Slingshot Memphis proposes data-driven overhaul for Milton community grants

Slingshot Memphis pitched a two-track plan to strengthen Shelby Countys Reginald Milton Community Enhancement Grant program, offering to redesign grantmaking infrastructure and establish ongoing impact measurement.

"I'm Jared Barnett. I'm the president and CEO of Slingshot Memphis," Barnett said as he outlined the nonprofits proposal. He told the subcommittee Slingshot would analyze recent allocations, help define measurable objectives, refine applications to capture necessary data, and create reporting templates for grantees.

Barnett described the work as dependent and sequential: the county would first need strengthened application and compliance systems, then Slingshot would help produce annual impact reports. "We think there's two ways of doing this," he said, framing the effort as both an application/compliance redesign and a separate impact-data stream the county could use year over year.

Slingshot estimated roughly six months to develop application changes and documentation and about three months annually to compile impact reporting after the grantmaking infrastructure was in place. The presenters emphasized that the operating manual and templates would aim to make changes durable across personnel turnover. They left cost estimates for later planning if the commission chooses to pursue a contracted engagement.