Women's Fund of East Tennessee
The Women’s Fund of East Tennessee is a public charity based in Knoxville, Tennessee, that supports efforts to improve the lives of low-income women and girls in East Tennessee. Its grantmaking includes a collaborative network focused on barriers to post-secondary education and one-time grants intended to help organizations address needs affecting their services to women and families.
Women's Fund of East Tennessee at a glance
In short: Women's Fund of East Tennessee gave $383K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $35K), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $382,610
- +254.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- +57.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $34,783
- +125.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $35,000
- Total assets
- $233,566
- +14.4% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Women's Fund of East Tennessee
- How to Apply
-
The website provides grant-request processes for both opportunities, but the application cycles and deadlines described above have passed.
- Review Cycle
- The stated deadline for the 2026–2028 network grant cycle was June 30, 2026. The stated Self-Sustainability Grant application period was February 1–28, 2026; both are past cycles.
- Deadline
- The stated deadline for the 2026–2028 network grant cycle was June 30, 2026.
- Contact
Mailing address: 200 Prosperity Drive Suite 222, Knoxville, TN 37923
Phone: (865) 824-2864
Website: https://womensfundetn.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Women's Fund of East Tennessee
Who Women's Fund of East Tennessee funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was A Step Ahead Foundation of East TN ($35K). Together the top 10 received $350K.
Grant Size Distribution
26 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 22 grants of 26 (85%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization states that its service area covers 25 counties in East Tennessee. All grant dollars reported for 2024 went to recipients in Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Women's Fund of East Tennessee gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2024). 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
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $108K (2023) to $383K (2024). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $383K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A Step Ahead Foundation of East TN Knoxville, TN | Youth Development | $35,000 |
| Boys & Girls Elizabethtoncarter CT Elizabethton, TN | Youth Development | $35,000 |
| Boys & Girls Greater Kingsport Inc Kingsport, TN | Youth Development | $35,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club Smoky Mountains Sevierville, TN | Youth Development | $35,000 |
| Centro Hispano Knoxville, TN | Human Services | $35,000 |
| East Tennessee Artscapes Newport, TN | Arts, Culture | $35,000 |
| Girls Incorporated of TN Valley Oak Ridge, TN | Youth Development | $35,000 |
| Hola Lakeway Morristown, TN | Human Services | $35,000 |
| Knox Education Foundation Knoxville, TN | Educ. Institutions | $35,000 |
| Restoration House of East Tennessee Knoxville, TN | Human Services | $35,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Women's Fund of East Tennessee?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $233,566 | $439,271 | $584,287 | $382,610 | 11 | $2,435 |
| 2023 | $204,195 | $363,378 | $350,021 | $107,900 | 7 | $63 |
| 2022 | $273,608 | $129,379 | $770,773 | $357,375 | 5 | $80 |
| 2021 | $849,576 | $694,598 | $405,554 | $185,959 | 1 | $198 |
| 2020 | $620,467 | $399,649 | $330,158 | $116,671 | 2 | $1,406 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to be a catalyst for transforming the lives of low-income women and girls in East Tennessee through philanthropy and grants. Its website identifies access to education, including mentoring, as a funding focus. The Strong Women, Strong Futures network aims to help more low-income girls and women view post-secondary education as attainable and enroll, while supporting collaboration among nonprofit partners. The organization also describes one-time grants for urgent needs or emerging opportunities that can help agencies enhance services and reach.
In 2024, the funder awarded grants to organizations with varied missions. Knox Education Foundation describes its mission as advocating for student academic success in Knox County through research, data-driven innovation, collaboration, and public policy. Hola Lakeway describes its mission as helping integrate immigrant families into the Lakeway community through education and advocacy. East Tennessee Foundation describes its work as holding charitable funds and making grants for a wide variety of charitable purposes.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the organization reported 11 grants totaling $382,610. Grants ranged from $32,610 to $35,000, with a median of $35,000. Listed recipients included A Step Ahead Foundation of East TN, Boys & Girls Club organizations in Elizabethton-Carter County, Greater Kingsport, and the Smoky Mountains, Centro Hispano, East Tennessee Artscapes, Girls Incorporated of TN Valley, Hola Lakeway, Knox Education Foundation, Restoration House of East Tennessee, and East Tennessee Foundation. Each received $35,000 except East Tennessee Foundation, which received $32,610.
The 2024 filing also states that all grants were made to the supported organization, East Tennessee Foundation, with which the Women’s Fund has a close relationship, and that it receives regular reports on grant deployment. The filing separately lists the 11 recipients above.
The website describes two grant approaches: selecting nonprofit partners for the Strong Women, Strong Futures network and making additional one-time grants to agencies with emergency or operational needs. For the network, the website describes a two-year cycle and eligibility for public charities, units of government, or public educational institutions serving at least one county in the fund’s 25-county area. The website’s application period for the 2026–2028 network cycle ended June 30, 2026, and its stated notification date was July 31, 2026; those dates have passed.
The Self-Sustainability Grant materials describe one-time awards for program expenses, staffing, travel, materials, or general operations; capital improvements are generally excluded unless essential to programs and program delivery. The website lists a limited number of awards, typically $5,000–$15,000, and a historical average award of $10,250. The listed February 1–28, 2026 application period and March 2026 notification period have passed.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing include Julia Bentley, Treasurer; Kati Blalock, Vice Chair; Laura Seery Cole, Secretary; and Michelle Hardin, Past Chair. Directors listed were Veenita Bisaria, Nyda Brook, Jan Brown, Diane Condon, Joy Fulkerson, and Angela Howard.
Women's Fund of East Tennessee is led by Susie Whitener, Chair since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 17 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Susie Whitener
Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alice Mercer
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maureen Dunn McBride
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nyda Brook
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jan Brown
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Angela Howard
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anna Lora Taylor
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joy Fulkerson
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Veenita Bisaria
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Diane Condon
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Allison Kelley
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carey Patin
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katie Kline
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Seery Cole
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Hardin
Past Chair
Director → Chair, 2022
Chair → Past Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kati Blalock
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julia Bentley
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Judy Penry (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Robin Gibson (2020–2023) — Immediate Pa
- Former: Suzanne Prince (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Cathy Youmans (2023) — Director
- Former: Tiffany Mensch (2023) — Director
- Former: Becky Paylor (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Katharine Pearson Criss (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Linda Spence (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Nita Summers (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Norma Scogin (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Rosa Mar (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Sharon Boles (2020–2022) — Vice Chair
- Former: Cynthia Burnley (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Dawn Ford (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Emily Cox (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Judy Ingala (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Kathy Mack (2021) — Director
- Former: Barbara Crist (2020) — Director
- Former: Carol Transou (2020) — Director
- Former: Jacki Imbrey (2020) — Director
- Former: Molly Joy (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Women's Fund of East Tennessee
How much does Women's Fund of East Tennessee give each year?
Women's Fund of East Tennessee gave $383K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $108K across 7 grants.
What is Women's Fund of East Tennessee's typical grant size?
Women's Fund of East Tennessee's median grant in 2024 was $35,000, and its average grant was $34,783, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Women's Fund of East Tennessee give grants?
Women's Fund of East Tennessee gives mostly in Tennessee: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Knoxville, TN (5 grants).
Does Women's Fund of East Tennessee give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Women's Fund of East Tennessee's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Youth Development" (5 grants) and "Human Services" (3 grants).
Who are Women's Fund of East Tennessee's largest grantees?
Women's Fund of East Tennessee's largest 2024 grantees include A Step Ahead Foundation of East TN ($35,000), Boys & Girls Elizabethtoncarter CT ($35,000) and Boys & Girls Greater Kingsport Inc ($35,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Women's Fund of East Tennessee?
Women's Fund of East Tennessee reported $234K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $439K.
What does Women's Fund of East Tennessee fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to be a catalyst for transforming the lives of low-income women and girls in East Tennessee through philanthropy and grants. Its website identifies access to education, including mentoring, as a funding focus. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Women's Fund of East Tennessee?
The website provides grant-request processes for both opportunities, but the application cycles and deadlines described above have passed. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Women's Fund of East Tennessee's EIN?
Women's Fund of East Tennessee's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-4871564. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 30, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Women's Fund of East Tennessee's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Women's Fund of East Tennessee funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/women-s-fund-of-east-tennessee-morg_9492c6b066cb480790bb78948dedd0cf
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_474871564_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Women's Fund of East Tennessee funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/women-s-fund-of-east-tennessee-morg_9492c6b066cb480790bb78948dedd0cf},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Women's Fund of East Tennessee'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.
Women's Fund of East Tennessee down — hundreds of funders to go?