Commission approves $250,000 one-time grant for South Memphis Renewal, rejects referral to committee

The Shelby County Board of Commissioners approved a $250,000 one-time grant to the South Memphis Renewal Community Development Corporation after a debate over funding sources and calls for additional metrics.

Sponsor Commissioner Henry E. Brooks described the award as a repeat of resolutions supporting summer camps for children who lack supervision during the summer and who rely on partner organizations for food: "This resolution is basically a repeat of the resolutions that I sponsor... the summer camps are camps whereby children... they are children who are on the street, do not have anywhere to go during the summer," Brooks said, urging prompt funding.

Commissioner Britney Thornton urged referral to committee to clarify the funding source and to see metrics on prior program performance, saying: "I don't know how many youth we've served... I don't know how many youth we've served, what exactly the locations are..." The motion to refer the item to committee failed. County Attorney Megan Smith and Audrey Tipton, director of administration and finance, clarified that the money was already budgeted: "This is not coming out of fund balance... we do have the $250,000 already budgeted in the FY26 general fund budget," Tipton said.

On the final vote the commission recorded nine ayes and two abstentions (Commissioners Mills and Bradford), and the motion passed.

Commissioners asked that sponsor-provided metrics and partner information be posted online so the public can review how the funds will be used and who will deliver the services.