About Us
Rooted in Family. Dedicated to Memphis.
Hyde Family Foundation is a hands-on, Memphis-rooted philanthropy committed to long-term investment in our city's cultural assets, education system, neighborhoods, public spaces, and civic leadership.
We work alongside nonprofit, public, and private partners to advance solutions that improve quality of life, expand opportunity, and position Memphis for a strong future.
A generational commitment.
In 1961, J.R. Hyde Sr. founded a family foundation in Memphis on a simple conviction: to whom much is given, much is required.
Decades later, Pitt and Barbara Hyde continue to build on that legacy with a strategic focus, creating Hyde Family Foundation in 1992 with a focused ambition: to invest strategically and entrepreneurially in Memphis’ long-term future.
How We Work
Guided by Impact 2028, our current strategic plan.
Today, Hyde Family 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: a Memphis where residents can thrive and where the rest of the world takes notice.
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, guided by four core 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.
Our Commitment to Equity
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A thriving Memphis means a Memphis that works for everyone. We define equity simply: every Memphian, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, zip code, health, or disability, deserves a full and fair chance to participate in economic and civic life and to reach their potential. This 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.
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.