Knox County opens three-year "defined service" grant application window; staff outlines eligibility, budgeting and review process

Knox County Community Development staff on Saturday walked community organizations through the application process for a newly structured three-year "defined service" grant program designed to fund local nonprofit services that serve county residents.

"So the purpose of the program is to address the needs of county residents and invest in opportunity that allow them to thrive via a vibrant community," said Alana, the session facilitator, in opening remarks. Staff said the program period will run from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028, with initial contracts issued for fiscal year 2026 and potential one-year renewals for two additional years, subject to annual budget approval by the county commission.

Why it matters: The county'funded grants are intended to cover services the county would otherwise provide or support, and the department expects to distribute funds across multiple organizations. Community Development cited about $1.8 million allocated to defined service programs in its 2025 budget as a reference point, but staff said final FY26 funding will not be known until the county budget is adopted.

What applicants must show: Staff stressed that applicants must be incorporated nonprofits active with the Tennessee Secretary of State, hold a Unique Entity ID (UEI) registered on SAM.gov, and provide documentation showing they serve Knox County residents. The department said organizations headquartered outside Knox County may be eligible if they serve county residents.

Application platform and schedule: The application is handled through the Neighborly online portal. Alana demonstrated signing up, adding users, starting applications (each "Start application" creates a new draft), saving progress and the difference between saving and pressing "Complete and continue," which locks the application. The grant opened on June 15, and staff stated the application deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 25. Staff advised applicants to save drafts frequently and to contact county staff for assistance rather than attempting to reopen a locked application.

Budget and allowable costs: County staff said allowable costs must be directly tied to the program's operation and provided examples including personnel (with wages and benefits), equipment, insurance, professional services, rent and utilities, travel, and communications. Applicants must provide detailed, line-item budgets and justify how each expense supports program goals.

Performance metrics and reporting: Applicants must set specific, measurable goals and identify how they will track outcomes. Staff gave an example goal ("increase literacy rate among children in our program by 20% within one year") and said funded organizations will report quarterly; reimbursement is made on a quarterly basis after applicants submit supporting documentation.

Required documents and disclosures: The county requires articles of incorporation/bylaws, a current list of board members, current IRS Form 990 or most recent audited financial statements (if an organization does not file a 990), proof of 501(c)(3) status, the most recent Tennessee annual report, a screenshot of the SAM.gov UEI registration, and a board-signed conflict-of-interest disclosure. Some documents can be submitted with electronic signatures.

Selection process and timeline: Applications will be screened for eligibility and completeness, reviewed and scored by a curated panel using a published rubric, and recommendations will go to the mayor and then to the Knox County Commission as part of the county's budget process. Staff said applicants can expect award notifications before July 1 and that some communications may occur as early as March, but emphasized those dates are tentative pending the budget schedule.

Contacts and next steps: Staff urged applicants to read the full Notification of Funding Opportunity on the Knox County website, register for a SAM.gov UEI if they do not already have one (it can take roughly 10 days), and reach out to county staff with procedural questions during the application window. The workshop recording will be posted on the county's YouTube channel. The county will not discuss applications after the window closes.

The county closed the session after a final round of audience questions and a reminder to submit complete applications by the published deadline.