Congratulations to the winners of the 8th Annual idea Leap Grants, who received a total of $225,000 in funding.
Northwest Georgia Region:
- $30,000 Grand Prize – Gowin Valley Farms of Rocky Face, Ga.
- $15,000 Second Place – Red Eyed Rooster Coffee Co. of Chatsworth, Ga.
- $10,000 Runner-Up Prizes:
- Top End Fabrication of Rossville , Ga.
- Rosie Mae’s Alpaca Farm of Wildwood, Ga.
- Bobbi Jo Brooks Fine Art & Photography of Dalton, Ga.
Ocoee Region:
- $30,000 Grand Prize – Visionary Motorsports and Fabrication of McDonald, Tenn.
- $15,000 Second Place – Bigfoot Outfitters of Benton, Tenn.
- $10,000 Runner-Up Prizes:
- Theme Fusion of Cleveland, Tenn.
- Flory Custom Woodworking of Riceville, Tenn.
- Fraizer’s Fabrication of Cleveland, Tenn.
Chattanoga Area Region:
- $30,000 Grand Prize – Tiny Tigers Learning Center of Chattanooga, Tenn.
- $15,000 Second Place – Scenic City Therapy of Chattanooga, Tenn.
- $10,000 Runner-Up Prizes:
- Jordan Ariel Agency of Chattanooga, Tenn.
- Party Bites, DBA Cha Cha Masala Chia of Chattanooga, Tenn.
- Bird Fork Farm of Dunlap, Tenn.
Idea Leap Grant Calendar 2025
| Peoples' Choice Voting | Mar. 31 - April 4 (5 p.m. EST cutoff) |
| Peoples' Choice Announcement | April 7 |
| Top 5 Finalist Announcement | April 8 |
| CBRC's Chattanooga Entrepreneur Week, presented by TVFCU |
May 5 - 10 Visit their website for more details |
|
Live Shows Airing - News 3 |
May 5 (Northwest Georgia Competition) May 6 (Ocoee Competition) Both 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. |
| Arts Build's Periscope CHA Pitch Night & Entrepreneur Showcase, sponsored by TVFCU |
May 7 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. |
| Chambliss Startup Social & Chattanooga Pitch Night |
May 8 @ The Signal 4:30 to 8:00 p.m. |
Northwest Georgia's Cake Addicts wins $30,000 in 7th Annual Idea Leap Grant
7th Annual Idea Leap Grant Chattanooga Region winners and finalists
Sleepyhead Coffee wins $20,000 in 2022
Ocoee Riverside Farms take home $30,000 in 7th Annual Idea Leap Grant Contest
Dr. Little wins the top prize in the first-ever Northwest Georgia Area Idea Leap Grant
The Local Juicery presents their pitch in 2023
Please review the competition rules in full before applying.
REGLAS OFICIALES PARA EL CONCURSO DE APOYOS ECONÓMICOS “IDEA LEAP” DE TVFCU
The History and Impact of Idea Leap
Idea Leap Loan
TVFCU started the Idea Leap Loan program in 2016 to fill a void in the community for capital for start-up and early-stage businesses.
Idea Leap Grant
In 2018, after two very successful years of Idea Leap Loans, TVFCU started the Idea Leap Grant to reinvest proceeds from the loan program back into the local small business ecosystem. In the first Idea Leap Grant, the credit union awarded $52,500 in grants, with the Chattanooga School of Language winning the top prize of $20,000. In 2022, to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the grant program, TVFCU awarded a $50,000 grant to Be Caffeinated - the largest Idea Leap Grant to-date. In 2023, TVFCU expanded the program once again by hosting separate Idea Leap Grant competitions in the Chattanooga, Ocoee and Northwest Georgia regions. In 2024, the credit union awarded $75,000 in grants in each of the three areas, investing $225,000 in 15 locally owned businesses.
Nearly 60 unique businesses have received Idea Leap Grants. Through grants and scholarships, the program has invested over $720,000 in the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.