Founding Executive Director Street Fair Memphis

Street Fair Memphis

Street Fair is building a public movement for safer, more connected streets in Memphis, and we're looking for a founding Executive Director to turn that momentum into lasting policy change and infrastructure investment. Currently housed within Innovate Memphis, Street Fair is a community-driven initiative advancing better local policies and resources for transportation & mobility through advocacy, storytelling, and public engagement. Under the founding Executive Director's leadership, our goal is for Street Fair to become an independent nonprofit to fully meet its advocacy mission.

Street Fair Memphis seeks an entrepreneurial and strategic Founding Executive Director to lead the organization during a critical early phase of growth. This leader will shape the organization’s public presence, policy influence, and long-term sustainability.

In the first 12-24 months, success in this role will be defined by:

• Building a visible and engaged public constituency
• Establishing a strong media and membership-driven advocacy platform
• Strengthening the organization’s role in transportation policy and accountability
• Supporting and facilitating select high-impact events that drive awareness, community support, and funding
• Developing a diversified, sustainable funding model through a combination of individual donations, sponsor ships, and grants

This role treats communications not just as outreach but as a core engine for influence, community-building, and revenue.

The ideal candidate is:

• A mission-driven advocate for safer, more equitable streets who understands Memphis
• A compelling storyteller who can capture attention and drive action
• A community builder who can turn supporters into advocates
• A strategic thinker who can connect advocacy and fundraising activities into a cohesive model
• An entrepreneurial leader comfortable building systems from the ground up, albeit with support and coaching from Innovate Memphis staff, the Street Fair steering team, and technical experts

• Build a Public Constituency & Movement
• Develop and grow a visible, vocal base of engaged supporters and advocates
• Activate residents through community outreach, storytelling, and public engagement
• Build systems for supporter engagement (email lists, membership, calls to action)
• Grow and maximize flagship events (e.g., William's Walk, World Day of Remembrance) as platforms for storytelling, advocacy, and fundraising
• Integrate events into a broader strategy that drives audience growth, membership, and donor engagement
• Establish Street Fair as a trusted, recognizable voice on transportation and street safety
• Lead Media & Membership-Driven Advocacy
• Develop and execute a strong content platform (e.g., newsletters, social media, storytelling) that improves public understanding and support for effective street safety measures
• Launch and test a membership/subscriber model that builds both community and sustainable revenue
• Translate complex transportation issues into compelling, accessible narratives
• Strengthen Policy & Advocacy Impact
• Serve as a consistent, credible advocate for transportation and street safety priorities
• Build relationships with city officials, civic agencies, and policymakers to promote change
• Track public investments and plans and translate them into clear public accountability
• Diversify and Strengthen Funding
• Build a sustainable funding model that reduces reliance on any single grant source
• Grow revenue through membership, events, sponsor ships, philanthropy, and grants
• Manage and/or oversee staff & contractors supporting grant writing & donor engagement

This role and Street Fair as a whole are designed to grow over time with contractor and partner…