Tennessee Grants

Focused on projects that improve workforce development, improve health outcomes, and create jobs. Awarded to approximately recipients at up to $300,000 each. The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) is a federal-state partnership that represents 252 counties in eight states along the lower Mississippi River Delta. The DRA is focused on creating jobs, building communities, and improving lives of the more than 10 million people of the Delta Region. DRA envisions the region as a place where people and businesses have access to economic opportunities in vibrant, sustainable, and resilient communities. DRA’s mission is to realize that vision through the practical application of innovative ideas and strategies that will foster inclusive communities, strengthen regional collaboration and productive capacity, achieve sustained, long-term economic development, and produce meaningful opportunities for all people in the DRA region.

DWSRF funds drinking water and water supply projects, including "green" projects. Principal forgiveness available for qualifying small/disadvantaged/ rural communities for planning, design, and construction. Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loans are available for the planning, design, and construction phases of public water systems. DWSRF provides low-interest loans to cities, counties, utility districts, and water authorities for drinking water infrastructure. Small, economically disadvantaged communities are eligible for principal forgiveness, which can cover a portion of the SRF loan, and will significantly reduce the amount owed. Eligibility for principal forgiveness is restricted to communities with a population of 10,000 or less combined with an ATPI of 50 or less.

Funding to offset eligibible adminstrative expenses incurred while providing low income households with emergency food and nutrition assistance at no cost. The Commodity Distrubtion section administers USDA's Food Distribution Program for schools and residential institutions and the Emergency Food Assistance Program. These programs provide nutritious, USDA-purchased food to children and low-income citizens while supporting American agricultural producers.

Minor home repair program for elderly and disabled homeowners. The program is administered by development district and human resource agency partners on a statewide basis. To correct, repair, or replace an essential system and/or critical structural problem for low-income homeowners who are elderly (60+) or disabled. This is not a comprehensive home renovation program; the aim is to stabilize the homeowner's residence by making essential repairs to make the home more livable.

Designed to assist individuals with severe disabilities and their families to remain together in their homes and communities. Services are designed to be flexible and responsive to individual or family needs. Services can include but are not limited to: Respite care, day care services, home modifications, equipment, supplies, personal assistance, transportation, homemaker services, housing costs, health related needs, nursing and counseling.

The NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, P. L. 110-180 ("NIAA"), was initially signed into law by the President on January 8, 2008 (reauthorized by Title VI of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, P.L. 115-141). The NIAA amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 ("the Brady Act") (Pub. L. 103-159), under which the Attorney General established the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The Brady Act requires Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) to contact the NICS before transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person for information on whether the proposed transferee is prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm under state or federal law. The NIAA authorizes grants to be made in a manner consistent with the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP). Under this award, the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Criminal Justice Programs will transfer funds to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to aid in the state's efforts to improve criminal history records. Tennessee’s AFIS is the state version of the formerly Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS), now known as the Next Generation of Identification (NGI), which is the national fingerprint identification system that is managed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). For the TN AFIS to integrate effectively with the national system, the TBI must continually ensure improvements to the system are on-going and in alignment with the requirements of the FBI. Without the availability of funds for upgrades, the TBI has been working to maintain current service delivery by operating on a significantly older version of the TN AFIS system (2016); a version that now needs an even greater upgrade as each day goes by. TBI is requesting funds to implement a new AFIS with increased security and storage capacity, an upgraded disaster recovery plan, and rap back capability. Enhancing these functionalities will improve the quality and completeness of Tennessee’s computerized criminal history records, increase the number of available dispositions from courts and prosecutors, and improve mental health submissions reported to NICS.

The Diversity in Teaching (DIT) program grant competitively funds two-year proposals from regionally accredited colleges and universities domiciled in Tennessee, for the development of programs with a commitment to diversity as an instructional tool, and that increase the number of K-12 teachers in Tennessee from underrepresented groups.***Please check back soon for FY24-26 funding information and updates.***

Federal program designed to help homeless individuals / families enter into a shelter with the goal of finding affordable housing or maintain affordable housing. THDA administers the federally funded Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program for the state of Tennessee in 92 of the state's 95 counties in order to fund the provision of services necessary to help persons who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness to quickly regain stability in permanent housing.

This grant provides funding to local education agencies in Tennessee to establish Family Resource Centers that support students and families by addressing social, emotional, and physical health needs to enhance academic success.

This grant provides financial support to local communities for infrastructure improvements that benefit companies creating new jobs and making capital investments.

The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program, provides dedicated federal funding to state Departments of Transportation for projects that improve air quality and reduce congestion. The federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program provides dedicated federal funding to state Departments of Transportation for projects that improve air quality and reduce congestion. The CMAQ program improves air quality by funding transportation projects and programs that reduce air emissions from cars, trucks and buses (mobile sources) in air quality non-attainment and maintenance areas, which are the only areas eligible for CMAQ funding.

CWSRF funds water quality and wastewater treatment projects as well as storm water projects, including "green" projects. Principal forgiveness for qualifying small/disadvantaged/rural communities. The CWSRF program is a federal-state partnership that provides low-cost financing to communities for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects, including municipal wastewater facilities, nonpoint source pollution control, decentralized wastewater treatment systems, stormwater runoff mitigation, green infrastructure, estuary protection, and water reuse. CWSRF provides low-interest, infrastructure loans to cities, counties, utility districts, and stormwater authorities.

Funding from the HUD to promote economic and community development in small cities (e.g. sewer, water, drainage, building community centers). A central tenet of the CDBG program, as with all HUD-funded programs, is to affirmatively further fair housing in the communities we serve. Along with requiring subrecipients to conduct local fair housing activities as a condition of each CDBG activity, an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice is conducted every five years to assess and review impediments or barriers that affect the right of fair housing choice. Public and private policies, practices, and procedures affecting housing choice are covered in this analysis. Impediments to fair housing choice are defined as any actions, omissions, or decisions that restrict, or have the effect of restricting, the availability of housing choices, based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, or creed.

Coordinated School Health (CSH) is an evidence based model developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) designed to promote healthy school environments so children arrive at school ready to learn. Tennessee Coordinated School Health connects physical, emotional and social health with education through eight inter-related components. This coordinated approach improves students' health and their capacity to learn through the support of families, communities and schools working together. Coordinated School Health works with many partners to address school health priorities.

As a result of Governor Lee’s commitment of $12 million to the state’s Charter School Facilities Fund, the Charter School Facilities Grant offers Tennessee charter schools access to funding to improve or build educational facilities. Grant monies are issued in two installments, including a non competitive manner based on total enrollment and a competitive grant based on evidence of high student achievement.

As a result of Governor Lee’s commitment of $12 million to the state’s Charter School Facilities Fund, the Charter School Facilities Grant offers Tennessee charter schools access to funding to improve or build educational facilities. Grant monies are issued in two installments, including a non competitive manner based on total enrollment and a competitive grant based on evidence of high student achievement.

The Services * Training * Officers * Prosecutors* (STOP) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program supports communities in their efforts to develop and strengthen effective responses to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault (including adult survivors of child sexual abuse), or stalking. This also includes victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking who are also victims of trafficking and female genital mutilation or cutting, or forced marriage. The program encourages community partnerships between law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and victim services organizations to enhance victim safety and hold offenders accountable. STOP is authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) through the Office on Violence Against Women under the U.S. Department of Justice.

The THDA Challenge Grant Program provides initial seed funding to support the private fundraising efforts of nonprofit organizations across Tennessee to implement housing and related activities that represent unique milestones, are part of a broad community initiative, or are part of a significant expansion of work outside the normal day-to-day activities of the organization. Selected proposals must generate cash leverage of at least 300% within nine months of THDA’s commitment of Challenge Grant resources to the housing initiative.

The Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners was created in 1921 to regulate architecture, engineering, landscape architecture and interior design in the State of Tennessee. The current requirements for the licensure or registration of architects and architectural firms, engineers, engineer interns and engineering firms, landscape architects and landscape architectural firms, and interior designers can be found in Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 2.

As part of the Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act of 2017, the State of Tennessee established the Broadband Ready Communities Program to foster county engagement in securing broadband infrastructure and access to their communities. Through TNECD, the program, which is funded by the American Rescue Plan State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, utilizes a portion of the Tennessee Emergency Broadband Fund – American Rescue Plan to provide $10 million in assistance. A non-competitive grant opportunity is available for county and local governments to secure up to $100,000 dollars for broadband adoption activities. Application window is from October 2 - November 15, 2023.