CNS Y-12 Community Investment Fund

CNS Y-12 Community Investment Fund is sponsored by East Tennessee Foundation. This fund supports nonprofit organizations serving a 20-county region in East Tennessee.

The 2026 funding priorities include Teen Resilience (programs supporting at-risk middle and high school students and young adults through services like mental health support, education, life skills development, and foster care transition assistance) and Veteran Support (programs serving veterans and their families through mental health services, housing assistance, job training, disability support, service dogs, and community reintegration efforts).

CNS Y-12 Community Investment Fund - East Tennessee Foundation CNS Y-12 Community Investment Fund Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS), the contractor at Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, TN, and the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, TX, established funds at East Tennessee Foundation and Amarillo Area Foundation as part of their commitment to the host communities of Amarillo and Oak Ridge, as well as their local counties and regions.

With the leadership of an employee-based CNS Y-12 Investment Advisory Committee, CNS employees have the opportunity to recommend grant support where the need is the greatest and the resources are best allocated in their 20-county service area in East Tennessee. Since 2015, this fund has awarded more than 200 grants benefiting more than 140 nonprofits in their 20-county service area in East Tennessee.

The CNS Y-12 Community Investment Fund will award new grants in 2026. Information about the next grant cycle will be available by April 30, 2026. Organizations applied for amounts between $2,000 and $15,000.

Grants were awarded for one-year terms in September 2025. The grant term is September 15, 2025 – September 14, 2026. By establishing the CNS Y-12 Community Investment Fund at ETF, CNS has created opportunities for its employees to award grants benefiting nonprofit organizations in their 20-county service area in East Tennessee, which includes but is not limited to the City of Oak Ridge, and Anderson and Roane counties.

The 20 counties served are Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Cumberland, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sevier, and Union.

In 2025, applicant organizations addressed one of the following funding priorities: Acute Mental Health Support Grant proposals should demonstrate how programs provide immediate, short-term response to people experiencing a mental health crisis.

Pre and Postnatal Family Services Grant proposals should demonstrate how programs provide access to healthcare, educational services, or other resources pre and/or post delivery for individuals and families. Early Learning and Academic Support Grant proposals should explain how programs support the development of cognitive, reading, writing, and numeric skills to children and youth.

Please note the funding priorities change each calendar year as the CNS Y-12 Investment Advisory Committee determines community needs for each grant cycle. Click here for General Eligibility and Funding Criteria .

Please note the following exceptions to the general eligibility requirements: Because CNS Y-12 Community Investment Fund is a donor advised fund, applicant organizations are not required to provide their most recent financial statements and/or audit and/or IRS Form 990; current year operating budget; or list of current board of directors.

Tutorial for completing your grant application Logon page to access application and report forms Please direct your questions to a member of East Tennessee Foundation’s Grantmaking Team: Ashley Siferd Butler , Director of Competitive Grants Brooke Anguiano , Assistant Director of Grantmaking & Operations Email: gr ********* @ * tf. org Telephone: (865) 524-1223 ext. 144 or toll-free (877) 524-1223 ext.

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