Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education

Private foundation · Grantmaker Knoxville, TN EIN: 26-3616017

Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education is a private foundation based in Knoxville, Tennessee. Its 2025 filing lists grants to Tennessee high schools for “SIMPLY SMART GRANT” purposes.

Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education at a glance

In short: Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education gave $75K across 50 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$75,000
+24.5% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
50
+16.3% vs 2024
Average grant
$1,500
+7.1% vs 2024
Median grant
$1,500
Total assets
$175,807
-23.6% vs 2024
Primary geography
Tennessee (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

How to apply to Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.

Contact

Mailing address: PO Box 36027, Knoxville, TN 37930
Phone: (865) 544-5400

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Eagleton College and Career Academy: $2KEagleton College and CareerAcademy$2KHeritage High School: $2KHeritage High School$2KWilliam Blount High School: $2KWilliam Blount High School$2KMorristown-Hamblen East High School: $2KMorristown-Hamblen East HighSchool$2KJefferson County High School: $2KJefferson County High School$2KAustin East High School: $2KAustin East High School$2KBearden High School: $2KBearden High School$2KCentral High School: $2KCentral High School$2KFarragut High School: $2KFarragut High School$2KFulton High School: $2KFulton High School$2K

The largest 2025 recipient was Eagleton College and Career Academy ($2K). Together the top 10 received $15K.

Grant Size Distribution

223 grants across all recorded years

223<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 223 grants of 223 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Tennessee.

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 50 itemized grants.

States

Cities

KnoxvilleMaryvilleMorristownSeviervilleKingstonAlcoaKingsportHarrimanBluff CityBristolCorrytonDandridgeGatlinburgKodakLenoir CityPigeon ForgePowellRockwoodBlountvilleFarragut

How Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education gives

  • 78% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+15%). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$20K$40K$60K$80K44 grants2019 1 grant2020 44 grants2021 45 grants2022 41 grants2023 43 grants2024 50 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $10K (2020) to $75K (2025). In 2025 it made 50 grants totaling $75K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Eagleton College and Career Academy Maryville, TNSimply Smart Grant$1,500
Heritage High School Maryville, TNSimply Smart Grant$1,500
William Blount High School Maryville, TNSimply Smart Grant$1,500
Morristown-Hamblen East High School Morristown, TNSimply Smart Grant$1,500
Jefferson County High School Dandridge, TNSimply Smart Grant$1,500
Austin East High School Knoxville, TNSimply Smart Grant$1,500
Bearden High School Knoxville, TNSimply Smart Grant$1,500
Central High School Knoxville, TNSimply Smart Grant$1,500
Farragut High School Farragut, TNSimply Smart Grant$1,500
Fulton High School Knoxville, TNSimply Smart Grant$1,500
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$175,807$22,388$76,736$75,00050$7,914
2024$230,155$26,138$64,623$60,22643$11,195
2023$268,640$21,300$62,965$59,08441$5,636
2022$310,305$13,469$70,167$64,97345$1,672
2021$367,004$12,477$66,991$62,94244$1,961
2020$421,518$12,789$12,506$10,0001$2,102
2019$421,235$89,884$66,822$64,08144$2,072

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 50 grants totaling $75,000. Each listed grant was $1,500. Its grants in 2024 totaled $60,226 across 43 grants, and in 2023 totaled $59,084 across 41 grants.

Among the 2025 recipients were Eagleton College and Career Academy and Heritage High School in Maryville; Morristown-Hamblen East High School in Morristown; and Austin East, Bearden, Central, Fulton, and Halls high schools in Knoxville. Each received $1,500 for a “SIMPLY SMART GRANT.”

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Cid Letsinger as chairperson, Scott Bacon as vice-chairperson, Paul Ivie as secretary, and Kristi Rule as treasurer. Other listed board members are Andrea Brackett, Lytle Rather, Christina Feyr Brooks, Howard Rosser, Linda Wilson, and Susan Adkins.

Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education is led by Cid Letsinger, Chairperson since 2024 (on filings since 2022); none of the 11 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Cid Letsinger

    Chairperson

    Board Member → Chairperson, 2024

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Scott Bacon

    Vice Chairperson

    Chairman → Board Member, 2021

    Board Member → Vice Chairperson, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Andrea Brackett

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lytle Rather

    Board Member

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Howard Rosser

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Paul Ivie

    Secretary

    Board Member → Secretary, 2023

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Christina Feyr Brooks

    Board Member

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Emmette Thompson

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kristi Rule

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Linda Wilson

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Susan Adkins

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (10)
  • Former: James Ford (2020–2023) — Chairperson
  • Former: Kristi Reynolds (2020–2023) — Treasurer
  • Former: Christina Feyr (2020–2022) — Secretary
  • Former: Bill Bonham (2019–2021) — Chair Person
  • Former: Edna Riddick (2019–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Jamie Keith (2019–2021) — Vice Chairpersontreasurer
  • Former: Ed Pershing (2019–2020) — Board Member
  • Former: Sherry Vermillion (2019–2020) — Board Member
  • Former: William Bonham (2020) — Chairman
  • Former: George Ewart (2019) — Board Member

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education

How much does Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education give each year?

Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education gave $75K across 50 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $60K across 43 grants.

What is Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education's typical grant size?

Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education's median grant in 2025 was $1,500, and its average grant was $1,500, across 50 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education give grants?

Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education gives mostly in Tennessee: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Knoxville, TN (14 grants), Maryville, TN (5 grants), Morristown, TN (3 grants) and Sevierville, TN (3 grants).

Does Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 50 grants with a stated purpose on Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Simply Smart Grant" (49 grants).

Who are Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education's largest grantees?

Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education's largest 2025 grantees include Eagleton College and Career Academy ($1,500), Heritage High School ($1,500) and William Blount High School ($1,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 6% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education?

Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education reported $176K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $22K.

How do I apply for a grant from Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education's EIN?

Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3616017. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 1, 2025)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
  3. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 18, 2020)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 2021)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2024)

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Knoxville TVA Emp Cu Foundation for Education's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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