2026 Community Giving Grant Recipients

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. - TN Members 1st Federal Credit Union is proud to announce the five recipients of its inaugural Community Giving Grant program, awarding $12,500 to local organizations addressing needs throughout East Tennessee. Each organization will receive $2,500 to support the project identified through its Community Giving Grant application.

The 2026 Community Giving Grant recipients are:

• Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC): supporting efforts to help clients obtain birth certificates, removing a critical barrier to identification, employment, housing and access to other resources.
• Emory Valley Center: supporting its Advocacy Program and opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to engage with lawmakers and advocate for themselves and their communities.
• First Presbyterian Church Food Pantry at Roane State Community College - Oak Ridge Campus: supporting food pantry inventory and access to food for students experiencing food insecurity.
• Girls Inc. of Tennessee Valley: supporting its Economic Literacy Program and helping young people build financial knowledge and skills.
• Junior Achievement of East Tennessee: supporting JA BizTown, an experiential learning program that gives students the opportunity to practice financial literacy, career readiness and economic concepts in a hands-on environment.

“Our Community Giving Grant started with a simple question: How can we be more intentional with the way we invest in our community?” said Richelle Ballenger, VP of Member Experience at TN Members 1st. “These five projects look very different from one another, but each addresses a real need and gives us an opportunity to invest in work that can create a meaningful, measurable impact. We’re excited to celebrate these organizations and the people they serve.”

TN Members 1st introduced the Community Giving Grant in early 2026 after conversations with its Community Partners and Advisory Board about opportunities to make larger, more intentional investments in local nonprofit projects. The Community Giving Grant supports mission-driven, action-focused projects with measurable outcomes. Applications were open for two months to nonprofit organizations located within or serving TN Members 1st’s nine-county Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) area. The credit union evaluated eligible applications using the published rubric, and the highest-scoring proposals advanced to the TN Members 1st Governing Board of Directors for final selection.

Applicants' responses gave the credit union more than funding requests; they offered a firsthand look at what nonprofit organizations are experiencing throughout East Tennessee. Organizations shared needs related to food insecurity, housing stability, transportation, healthcare access, education, youth development, financial literacy, disability services, and rural access to resources. They also demonstrated how closely many of those challenges are connected.

“While awarding these grants is certainly the exciting part, what we learned from our applicants may be one of the most valuable outcomes of the program,” said Ballenger. “These organizations are working directly with our community every day. By listening to what they’re seeing, we have a better understanding of where gaps exist and where we may be able to make a difference.”

For more information about the Community Giving Grant and TN Members 1st’s community involvement, visit mymembersfirst.org/grants.