6 donors
1% complete
$100,000 Goal
The Melissa Pierce Project, Inc. (MPP)
Mission & Focus: The MPP is committed to cultivating community and honoring history through education, arts, and recreation within the Joppa-Joppee neighborhood; one of Dallas’s most intact Freedmen’s settlements, founded by emancipated slaves in 1872.
Project Vision: MPP is transforming the historic Melissa Pierce School, a once segregated school active in the 1950s–60s, into the community’s first multipurpose center. This locally owned and operated facility will offer expressive, educational, and supportive services tailored to multigenerational residents.
Progress & Support:
Completed initial project planning and timeline development
Finalized project goals, objectives, and deliverables
Awarded a City of Dallas Brownfield environmental assessment grant in 2021.
Partnered with HKS Architects in 2022 to design the center.
In 2023, they successfully funded cleanup, demolition, and preparatory effort
Secured partial funding through grants/donations
Launched Phase 1 with successful milestone completion
In 2025 contracted Strategic Funding Group for funding strategy support and to lead fundraising efforts
Strong volunteer participation and growing interest
Ongoing collaboration with local partners and organizations (City of Dallas, University of Texas at Arlington-CAPPA, HKS Architects, Texas Trees Foundation)
Positive media or public attention helping to build momentum
Pursuing additional funding opportunities (grants, sponsorships, donors)
The mission of the Melissa Pierce Project, Inc. is to cultivate a connected and empowered community while honoring our rich history through education, the arts, and recreation in the historic Joppa-Joppee community.
To address this unmet need, MPP is developing the first and only physical space for community expression and support in Joppa-Joppee. This new multi-purpose facility will be centrally located in a renovated school building that many residents previously attended as students in the 1960s and 70s. When complete, the locally owned and operated center will be a true reflection of the community and will serve as a foundation to empower Joppa- Joppee families, ensuring that the community remains a thriving center of opportunity.
In 2021 the MPP was awarded a grant through the City of Dallas' Brownfield environmental assessment grant. In 2022 HKS Architects partnered with the Melissa Pierce Project, Inc. to completely design the project.
To continue delivering on our mission and to expand our reach, we are embarking on a critical fundraising campaign to support our operational budget for the coming year. Our goal is to raise $100k to fund these crucial elements. Your generous support will help us achieve:
Administrative Excellence: Ensuring we have the skilled personnel and infrastructure needed to manage and operate the first stage of the center; efficiently and effectively.
Strategic Marketing: Developing and executing a comprehensive marketing plan to attract donors, maximize visibility, and build lasting relationships.
Throughout 2024–2025, the City of Dallas’ Brownfields Department engaged in comprehensive marketing research and strategic planning to confirm the project's financial feasibility.
Joppa-Joppee has never had a multi-purpose center. We’re transforming the historic Melissa Pierce School into a vibrant hub for education, arts, and support. Your gift helps us raise $100,000 for pre-construction needs, bringing this dream to life for generations to come.
Once complete, this locally owned and operated multi-purpose center will celebrate our history, empower families, and create opportunities for generations to come.
We’ve made great progress, securing an assessment grant from the City of Dallas, and full architectural designs from HKS Architects. Now, we need your help to take the next step.
We’re raising $100,000 to cover essential pre-construction needs:
Administrative Support to launch and manage the first stage of the center.
Strategic Marketing to grow awareness, attract donors, and build lasting partnerships.
Your gift today helps preserve our history, strengthen our community, and turn our vision into a reality for Joppa-Joppee.
Organization name
Melissa Pierce Project Inc
Causes
Community Improvement
Operating Budget
Less than $100,000
Counties Served
Dallas
BIPOC Serving
Black or African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic or Latinx
BIPOC Leadership
Executive Director/CEO
Address
7822 Hull Ave.