KNOXVILLE, TN (September 10, 2026) – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE United Way of Greater Knoxville (UWGK) has awarded $3.9 million in Community Investment Grants to 105 local nonprofits across its five-county service area.
The grants support organizations addressing critical needs in UWGK’s three impact areas: Economic Mobility, Early Care and Education, and Healthy Communities. Funding is designed to seed, grow and strengthen effective programs, with an emphasis on collaboration and measurable outcomes.
“For more than a hundred years, United Way of Greater Knoxville has stood alongside the nonprofits serving our community and helping our neighbors in need,” said Chrystal Armstrong Brown, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Knoxville. “Many of our funded partners are now serving record numbers of people, making this funding especially important. We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of our donors, and we take seriously the responsibility of stewarding the dollars they entrust to us. We are proud to invest in local organizations doing important work for our neighbors every day.”
UWGK’s grantmaking is informed by community needs assessments and ongoing insight from the people and organizations serving our communities. Each month, UWGK convenes 3,000 to 5,000 people from across sectors, including schools, after-school providers, employers, higher education, health care and organizations providing direct services. These relationships give UWGK a broad view of the social services landscape and help identify where needs are greatest and how they are changing. That insight helps establish funding priorities, while 110 community volunteers contributed more than 1,500 hours across 14 grant review panels to evaluate applications and help determine how donor dollars are invested.
Of the 105 grantees this year, 88 serve Knox County, 13 serve Jefferson County, seven serve Grainger County, three serve Claiborne County and two serve Union County; 11 serve multiple counties.
Grant Impact Highlights
Many funded partners work across more than one of UWGK’s impact areas:
- Economic Mobility: 69% of funded partners are working to expand economic opportunity and financial stability for individuals and families through safe, reliable housing, workforce development, financial literacy and support services. These efforts aim to reduce the number of families experiencing poverty or living below the ALICE threshold. ALICE, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, describes working households that struggle to afford basic needs.
- Early Care and Education: 66% of funded partners provide programs that support early childhood education and overall well-being, helping children build a strong foundation during critical developmental years. These efforts focus on expanding access to high-quality child care, narrowing achievement gaps and increasing trauma-informed support through middle school.
- Healthy Communities: 93% of funded partners are expanding access to health and wellness resources, including nutritious food, affordable health care, mental health services and substance use support. These efforts aim to reduce health disparities through education, prevention resources and solutions that address root causes.
Last year, UWGK-funded initiatives and programs impacted more than 429,000 people across the region. Since 2020, UWGK has awarded more than $61 million in grants. Funded partners leveraged an additional $12.8 million in resources last year, extending the impact of those investments. The full list of funded partners and more information about the grant process are available at uwgk.org/funded-partners.
“Our mission is to unite people and resources to strengthen communities,” Armstrong Brown said. “Through our 2026 campaign, we are inviting East Tennesseans to help create a future where individuals have access to the resources they need to live healthier lives, families have greater economic stability, opportunity is accessible for every child and the prosperity of our region is shared by all.”
Community Investment Grants are made possible by workplace, corporate and individual donors to UWGK’s annual campaign. In addition to grant funding, UWGK connects funded partners with training, resources, technical assistance and opportunities to collaborate, helping strengthen the nonprofit sector across the region. The organization also offers additional funding opportunities throughout the year. Nonprofits interested in learning more about funding and support available through UWGK can visit uwgk.org or email nonprofitsupport@unitedwayknox.org.
About United Way of Greater Knoxville
United Way of Greater Knoxville (UWGK) unites people and resources to strengthen communities. As part of United Way Worldwide, the largest charitable organization in the world, UWGK is dedicated to creating a community where all neighbors can thrive. For more information, visit uwgk.org.
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