The City of Red Bank awarded a total of $50,000 to ten local nonprofit organizations through the 2026 Red Bank Nonprofit Organization Grant program, marking the final year of the City's three-year initiative to direct federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds toward nonprofit programs serving Red Bank residents.
In March 2022, the Red Bank City Commission established a multi-year spending strategy for the City's ARPA funds. The strategy included an allocation of approximately $150,000 for nonprofit organizations and endeavors serving the citizens of Red Bank, with up to $50,000 available annually over three years.
The City established the Red Bank Nonprofit Citizens' Advisory Board to assist with the City's nonprofit grant program. The board was charged with developing and administering an annual grant application process and evaluating applications for awards of up to $50,000 each year.
“On behalf of the City of Red Bank, I want to express my sincere appreciation to the dedicated volunteers who serve on the Nonprofit Citizens' Advisory Board,” said City Manager Martin Granum. “For the past three years, they have devoted their time to receiving, evaluating, and forwarding grant recommendations to the City Commission. Their independent review and thoughtful work are at the heart of this effort, and their service to the Red Bank community is truly valued and appreciated.”
For the 2026 grant cycle, the Nonprofit Citizens' Advisory Board publicly solicited applications and evaluated 26 grant applications before recommending the 10 organizations selected for funding. Each recipient agreed to use the funds in accordance with the City's grant requirements and applicable ARPA regulations.
The 2026 grant recipients and awards are:
- Be The Change Youth Initiative — $5,000Funds will support in-school and after-school programming at Red Bank High School, including staff and supplies for projects and workshops.
- Downside Up Inc. — $5,000Funding will support the organization's Sibling Circle program, which provides community and support services for individuals who have siblings with disabilities.
- La Paz Chattanooga — $5,000Funds will expand career readiness and education programming, including digital skills, English-language training, educational workshops and two Tech Goes Home courses. The organization expects to serve at least 100 participants through its career readiness and workforce development programs.
- Red Bank Community Food Pantry — $9,000The largest grant will help purchase a replacement 21.7-cubic-foot chest freezer, support accounting software costs and provide milk and eggs for one year.
- Red Bank High School Band Boosters — $4,000Funds will provide private music lesson scholarships, supporting approximately 250 individual 30-minute lessons for students participating in Red Bank Middle School and Red Bank High School music programs.
- Red Bank High School Enrichment Events — $5,000Funding will provide snacks, lunches and raffle prizes for students and teachers participating in events such as Mental Health Week, the College & Career Fair and Post-Exam Extravaganza.
- Tennessee Humane Animal League — $2,000Funds will support low-cost spay/neuter surgeries for low-income residents of Red Bank and Hamilton County, helping address pet homelessness and promote responsible animal care.
- The Learning Gardens at Red Bank Elementary — $5,000Funding will purchase groceries and food supplies for the Little Sprouts culinary program and provide fresh ingredients for culturally themed culinary units, gardening experiences and a Multicultural Heritage and Celebration Showcase.
- WaterWays — $5,000Funds will expand the RainSmart Yards program within Red Bank, improving stormwater management and ecological resiliency in the Stringers Branch Watershed. The program is expected to reach at least 20 additional residents over one year.
- White Oak Bicycle Co-op — $5,000Funding will be used to update and improve the Red Bank Traffic Garden and provide bicycle-related services to the community.
Over the three-year program, the City has used its ARPA allocation to support nonprofit organizations and community programs addressing a broad range of local needs. The initiatives funded through the program have included opportunities for youth, educational enrichment, food security, workforce development, environmental stewardship, animal welfare, and community transportation and recreation.
"We are so grateful for our years-long partnerships with our local nonprofit organizations,” said Red Bank Mayor Stefanie Dalton. “During COVID, especially, so many of our neighbors struggled as we all tried to navigate a challenging and stressful worldwide pandemic. Our nonprofit partners really stepped up during that time to meet our neighbors' essential and emergency needs, providing rent, utility, and food assistance, in-home support, resource access, and more. The City’s numerous nonprofit partners have continued to work diligently over the past three years to serve Red Bank neighbors, meeting their unique needs through resources, training, education, and support services.
Mayor Dalton emphasized that Red Bank is thankful to all the nonprofit organizations that applied for this final round of ARPA grants, and for the grant recipients’ dedication to sustaining a partnership with the City in support of all community members.