Task force updates bylaws, launches scholarship and clarifies grant/sponsorship process

The African American Equity Restoration Task Force moved on several administrative matters: adopting a proposed calendar of regular meetings for 2026, discussing bylaw amendments to change regular meetings to quarterly, establishing a 75% attendance threshold for members, and launching a scholarship for NAS graduates. Task force staff presented three bylaw updates for consideration: change regular meetings to quarterly on the second Monday at 5:30 p.m.; remove the assistant secretary office from required officers (keeping chair, vice chair and secretary); and require members to attend at least 75% of scheduled meetings in a calendar year, with the task force able to request removal of members for noncompliance. A task force member moved to accept the proposed 2026 meeting calendar; the motion was seconded and recorded as approved. Staff also unveiled a scholarship program to support NAS (the task force’s youth program) graduates: applicants must submit a 500-word essay about adversity shaping ambition, a final transcript, proof of 2025 college enrollment, and documentation of financial need. Applications and a flyer will be posted to the task force’s resource page. The task force chair said the scholarship is intended to invest directly in local students and that staff will circulate the finalized application link after minor edits. On the grants and sponsorship process, members discussed treating sponsorships (ad hoc requests outside the normal grant cycle) differently from the structured grant rounds. The investment committee will return recommendations on sponsorship requests, and staff said sponsorship decisions can take two to three months because of quarterly committee and task force meeting cycles. Committee members and staff agreed that incomplete applications should not be eligible for consideration and that staff will offer pre-deadline feedback for grant applicants when possible. The task force also approved a few near-term community engagement dates and logistics: "Shoes for School" at Smokies Stadium on Aug. 2 (9 a.m.–noon), a City of Knoxville resource fair on Aug. 9 (9 a.m.–1 p.m.), and an Investment Committee meeting on Aug. 11. Staff noted a QR code and resource page will be the primary way to route community partners and organizations to the task force’s information and to a partner-signup form.