NONPROFIT FAQS

501(c)(3) refers to the specific section of the Internal Revenue Code that defines a nonprofit organization. For more information on the Code and obtaining a 501(c)(3) designation, contact the East Tennessee Foundation or Internal Revenue Service.

The Foundation only makes grants from its competitive grantmaking programs in the following 25 counties in East Tennessee: Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, McMinn, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, and Washington.

Mostly, no. There are a very limited number of funds that focus on a specific field of interest or cause that award grants nationally. We encourage you to visit the National Council on Foundations website to determine the community foundation serving your area.

Yes, all of our grant programs are only accepting online applications.

Any organization that applied in the past is active in the online application database. You will need to use the email address and password that you last used. If you do not have that information, you can easily retrieve that information. On the logon page, click on “Forgot your Password?” which appears in blue ink. Your password reminder will be sent to you after you enter your email address and click the “Send Reminder” button.

Please DO NOT create a new organizational account. Contact Ashley Siferd Butler, Director of Competitive Grants, at abutler@etf.org or Rachel Cosby, Program Officer, at rcosby@etf.org for assistance.

We recommend that organizations create their account using the primary staff person responsible for submitting applications and reports.

Yes, prior to submitting your application, you can edit your answers as often as you like. However, once you submit your application, you cannot change your answers.

If the documents are already saved on your computer, you can click the “Upload a file” button on the application and select the document to upload. If you have access to a scanner, you can scan the document and then upload it.

There is a tool called “Fax to File” that helps you convert documents from hard copy to a digital format so that they may be uploaded into the grant application. Once you have signed in, select the “Fax to File” option on the left hand menu, under the “Tools” heading. Click on the “Fax to File” option and a new window will open that provides directions on how to use this tool. You will need access to a fax machine.

Yes, you will receive an error message if a required question has not been answered or if you try to submit an incomplete application. Fields that are required are indicated with an asterisk “*”. However, there is no spell check feature, so please proof your answers for spelling and grammatical errors before you click on the “Submit” button.

If you are a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating in the Foundation’s 25-county service area, click here for a table which provides an overview of the Foundation’s Affiliate Fund grantmaking programs. Visit each Affiliate Fund page on this website for more details, including eligibility and deadline information.

The Foundation generally does not fund requests from outside our service area, from non-qualified charities, or from individuals; or for ongoing operating budgets; capital and endowment-building campaigns; debt retirement; small businesses, business start-up, or advertising.

The Foundation does not accept applications by fax or email.

When an application is declined, the Foundation welcomes applicants to call the program staff for feedback. Please remember, the Foundation’s grants panels and staff review hundreds of applications each year. It is advised to contact the staff, regarding declined applications, soon after the denial letter is received.

Applicant workshops are offered at no charge to assist with the preparation of proposals. Dates are posted on this website or you may call the Foundation to obtain more information.

Applications may be submitted for multiple grantmaking programs, but only ONE application may be submitted by the same organization to a specific grant-making program.

EXAMPLE: An organization may submit a request to the Arts Fund for East Tennessee AND submit a request to the Youth Endowment Fund. However, one single organization may NOT submit two or more applications for the Arts Fund for East Tennessee OR two or more applications for the Youth Endowment Fund.

Final decisions are announced approximately three to four months after the application deadline. You will receive written notification. If additional information is needed during the screening and decision process, the Foundation staff or a member of the grant panel will contact you.

Grants from the Foundation’s donor advised funds are recommended directly by our fundholders. Due to privacy concerns, the Foundation does not provide contact information or information about fundholders’ interests or grant distribution histories.

Nonprofit organizations may apply for funding from every grant program for which it is eligible. Please look at each grant program’s eligibility requirements to determine whether your organization qualifies for a grant.