South Cumberland Community Fund (SCCF) kicks off its grantmaking year with community conversations on Feb. 22, 24, and 25. “We are asking that any eligible organization seeking funding in 2025 send a representative to one of those meetings,” said Tom Sanders, executive director. In 2025, the Community Fund will make over $200,000 in grants in three competitive rounds with application deadlines, and in one noncompetitive grant round with no deadlines.

Eligible organizations include nonprofits, municipalities, public schools, and churches (for non-religious projects) in Grundy County and the plateau portions of Franklin and Marion counties.

Meetings will be held on this schedule:

10 a.m., Feb. 22 — Grundy EMS, 90 Phipps St., Coalmont

noon, Feb. 24 — TN’s South Cumberland Tourism, 115 Depot St. Tracy City

5:30 p.m., Feb. 25 — Morton Memorial United Methodist Church, 322 W. Main St. Monteagle

Send an email to <director@southcumberlandcommunityfund.org> to reserve your spot.

“In years past, the grant orientation meetings were a chance to go over our policies,” said Sanders. “We will still do a little of that, but we are really hoping that organizations will come with ideas they would like to discuss for funding. The meetings will be an opportunity for organizations to discuss their ideas with other partners, so they can get advice and also see possible ways to partner.”

While the grant kickoff meetings will focus on grant ideas, the Fund will also announce two new policies that will allow organizations to apply for more unrestricted funds than they have in the past. In addition, the Fund will announce new ways it can support applicants with training and services.

“We want this to be a powerful community conversation, so even if you think your organization might not be eligible for a grant this year, we hope you will attend,” said Sanders. “We have been thinking hard about how to make our grantmaking more reciprocal, and these meetings will be a good place to connect with us in a new way.”