East Tennessee Foundation, Grants and YOU!

ETF offers a variety of grantmaking programs that benefit the communities of East Tennessee. For donors, there are a myriad of fund options available to meet any grantmaking goals. And for potential grantees, ETF offers numerous grant opportunities to support programs and projects from scholarships to affordable housing, to youth-at-risk issues, and much more.

Top Wrench Competition

Most importantly, all grants made from ETF aim to constantly carry out its own mission of “creating stronger communities, better lives through thoughtful giving throughout East Tennessee.”

Types of Grantmaking Funds  

Donor Advised Funds offer donors the most flexibility and involvement in their giving.  Many donors choose a donor advised fund over a family foundation because of the administrative ease and lower cost.  Donors also enjoy the opportunity to teach philanthropy to their children, both by example and by involving the family in grantmaking.  Donors benefit from the Foundation staff’s knowledge of the needs and opportunities for giving in East Tennessee.

Field-of-Interest Funds support a competitive grantmaking process in broad, charitable areas such as arts and culture, community development, education, or youth-at-risk.  These funds allow the Foundation flexibility in serving a particular donor interest while engaging community volunteers in the decision making process.

Scholarship Funds offer great flexibility for donors. These funds can memorialize a family member, commemorate a graduating class, assist with a particular college major, benefit students from disadvantaged areas, provide funds for students in an entire county, and more.

Unrestricted Funds are “opportunity” funds, allowing the Foundation board and staff to make strategic grants when an opportunity arises.  Most Foundation funds are restricted to a particular county, cause, or nonprofit. Unrestricted funds allow the Foundation to say “yes” when a worthwhile request comes to its attention or when a need is identified  that cannot be met by current field-of-interest funds or through a gift from a donor advised fund. 

Affiliate Funds are funds established by a family, an individual donor, or in many cases a group of citizens wanting the services and opportunities offered by having a local community foundation.  In general, affiliate funds are established to serve a specific geographical area such as a county or multiple counties.  Assets for affiliate funds are developed through the leadership of local citizens partnering with ETF to build endowment and grantmaking funds restricted to the defined geographic area.