The Knox County Community Foundation invites funding requests for its Target Lasting Change Grant Initiative. Proposed programs or projects must focus on improving quality of life and quality of place within Knox County, aiming to enhance the well-being of residents and contribute to the overall economic vitality of the county.

The grant cycle will run from May 2, 2024, through September 30, 2024. One $100,000 grant will be awarded.

Letters of Inquiry will be accepted from May 2, 2024, through May 31, 2024, and must be submitted through our online grant management system which can be accessed by clicking on the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this page.

Requests submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

Eligibility

The Community Foundation welcomes funding requests for quality of life and quality of place programs/projects from nonprofit organizations that are deemed tax-exempt under sections 501(c)(3) and 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and from governmental agencies serving the county. Funding requests from nonprofit organizations not classified as a 501(c)(3) public charity may be considered provided the project is charitable and aligns with the goals of the grant initiative. Organizations without the 501(c)(3) designation must obtain a fiscal sponsor and provide written documentation confirming the agreement.

Ineligible activities include:

• Religious organizations proposing activities that support a religious purpose
• Political parties or campaigns
• Endowment creation or debt reduction
• Annual appeals or membership contributions
• Operating costs not associated with the  program or project
  

2-Step Application Process

The Knox County Community Foundation will use a two-step application process to review Target Lasting Change funding requests. A Letter of Inquiry is the required first step for submitting funding requests to be considered by the Community Foundation. The Letter of Inquiry helps in determining whether the proposed program/project aligns with funding goals and priorities before the applicant invests time and effort in completing a formal grant application.

All Letters of Inquiry will be reviewed by the Knox County Advisory Board, with all applicants being notified of the review decision no later than June 30, 2024. Successful applicants will be invited to submit a formal grant application with a deadline of July 31, 2024.

The Community Foundation will review Letters of Inquiry and will invite a select number of organizations to submit a formal grant application. Upon receipt of formal grant applications, the Community Foundation will undertake a thorough review of applications and conduct site visits. After careful consideration, finalists for the award will be chosen and invited to give an oral presentation of their proposals to the Knox County Community Foundation's County Advisory Board in September. After final deliberations, the Community Foundation will make its recommendations on funding to the board of directors of the Community Foundation Alliance.

All organizations that have submitted funding requests will be notified of the outcome of the Community Foundation's decision in writing. Finalists will be notified of the outcome of final deliberations no later than October 31, 2024.

Reporting Procedures

A final report at project completion will be required by the organization whose application is approved for funding. Instructions will be provided at the time the grant is awarded through the grant agreement.

Application Access Code

Use this code to access the application

through your user account:

kno