About Us
Rooted in Family. Dedicated to Memphis.
Created by Barbara and Pitt Hyde, Hyde Family Foundation is grounded in generations of giving to create a thriving Memphis for all.
A Legacy of Giving
The Hyde family's commitment to Memphis runs deep. In 1961, J.R. Hyde Sr. (Pitt's grandfather) founded the J.R. Hyde Sr. Foundation, where a teenage Pitt joined the board and absorbed the family's guiding conviction: to whom much is given, much is required. That foundation operated in Memphis for more than 50 years.
A New Philanthropic Vision
In 1992, Barbara and Pitt Hyde created Hyde Family Foundation with a focused ambition: to invest strategically and entrepreneurially in Memphis' long-term future. They set out to build on Memphis' distinctive strengths, its culture, its people, its institutions, and prove that a mid-size American city could compete and lead on a national stage.
A Strategic Approach
Today, Hyde Foundation concentrates its work in four areas: education, arts and culture, leadership and civic pride, and neighborhoods and public spaces. In each, the goal is the same: to make Memphis a place where its residents can thrive and where the rest of the world takes notice. Our work is guided by Impact 2028, our current strategic plan, which sets out the priorities and investments we believe will move Memphis forward through the end of the decade.
Our Commitment to Equity
A thriving Memphis means a Memphis that works for everyone. We define equity simply: every Memphian regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, zip code, health, or ability deserves a full and fair chance to participate in economic and civic life, to shape their own future, and to reach their potential. That commitment isn't separate from our work it's built into how we choose where to invest, who we partner with, and what outcomes we're working toward.
How We Work
Hyde Family Foundation is not a passive funder. We work alongside our partners to understand context, support strategy, and help build the capacity needed to achieve lasting results. We bring resources, relationships, and long-term commitment to the table — and we believe that's how good ideas grow into real, durable change.
Our work is guided by four principles:
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Hands-on partnership
We are true partners with the organizations we fund, aligning our efforts, bringing people together, and working toward shared goals rather than dictating outcomes from a distance.
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Long-term, place-based
Lasting change takes time. We sustain our investments in Memphis' people, neighborhoods, and institutions over the long haul, rather than chasing short-term wins or moving on when work gets hard.
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Cross-sector collaboration.
No single organization solves a city's challenges alone. We connect nonprofits, public institutions, philanthropic partners, and community leaders to align resources and multiply what's possible.
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Ongoing learning
We continuously assess what's working, listen to our partners and to the community, and adapt as we go. We don't have all the answers and we don’t pretend to.
In the News
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"Pitt Hyde has spent more than four decades doubling down on bold civic initiatives to strengthen opportunity and community resilience."
John Hyatt | Inside a Billionaire’s Fight to Save Memphis
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"This determined, intelligent, long-running, and brave giving and civic leadership is changing the texture of Memphis."
Evan Sparks | Making Miracles in Memphis
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"What differentiates the Hydes from other philanthropists is that they invest in relationships and build community."
Anna Traverse | An Afternoon with Pitt and Barbara Hyde
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"Memphis Art Museum will be the next great place in the city, because of Barbara and Pitt Hyde."
Geoff Calkins | Daily Memphian
Inspired by Memphis.
Invested in the world.
Hyde Family Foundation is supported by Pittco Management, a single family office that provides investment, accounting, tax and financial services.