlights State of Housing Report
Recently, our Research Fellow, Austin Harrison, joined Emily Trenholm on her new podcast – Memphis Metropolis to talk housing challenges in Memphis and the 2020 State of Memphis Housing report. He was joined by Deputy Director of City of Memphis’ Division of Housing & Community Development, Mairi Albertson, as well as, Dr. Charlie Santo, Associate […]
Learn More
Innovate Memphis joins National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership
Innovate Memphis is proud to announce our acceptance into The National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP).
Learn More
Reimagining the Civic Commons: A Case Study by Urban Institute
August 4, 2020 | Urban Institute For the past four years, Memphis has been proud to participate in Reimagining the Civic Commons, the national initiative to advance ambitious social, economic and environmental goals through transformed public spaces. Participating in this network has helped our project team better engage with the community and create solutions for […]
Learn More
901RideChoice 1 Year of Service
April 17, 2020 | The Spark The theme of The SPARK April 2020 is “Travel and Transportation.” Jeremy C. Park interviews Justin Entzminger and Courtney McNeal of 901RideChoice, a free phone service for older adults and people living with disabilities who need local, reliable transportation options to get to their destinations.
Learn More
Civic Data Hackathon 2020
Article Link: Data Story On March 6-8 2020, the City of Memphis partnered with CodeCrew, Innovate Memphis, Shelby County, StartCo, the FedEx Institute of Technology, and Census 2020 to plan its first Civic Data Hackathon. As part of International Open Data Day, Memphis joined cities all over the world in using open data to address […]
Learn More
Equity at Work: Beloved Community
High Ground News | February 13, 2020 Article Link: Memphis nonprofits ask, “Are we inclusive? Are we equitable?” “What does it mean for an employer to have an inclusive culture and equitable practices? And how does an organization truly reflect the values and identities of the communities it serves? Late last summer, a group of […]
Learn More
Innovate Memphis | City Innovation Leader
A new report and interactive map from Bloomberg Philanthropies and the OECD shows a surge of commitment from cities around the world to build this internal innovation capacity. Memphis was one of the first cohorts of innovation teams and Innovate Memphis continues to work alongside community and public sector leaders to deliver civic solutions.
Learn More
How Memphis transformed its parks into inclusive spaces
Fast Company | November 4, 2019 Article Link: How Memphis Transformed its parks named for Confederate generals into inclusive spaces After taking down Confederate statues, these public spaces and parks have been intentionally redesigned with and for a stronger community where people can enjoy quality public space. The parks were reimagined as part of the […]
Learn More
Local Stakeholders Convene for Complete Streets
Smart Growth America | October 29, 2019 Article Link: Local Stakeholders Convene for Complete Streets A a roundtable hosted by U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (TN-9) in Memphis, TN last week about creating safer streets was almost prescient. Unlike some members of Congress who are still victim blaming (ehm, Rep. John Garamendi [CA-3]), Rep. Cohen is […]
Learn More
A high-quality transit system will propel Shelby County to great heights
Link: Shelby County Deserves Great Transit Opinion Article The Commercial Appeal | October 4, 2019 Sylvia Crum and Erik Henneghan of the Mayor’s Young Professionals Council express the importance of transportation for Shelby County. Our ability to improve public transit will determine how well our county can fully achieve ambitious goals for the future – […]
Learn More
Memphis Affordable Housing Trust Fund
High Ground News Podcast: An affordable housing trust fund for Memphis Paul Young, director of the city’s division of housing and community development and John Paul Shaffer, executive director of BLDG Memphis, discuss the recent creation of a local trust fund that will help support the creation and preservation of affordable housing.
Learn More
Commute Challenge
June 8, 2019 | High Ground News Article: Medical District steps up to Commute Challenge and shared mobility May marks the third annual Commute Challenge by Commute Options, an Innovate Memphis transportation demand management program. This annual month-long initiative aims to encourage Memphians across the metro area to ditch ride-alone commutes in favor of biking, […]
Learn More
Innovate Memphis on CityCURRENT
Podcast Link: Innovate Memphis Justin Entzminger and Susan Dalton join Jeremy Parks on this episode of cityCurrent Radio Show to discuss the newest program for mobility management: 901RideChoice. The conversation shares insight into how the organization works and has developed over time, and reviews details of the program.
Learn More
901RideChoice Program Helps Callers Find Medical Transportation
Article Link: Feature Story: Program Helps Callers Find Medical Transportation Innovate Memphis is leading a new program, 901RideChoice, to improve transportation access for older adults and people living with a disability. This is one of many initiatives Innovate Memphis has developed within their Transportation and Emergency Medical Services work. Learn more about the program in […]
Learn More
Commute Options Commute Challenge for National Bike to Work Day
May 17, 2019 | GOODWorks For the entire month of May, Commute Options, an Innovate Memphis program initiative, is challenging Memphians to shift gears from riding alone, to instead carpooling, using public transit, walking, biking, or scooting to and from work instead. Participants in the Commute Challenge 2019 sign-up for the free challenge, track their […]
Learn More
How the City is Committing to a Stronger Future
April 29, 2019 | Strong Towns Article Link: Memphis’ U-Turn: How the City is Committing to a Stronger Future Doug McGowen, former Director of the innovation team (and current COO), shares the impact of suburban sprawl and development patterns on the health of the city, and the approach to reverse the trend in this Strong […]
Learn More
Building Opportunity for All Panel Discussion
Justin Entzminger, Executive Director, Innovate Memphis, Elena Delavega, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Memphis, and Kendra Freeman, Director of Community Engagement, Metropolitan Planning Council (Chicago) examined the present-day systems that perpetuate poverty in segregated cities like Memphis, Chicago, and others. In Memphis, the solution has often involved attracting outside money with a low-wage, […]
Learn More
5 Lessons from the best data-driven cities
Article: 5 Lessons from the best data-driven cities April 24, 2019. Bloomberg Cities. City of Memphis achieved 2019 Silver Certification of What Works Cities: In this article by Bloomberg Cities, Memphis is highlighted as one of the top cities across the US using data to improve practices and deliver better services for residents. “Memphis received […]
Learn More
Smart City Initiative Seeks to Improve Public Problems
Smart City initiative seeks to improve public problems with technology March 21, 2019 | High Ground News Making Memphis a smart city is a top priority for the City of Memphis, and through its information services team and Innovate Memphis, the city has been seeking civic-minded and smart city technology-based startups to develop creative solutions […]
Learn More
Memphis Medical District Collaborative: Catalyzing Change on a Community Level
Memphis Medical District Collaborative: Catalyzing Change on a Community Level November 11, 2018 Between July and September 2018, The Democracy Collaborative and Innovate Memphis conducted a review of MMDC’s work during its first two years of operation. This research process was composed of a review of baseline anchor data, stakeholder surveys, and current program data; […]
Learn More
Innovate Memphis pushes to revamp Memphis bus system from the ground up
Innovate Memphis pushes to revamp Memphis bus system from the ground up October 3, 2018. High Ground News
Learn More
Armed with data, partners find a new strategy to tackle blighted properties
Armed with data, partners find a new strategy to tackle blighted properties September 12, 2018 | High Ground News Innovate Memphis is working closely with partners including CAESER, Clean Memphis and Neighborhood Preservation Inc. to provide numerous metrics that better indicate what’s going on at a neighborhood level. With multiple sources forming a more comprehensive […]
Learn More
Shared Mobility
Behind the Headlines: Shared Mobility July 6, 2018 | WKNO In their first month, Explore Bike Share and scooter trips exceeded 32,000 trips. In this episode of Behind The Headlines, city leaders address the vision and approach for emerging shared mobility options in Memphis and how intentional deployment, collaboration, and innovation is setting us apart.
Learn More
The Lessons of Bird Electric Scooters
The Lessons of Bird Electric Scooters June 19, 2018 | Smart City Memphis Innovate Memphis helped lay the research for a comprehensive shared mobility framework, with the forethought of these emerging mobility options. In this article, Councilman Kemp Conrad shares his views on the initial lessons of adopting and adapting to innovate a model for […]
Learn More
Bird scooters offer Memphians an option in shared-mobility society
Bird scooters offer Memphians an option in shared-mobility society | Opinion June 16, 2018 | The Commercial Appeal
Learn More
After quick stay in Nashville, Bird scooters flock to Memphis
After quick stay in Nashville, Bird scooters flock to Memphis June 14, 2018. Memphis Business Journal Innovate Memphis helped to develop a Shared Use Mobility Ordinance to support council members in developing this opportunity for mobility options. “Memphis is an innovative city that recognizes the importance of an equitable, affordable and reliable transit system,” said […]
Learn More
Cover story: How an underfunded, inadequate transit system undermines Memphis’ workforce and economy
Cover story: How an underfunded, inadequate transit system undermines Memphis’ workforce and economy June 12, 2018. Memphis Business Journal “Every community of this size should have a viable transportation system, and we really don’t have it,” Luttrell said. One contributing factor leaders cited: the lack of density in the city’s core due to years of […]
Learn More
New Plans Would Change Memphis Medical District
New Plans Would Change Memphis Medical District April 17, 2018. Memphis Daily News
Learn More
Behind The Headlines: New Vision for Memphis Transportation
BTH: New Vision for Memphis Transportation April 2017, 2018. WKNO FM Video interview with Suzanne Carlson, Glenn Gadbois and Scudder Wagg
Learn More
Redesigned bus system brings Memphians closer to work
Redesigned bus system brings Memphians closer to work April 10. 2018. Memphis Business Journals
Learn More
Bus System Overhaul Would Shift Balance of Service to More Frequency
Bus System Overhaul Would Shift Balance of Service to More Frequency April 10, 2018. Memphis Daily News Coverage of the results of the report for Memphis 3.0
Learn More
Memphis 3.0 looks to citizens’ input on shaping city’s transit system
Memphis 3.0 looks to citizens’ input on shaping city’s transit system January 17, 2018. High Ground News “There’s a lot of discussion about how the system used to be, and we try to tell the public that the city was smaller at that time too. The transit vision gives us an opportunity to determine what […]
Learn More
Creating Neighborhoods of Opportunity through Citywide Initiatives
Creating Neighborhoods of Opportunity through Citywide Initiatives 2017. Kresge Annual Report Details from Kresge’s annual report on the collaborative work of NPI and Knowledge Quest to address blight and investment in neighborhoods.
Learn More
Bootcamp talks trash in Downtown Memphis
Bootcamp talks trash in Downtown Memphis October 5, 2017. Memphis Business Journals The Innovation Bootcamp – a collaborative partnership among Innovate Memphis, Lokion, and FedEx Institute of Technology – joined forces to address the challenge of solid waste. “We’re assembling people from nonprofits, for-profits and academia who may or may not ever think about city […]
Learn More
Violence Blocked: 901BLOC expands to further curb youth violence.
Violence Blocked: 901BLOC expands to further curb youth violence. September 28, 2017. The Memphis Flyer 901Bloc is focused on intervention and prevention programs to address the challenge of youth gun violence in Memphis. The 901B.L.O.C. program focuses specifically on youth crime involving guns. Its guiding principle is to meet the city’s at-risk youth where they […]
Learn More
Right Response: EMS initiative breaking down barriers to health care options
Right Response: EMS initiative breaking down barriers to health care options September 8, 2017. Memphis Daily News “A couple of years ago the Memphis Fire Department determined that the non-emergency calls were really bogging down the system,” said Justin Entzminger, director of Innovate Memphis. “Last year alone, out of approximately 130,000 ambulance runs, about 25,000 […]
Learn More
Fire department’s Right Response program saves time, lives
Fire department’s Right Response program saves time, lives August 20, 2017 | The Commercial Appeal Innovate Memphis worked with the Memphis Fire Department to develop the Right Response program, which provides non-emergency callers with appropriate care while ensuring our ambulances are free for true emergencies. It’s a collaborative with local healthcare organizations, area hospitals, nonprofit […]
Learn More
Memphis Property Hub Using Micro-Level Data to Drive Solutions
Memphis Property Hub Using Micro-Level Data to Drive Solutions August 8, 2016. Memphis Daily News The Memphis Property Hub compiles data from multiple public sources to tell the story of Shelby County’s 351,000 parcels. Every piece of property, whether vacant land or a commercial structure, can be traced with Memphis Light, Gas and Water payments, […]
Learn More
New Memphis Property Hub database to provide fine-tuned information in war on blight
New Memphis Property Hub database to provide fine-tuned information in war on blight June 22, 2016. Commercial Appeal
Learn More
Making 911 smarter, safer and cheaper
Making 911 Smarter, Safer, Cheaper June 22, 2016 | The Commercial Appeal One in five calls is a nonemergency — meaning the person who called doesn’t require emergency medical treatment. A review of the Healthcare Navigator Program and the impact on reducing the impact of non-emergency calls.
Learn More
Innovate Memphis develops bold ideas for city
Innovate Memphis develops bold ideas for city April 22, 2016 | High Ground News “Social innovation is the broad mission, but for Innovate Memphis, the process is what really makes the whole endeavor unique in the city.In 2011, Bloomberg Philanthropies awarded Memphis a three-year grant to establish what then was called the Mayor’s Innovation Delivery […]
Learn More
IBM Team Gathers Data on Memphians’ 911 Use
IBM Team Gathers Data on Memphians’ 911 Use Feb 24, 2016 | High Ground News Innovate Memphis obtained a grant from IBM Smarter Cities Challenge to capture and utilize data and develop smarter strategies. The Memphis Fire Department – Emergency Medica Services Division aims to reduce non-emergency use of emergency resources by supplementing a healthcare […]
Learn More
Former Innovation Delivery Team expands mission, changes name
Former Innovation Delivery Team expands mission, changes namen Nov, 6, 2015 Memphis Business Journal Innovate Memphis was previously known as the Mayor’s Innovation Delivery Team. One of the first Bloomberg Philanthropies “Innovation Teams” the Memphis cohort has been the first to expand and continue the mission outside of Bloomberg funding. With the name change came […]
Learn More
City Innovators Share What Idea Generation Means to Them
City Innovators Share What Idea Generation Means to Them July 21, 2015. Bloomberg Philanthropies Bloomberg Philanthropies asked i-teams directors and team members to define what idea generation means to them, and share their thoughts on how they approach this vital step in government innovation. Previous Director, Doug McGowen shares his insight.
Learn More
Lowering Crime + Reviving Neighborhoods
How Memphis is lowering crime and reviving neighborhoods Dec 16, 2014 | CNN n the face dwindling budgets and changing societal needs, the nation’s mayors are using innovation to solve their most pressing problems. With support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, five mayors have deployed innovation teams to deliver creative solutions that improve the lives of their […]
Learn More
MEMFix Lessons
Build it and they will learn: lasting lessons from temporary MEMFix projects Oct 14, 2014 | High Ground News High Ground takes a look at the roots of the tactical urbanism movement in Memphis, beginning with the surprising success of Broad Avenue. With the support of adaptive city leadership and invigorated neighborhood stakeholders, each MEMFix […]
Learn More
South Land MEMFix
South Land MEMFix Memphis Flyer | Oct 10, 2013 The concept for MEMFix is gatheting attention with a neighborhood block party to reactivating streets and vacant storefronts. Previous events have been held in Crosstown and the University of Memphis area. This article highlights the South MEMFix is a partnership between the mayor’s team, the LeMoyne-Owen […]
Learn More
Memphis Gun Down Literacy Program
Knowledge Is Power : Memphis Gun Down program turns attention to literacy. Oct 3, 2013 | Memphis Flyer A collaborative effort between Wharton’s Memphis Gun Down project, a plan that seeks to reduce youth gun violence by 20 percent in selected areas of South Memphis and Frayser and 10 percent citywide by September 2014, and manufacturing […]
Learn More
Innovating Governance from Outside
Innovating Governance from Outside Mention of Memphis and the Bloomberg Innovation Delivery Teams. …The teams use different strategies in each of the selected cities, ranging from an emphasis on prototyping to competition. In Memphis, for instance, the focus was on bringing government agencies together to target specific neighborhoods. It began with bringing 45 representatives from…
Learn More©2024 Innovate Memphis. All Rights Reserved
Created by eBiz Solutions.