CNS Y-12 Community Investment Fund

The CNS Y-12 Community Investment Fund is a philanthropic initiative created by Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS), which manages operations at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas. This fund is housed at the East Tennessee Foundation and represents CNS’s commitment to investing in the East Tennessee communities surrounding its operations. It is guided by the CNS Y-12 Investment Advisory Committee, which is composed of employees who help identify and direct grant support to high-need areas within a defined 20-county region. Since its inception in 2015, the fund has distributed over 200 grants to more than 140 nonprofit organizations within this region. The grants are designed to support impactful, community-driven programs in the counties of Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Cumberland, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sevier, and Union. While the specific focus areas for funding change annually based on community needs, in 2025, the program is prioritizing Acute Mental Health Support, Pre and Postnatal Family Services, and Early Learning and Academic Support. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) public charities, governmental units, or public educational institutions. New or emerging groups lacking nonprofit status may apply if they have a fiscal sponsor. Applicants are typically required to submit standard organizational documentation, but these requirements are waived for this fund due to its donor-advised nature. Organizations must not discriminate and must confirm compliance with the East Tennessee Foundation’s diversity and non-discrimination policies. The application process for 2025 opens on May 15 and closes on June 11 at 6:00 p.m. Eastern. Grants will be awarded in September 2025 for a one-year term running from September 15, 2025, to September 14, 2026. The funding amount available ranges from $2,000 to $15,000 per grant. Applications are submitted through an online portal, and a tutorial is available to guide applicants through the process. For additional guidance, applicants may contact East Tennessee Foundation staff members Ashley Siferd Butler or Brooke Anguiano at grantmaking@etf.org or by phone at (865) 524-1223 or toll-free at (877) 524-1223. The foundation’s office is located at 520 W. Summit Hill Drive, Suite 1101, Knoxville, TN 37902.