moralbudget.com
About the Moral Budget Coalition
We believe that budgets are moral documents — that every dollar a government spends is a public declaration of what that community values. The Moral Budget Coalition was founded on the conviction that Memphis and Shelby County budgets should reflect the needs and priorities of all residents, especially those most harmed by decades of disinvestment.
Our Story
The Moral Budget Coalition emerged from years of community organizing work across Memphis and Shelby County. Neighborhood associations, faith communities, labor groups, and advocacy organizations had each been fighting their own budget battles — for more affordable housing funding, for restored library hours, for mental health alternatives to policing, for youth programs in disinvested neighborhoods.
What we discovered, again and again, was that these fights were not separate. They were all expressions of the same underlying question: whose needs does the budget actually serve?
In 2021, coalition partners came together to develop a unified community budget platform — a set of research-backed, community-driven budget priorities grounded in the principle that a moral budget invests in people, not just institutions. Over two years of listening sessions, data analysis, and organizing, the Moral Budget Coalition identified $69.5 million in targeted investments that would meaningfully improve life for Memphis and Shelby County residents — representing approximately 7% of the city's operating budget.
The tools on this site — the Budget Simulator, Budget Review, and this education hub — were built to put that knowledge in the hands of every resident, not just professional advocates. Because when more people understand the budget, more people can change it.
Our Mission
The Moral Budget Coalition advocates for a budget that:
Our Budget Priorities
Education & Youth Development
Youth programs, expanded pre-K access, after-school services, and pathways out of poverty for Memphis's youngest residents. Investing in young people today prevents far greater costs tomorrow.
$8.5M proposedHousing & Community Development
Affordable housing investment, anti-displacement protections, and neighborhood revitalization — especially in communities that have absorbed decades of disinvestment and neglect.
$12.3M proposedHealth & Community Safety
Mental health services, community health centers, violence interruption programs, and parks & recreational facilities — non-police public safety investments proven to reduce harm.
$17.1M proposedEconomic Justice & Opportunity
Living wage jobs in city services, workforce development, small business support, and transit improvements (via MATA advocacy) that connect residents to economic opportunity.
$31.6M proposedWhat Happened Last Budget Cycle
The coalition successfully advocated for increased funding for Housing & Community Development and maintained youth program budgets amid broader pressure for cuts. The Mayor's proposed budget was amended by City Council to restore partial funding to several community center programs after organized public testimony. We fell short of our full affordable housing investment target, and transit advocacy (directed at MATA, not the city budget) is ongoing.
The FY2026 city budget process is underway. The coalition is prioritizing mental health alternative services, youth employment funding, and increased transparency in PILOT reporting. Budget hearings will begin in spring — your participation is needed.
Get Involved
You don't need to be a policy expert to make a difference. The most powerful thing you can do is show up — informed, specific, and with your community.
Other ways to engage:
- Attend our monthly coalition meetings
- Testify at City Council budget hearings
- Volunteer for neighborhood budget education
- Share your budget priorities with elected officials
- Subscribe to our budget tracking newsletter
Contact the Coalition: