Tennessee Grants

Designed to help provide safe and sound housing to households of low income, veterans, seniors, and homeowners with special needs through loans for repairs or improvements. 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. If you are a homeowner interested in receiving a grant or loan to rehabilitate your home, please contact your local ERP agency.

Monetary resources dedicated to assisting communities across the state develop and train entrepreneurs and small business owners in three broad and diverse categories. Combines Previous Microenterprise and Main Street Entrepreneur Grants into one program. Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development encourages entrepreneurship development and adaptive reuse of commercial buildings in accredited Tennessee Main Street communities with a Main Street Entrepreneur Incubator grant program to assist in funding activities that put vacant and/or underutilized buildings into productive service and serve as economic drivers for downtowns. Matching funds are not required but the scoring system rewards projects that include other partners or agencies or additional funding commitments.

The Hardest Hit Fund Blight Elimination Program (BEP) assists with the removal of blighted properties in targeted areas within the state of Tennessee. Removing these properties will help to reduce foreclosures, promote neighborhood stabilization, and maintain property values. BEP is designed as a targeted, first come first served program to lend recaptured HHF funds for the demolition and/or acquisition and demolition of blighted one to four unit residential structures in targeted areas to assist in neighborhood stabilization and in preventing foreclosure by helping to stem decline in home values. To be eligible, entities must submit applications that meet BEP requirements and THDA's goals for blight elimination.

This program provides funding to local governments in Tennessee for projects that improve non-motorized transportation options, such as bike lanes and sidewalks, while enhancing community accessibility and preserving historic sites.

ThreeStar promotes economic and community prosperity through collaboration to positively impact every Tennessean. ThreeStar includes a certification process and grant program. Grants are available to support completion of identified ThreeStar SMART goals submitted through the certification process. ThreeStar is a strategic community development program developed to assist communities in preparing for a better future. The ThreeStar program now incorporates asset-based planning initiatives and a two-year timeline to accomplish goals. The asset-based planning component helps communities develop goals to maximize their local assets to drive economic development. Starting in 2019, biennial grants will be available to counties to align with one of the community’s identified goals.

This grant provides funding to local nonprofits and community organizations for initiatives that address community needs and promote positive impact in areas where the company operates.

Statewide downtown revitalization program for communities that seek designation as Main Street communities. The Main Street movement has been transforming the way communities think about the revitalization and management of their downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts for decades. Specifically, Main Street is three things: a proven strategy for revitalization, a powerful network of linked communities, and a national support program that leads the field. The National Main Street Center is a subsidiary or the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Forestry programs under the Southern Pine Beetle Initiative were developed to promote long term investments in Tennessee’s pine forests by providing cost share incentives to qualifying landowners. The Southern Pine Beetle Initiative (SPBI) was developed to encourage landowners to proactively manage their pine forest stands and make them more resilient to beetle infestations. Funds are provided by the USDA Forest Service and administered by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry (TDF).

Support for arts projects in underserved, rural communities with special focus on distressed counties. The Targeted Arts Development Initiative (TADI) is a strategy developed to reach counties identified by the Tennessee Arts Commission as under-represented in Commission investments. TADI is designed to build capacity and develop leadership potential, while encouraging applications from the identified counties to existing Commission grant categories or programs. Government and nonprofit entities within identified counties above with projects that use arts and cultural activities to benefit their community, build upon existing assets, or overcome challenges are urged to apply.

Forestry programs under the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP) were developed to promote long term investments in Tennessee’s forests by providing cost share incentives to qualifying landowners. Forestry programs under the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP) were developed to promote long term investments in Tennessee’s forests by providing cost share incentives to qualifying landowners. The programs help promote sustainable forest management practices on family forestland, which provide multiple resource benefits such as timber, wildlife habitat, clean water, and soil protection.

The Rebuild and Recover Disaster Program, initiated by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency, aims to aid local communities in recovering from weather-related incidents. Eligible incidents include those with significant damage to owner-occupied homes, either without a Presidential Disaster Declaration or with one necessitating federal assistance before completion of a damage assessment. Grants, ranging from $100,000 to $500,000, are available to affected city or county governments. Funds can be utilized for rehabilitation, demolition, relocation, and administrative costs. For more details, contact Toni Shaw at [email protected] or refer to the program description and forms provided.

EELP launched in the fall of 2010 with the purpose of establishing a low interest revolving loan fund to assist commercial and industrial businesses in implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements, which, in turn, reduce operating costs, improve productivity, and make Tennessee businesses more competitive. In January 2016, EELP was expanded to offer financing to local government entities, including municipalities, counties, school districts, and other public agencies.

Provide grants to address water quality impairments from nonpoint source pollution from agriculture and other sources. The ARCF provides cost-share assistance to Tennessee landowners to install Best Management Practices (BMPs) that reduce agricultural water pollution. This assistance is facilitated primarily through Soil and Water Conservation Districts although Resource Conservation and Development Councils, universities, and other agricultural associations may participate.

The overall goal of Lottery for Education: Afterschool Programs (LEAPs) is to provide Tennessee students with academic enrichment opportunities that reinforce and complement the regular academic program. In November 2002, Tennesseans voted to create a state lottery. The General Assembly established that profits from the lottery be used for specific educational programs: college scholarships, early childhood programs and afterschool programs.

Federal program designed to assist low income households, particularly those who pay a high proportion of household income for home energy bills, meet their immediate home energy needs by providing an annual energy benefit. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is 100 percent federally funded through a grant from the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. LIHEAP provides funds to the states to help meet the utility costs of low-income eligible elderly and disabled adults.

Funding for local litter pickup operations and prevention education programs. In 1983, TDOT issued the first “Litter Grants” to county governments. These grants established pickup programs and provided litter prevention and recycling education at the local level. Today, Litter Grants improve communities in all 95 Tennessee counties and directly touch thousands of Tennesseans each year through volunteerism and educational programming.

Credit against federal tax liability for investors in the construction or rehabilitation of affordable rental housing. The Low-Income Housing Credit is a credit against federal income tax liability each year for 10 years for owners and investors in low-income rental housing. The amount of tax credits is based on reasonable costs of development, as determined by THDA, and the number of qualified low-income units.

LPRF provides matching grants to local governments for purchase of land for parks, natural areas, greenways and recreational facilities and capital projects for recreation in those areas. The Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) provides grants to eligible local government entities for the purchase of lands for parks, natural areas, greenways, and recreation facilities. The funds may also be used for trail development and capital projects in parks, natural areas, and greenways. At least 60 percent of the funds allocated will go to municipal governments as authorized by TCA 67-4-409. All grant projects must be on publicly owned land.

This program provides free pine seedlings to eligible family forest owners in Tennessee to promote reforestation and sustainable timber management on their land.

The Injury and Violence Prevention Program works with state and local partners to help Tennessee communities implement evidence based injury and violence prevention programs. The Injury and Violence Prevention Program works with state and local partners to help Tennessee communities implement evidence-based injury and violence prevention programs. The program provides the following:​ ​Injury data to community groups and the public to assist them in their injury and violence prevention program design and development​ Technical assistance related to program implementation and evaluation​ Provision of child safety seats​ Education and training on Injury and violence topics​