Mount Rest Fund Grant

The Mount Rest Fund Grant, established by the East Tennessee Foundation, continues a legacy of support for women and children in Knox County. Founded in 2004, it honors the historical commitment of the Mount Rest Home, which began in 1894. The grant focuses on projects related to early childhood education, health drivers, and addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Eligible organizations must serve the local community and comply with non-discrimination policies to qualify for funding.

About East Tennessee Foundation
The East Tennessee Foundation (ETF) is a public charity and nationally accredited community foundation created by and for the people of East Tennessee. Many donors and organizations join together to make the region we love a better place – today, and for future generations.
The ETF was established in 1986 with $625,000 in assets. Since then, it has grown into a community foundation supporting 25 counties, managing $573 million in assets (as of year-end 2023), and is comprised of approximately 500 charitable funds and 8 supporting organizations. Like other community foundations, the ETF operates as a collection of hundreds of distinct charitable funds and supporting foundations established by individuals, families, businesses, and other nonprofits.
General Description
In 1894, Mount Rest Home was started by a group of forward-thinking women, at their own expense, as a residence for elderly ladies in Knoxville who had very little funds or family to care for them. The devoted women of the board of Mount Rest Home cooked and sold lunches at Thanksgiving to raise funds to support the home, and they tended to every need of the house and the ladies who lived there. Although the lovely home eventually closed, many of the daughters and granddaughters of the original board members continued to provide for the welfare of women and children in Knox County.
They established the Mount Rest Foundation in 1994 and then the Mount Rest Fund of East Tennessee Foundation in 2004 to continue and secure their families’ legacy of caring for Knox County’s women, children, and youth.
Areas of Focus
Projects must specifically benefit women and/or children and youth in Knox County and address one or more of the following focus areas:

• Early childhood educationDrivers of healthPrevention and/or mitigation of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Eligibility

Applicant organizations must serve women and/or children and youth in Knoxville or Knox County; andUnder special circumstances, grants will be made to institutions outside Knox County for programs that are operated within or provide direct benefit to residents of the county.Eligible organizations must have and be able to provide documentation to verify the following:Confirmation that the organization is a 501(c)(3) public charity, unit of governmentNew or emerging groups that do not have nonprofit status may apply if they have an established nonprofit organization as a fiscal sponsorConfirmation that the organization operates and is organized so as to not discriminate on the basis of race, color national origin, religion, gender, familial status, sexual orientation, age, disability, covered veteran status, or other characteristics as identified in the Foundation’s Non-Discrimination Policy Statement.

Ineligibility

The following types of requests will not be funded:Grants to individuals. We are restricted by law and therefore unable to provide grants directly to individuals.Debt retirement or budget deficitsEndowment funds or general fundraising campaignsCapital campaignsFaith based organizations and houses of worship are welcome to apply.However their projects that have explicit religious content, express a particular religious view, limit participation based on faith affiliation, or require participation in religious activities or services will not be considered. For example, a church’s food pantry may be awarded funding if participation in the program is not limited based on faith or attendance.