The initial goal of Higher Purpose Co (HPC) was to create the change we wanted to see in our community. We scaled up our work in 2016-2019 to create an innovative nonprofit organization. Over the past five years, HPC has been blessed with tremendous growth which led to supporting entrepreneurs, farmers, artists, and nonprofit leaders across Mississippi. The impact of our work achieved milestones such as 400+ jobs created, $1.5M in funding deployed, and business education provided for 3,000 people.
We know our work is important and provides a beacon of light in a state that is often forgotten. It has been difficult to resource our work in the current landscape. Therefore, due to a projected $1M funding decrease, we must realign our strategy and focus exclusively on the Mississippi Delta region, making the following changes effective immediately:
- Discontinue statewide strategy and membership program
- Reduce team members and close offices across the state
- Streamline programs, finance, and operations to increase sustainability
These changes are difficult to navigate and we still remain hopeful about the future. We invite you to embrace the next chapter of our work as we focus on the Higher Purpose Hub space and strategy in Mississippi Delta, prioritizing business ownership, capital access, health & wellness, food justice, and arts & culture. By leveraging our integrated tools: education, storytelling, and grantmaking we will develop a model rooted in improving economic opportunity across the region.
We are grateful to be in community with you and look forward to sharing more updates soon. Our team will use the next two weeks off to prioritize self-care and spend time with our families. I’m optimistic we will return renewed and energized to deepen our collective work across the Mississippi Delta.
Best,
Dr. Tim Lampkin | Founder & CEO
Higher Purpose Co.