Charity Nonprofit Offices Across Mississippi

Mississippi has a wide network of charities, foundations, and community groups, and most of them are small. One listing might be a statewide health organization in the Jackson area. Another might be a church association in Vicksburg or a family resource center in a Delta town. Knowing which kind of office you are calling saves time. This page explains how the sector is organized in Mississippi, who oversees it, and how to approach an office so your call or visit gets results.

Our database holds 90 charity and nonprofit listings across 38 cities and 26 counties. Mississippi has 82 counties, so many communities have no listing of their own. In those places the nearest office is often one county over. Phone ahead before you drive, especially in rural areas where distances are long and staff hours can be short.

Who Oversees Charities and Nonprofits in Mississippi

Mississippi has no single charity department that runs every nonprofit. Oversight is divided among several bodies. Knowing the split tells you where to verify an organization or file a complaint.

Registration is not an endorsement. A charity can be properly incorporated and still be a poor fit for your need, or run by volunteers who answer the phone only twice a week. Treat the paperwork as a starting point and then ask direct questions.

Metro Jackson, the Gulf Coast, and Rural Mississippi Compared

The state's charity map follows its population. Jackson alone accounts for 22 of our 90 listings, and the broader metro is where statewide organizations tend to locate. In Hinds County, the Foundation For The Mid South has an office at 134 East Amite Street in Jackson. You can reach it at 601-355-8167. Across the county line, the metro continues into Ridgeland and Madison. The Life Share Foundation is at 449 Greenwood Lane in Ridgeland (601-898-2075), and the Cerebral Palsy Foundation of Mississippi is at 136 Ingleside Road in Madison (888-852-1961). Both are in Madison County. East of Jackson in Rankin County, the American Lung Association has an office on Katherine Drive in Flowood (601-420-9330), and the Epilepsy Foundation of Mississippi is on Airport Road in Pearl (601-936-5222).

The Gulf Coast has its own pattern. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 reshaped the local charity community, and hurricane season, from June through November, still drives much of the work. In Harrison County you will find Make A Wish Foundation at 2301 14th Avenue in Gulfport (228-575-8691). The St Vincent De Paul Society is at 10499 Boney Avenue in D'Iberville (228-392-6008), and the Cornerstone Foundation is on Woolmarket Road in Biloxi (228-207-1811). Coastal offices often change schedules around storms, so confirm hours when a system is in the Gulf.

North Mississippi leans on two hubs. Tupelo anchors the northeast, where the Salvation Army sits at 1803 President Avenue (662-844-7080). In the northwest corner, DeSoto County is part of the Memphis metro area. The Maddox Foundation is at 180 West Commerce Street in Hernando (662-449-3699), and the Desoto Family Resource Center is at 6585 Horn Lake Road in Horn Lake (662-342-7282). The North Mississippi Home Builders Association is in Southaven at 5699 Getwell Road (662-349-0181).

Rural Mississippi and the Delta look different. Listings are sparse, and each office covers a large area. The National Association Of Junior Auxiliaries is at 845 South Main Street in Greenville (662-332-3000). The Community Student Learning Center is at 333 Yazoo Street in Lexington (662-834-0905). Others are the Mississippi Rural Center in Columbia, the Wesley Foundation in Lorman, the Cotesworth Culture and Heritage Center in Carrollton, and the Gilmore Foundation in Amory. For a rural resident, one phone call often replaces a wasted hour on the road.

Reading Mississippi Listings: Grantmakers, Direct Service, and Membership Groups

Not every nonprofit helps individuals directly. The directory includes three broad types, and the name usually hints at which one you are dealing with.

Foundations. The Foundation For The Mid South, the Community Foundation Of East Mississippi in Meridian, the Chisholm Foundation in Laurel, the Gilmore Foundation, and the Maddox Foundation are examples. Foundations often fund other organizations instead of handing out aid. Ask whether they accept applications from individuals or only from nonprofits, and whether they have a deadline cycle.

Direct-service groups. The Salvation Army in Tupelo, the St Vincent De Paul Society in D'Iberville, the Desoto Family Resource Center, and Charity Village Family Life in Crawford are the kind of offices people visit for practical help. Services vary by site. Ask what is offered, who qualifies, and whether you need an appointment.

Membership and affiliated groups. The Southern Miss Alumni Association in Hattiesburg, the Warren County Baptist Association in Vicksburg, and the North Mississippi Home Builders Association are nonprofits, but their main audience is members. They are useful for networking or community projects. They are not emergency aid offices. The Development Muw Foundation in Columbus, which is in Lowndes County, is a university-linked fundraising body, so it generally serves a school's needs and not walk-in clients.

What to Bring and Ask Before You Visit a Mississippi Charity

Most offices serve you faster when you arrive prepared. Charities that give direct help generally want to confirm who you are and where you live, since many serve only their own county or a defined service area. Bring the following, and ask on the phone whether anything else is needed:

If you cannot tell which office fits your need, dial 211. It is a statewide referral line that connects callers to local services. Then use the numbers in this directory to confirm the details with the office itself.

Donors and volunteers should do their own checking too. Look the group up in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search and ask the Secretary of State's office whether it is registered when required. Ask for a written receipt for any gift. Never pay a charity with gift cards or wire transfers on a caller's demand. A real charity will accept a check or a card payment through its own website or office, and it will not pressure you to decide on the spot.

Nonprofit organizations operating in Mississippi must register with the state attorney general's charitable trust section and comply with state solicitation licensing requirements in addition to meeting federal IRS requirements for tax-exempt status. Mississippi's charity registration process helps protect residents from fraudulent fundraising operations.

Charity Nonprofit locations are available in 38 cities across Mississippi. They are spread across 26 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Jackson, Tupelo, Ridgeland, which typically host large concentrations of nonprofits serving regional populations across health, human services, education, and arts sectors.

Donors in Mississippi can verify that a charity is properly registered with the state by contacting the Mississippi Attorney General's office or searching the state's online charity registration database before making a contribution.

Charity Nonprofit by Counties

B
C
D
F
H
J
L
M
O
P
R
S
T
W

Nonprofits seeking grant funding in Mississippi should explore state-level grant programs administered through the Mississippi Department of Health, Department of Education, or community services block grant programs. Many Mississippi foundations also fund local nonprofits through competitive grant cycles that typically open annually.

Browse Charity Nonprofit by county across Mississippi to find the nearest location.

Using the Mississippi Charity Listings Across County Lines

County boundaries matter in Mississippi more than many visitors expect. A pantry, a family center, or a scholarship fund often defines its service area by county, and staff will tell you politely that you live outside it. Start with the county where you live, then check the neighbors. For example, someone in Tupelo should look first at Lee County, where the Salvation Army office on President Avenue is based. Someone in Columbus can browse Lowndes County, which includes both the Development Muw Foundation and Charity Village Family Life.

Many Mississippi charities run on small budgets and a few staff members. Phones may go to voicemail during site visits, and hours change around holidays, school schedules, and severe weather. Leave a clear message with your name, number, and one sentence about what you need. Call back in a day or two if you hear nothing, and keep a short written note of who you spoke with and when.

Mississippi Charity Nonprofit FAQs

Use three checks. First, search the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to confirm federal recognition and see whether the group files its annual return. Second, contact the Mississippi Secretary of State's office to confirm the organization is incorporated and, where required, registered to solicit donations. Third, call the office using a number you found independently, such as the one in this directory, and ask who runs it and how it spends gifts. If a caller pushes you for immediate payment or asks for gift cards, stop and report it to the Attorney General's consumer protection staff.

Incorporation and tax exemption are two separate steps. You first file articles of incorporation with the Mississippi Secretary of State under the nonprofit corporation law in Title 79 of the Mississippi Code. You then apply to the IRS for recognition, usually as a 501(c)(3), if you want tax-deductible gifts. If you plan to ask the public for money, find out from the Secretary of State whether charitable solicitation registration applies to you. Check current fees and forms with each office, because they change. A local attorney or the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits can help with bylaws and board setup.

Start with the Harrison County listings, which cover Gulfport, Biloxi, and D'Iberville. Make A Wish Foundation is on 14th Avenue in Gulfport, the St Vincent De Paul Society is on Boney Avenue in D'Iberville, and the Cornerstone Foundation is on Woolmarket Road in Biloxi. Jackson County sits next door to the east and may have more options. During hurricane season, confirm hours and service areas by phone, since offices may close or shift to storm response. Dial 211 if you need quick referrals after a storm.

Sometimes, but it depends on the organization. Many local programs serve only residents of a particular county or a few counties, usually because their funding or volunteers are local. Statewide groups, such as the Cerebral Palsy Foundation of Mississippi and the Epilepsy Foundation of Mississippi, are more likely to serve people across the state. Ask two questions when you call: what area do you serve, and can you refer me if I live outside it? Most staff know the neighboring offices and will point you to the right one, such as an office in Rankin County for someone living east of Jackson.

Gifts to an organization recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) can generally be deducted on your federal return if you itemize. Not every nonprofit qualifies. Alumni associations, trade groups such as a home builders association, and many membership organizations are tax-exempt but may not offer deductible gifts. Confirm the status in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. For any single gift of $250 or more, you need a written acknowledgment from the charity. Keep it with your records. For questions about Mississippi state tax treatment, contact the Mississippi Department of Revenue or a tax professional.

Begin with the closest listing and call it. In the Delta, that might be the National Association Of Junior Auxiliaries in Greenville or the Community Student Learning Center in Lexington. In south Mississippi, the Mississippi Rural Center in Columbia is one example. Ask the staff which other groups serve your town, because small offices know who covers what. Dial 211 for referrals, and ask your county's human services office about programs that work with local nonprofits. Churches and civic clubs also run pantries and assistance funds that may not appear in any directory, so ask neighbors as well.