Idea Leap Grant

Every year since 2018, TVFCU has hosted the Idea Leap Grant competition to help local small businesses grow and enhance their services, stimulate local economies, and create fulfilling jobs within our service area. This grew from the Idea Leap Loan program, which started in 2016 and has provided over $5 million to small businesses by utilizing flexible and non-tradtional underwriting criteria, an expedited approval process and other great features to connect entrepreneurs with funding when other financial institutions may reject their request. As a not-for-profit credit union, TVFCU is able to reinvest proceeds from Idea Leap Loans to fund Idea Leap Grants.

Small business owners within TVFCU’s 17-county service area who meet the eligibility criteria may apply.

• Entrants/business owners must be at least eighteen (18) years of age at the time of application.
• Business must be currently active, lawful, and have all necessary and required licenses and registrations.
• Business must be in operation and generating revenue for at least twelve (12) months prior to application.
• Business must gross less than $2.5 million in revenue.
• Business must be a for-profit entity; nonprofit organizations are not eligible.
• Business must have between 2 – 25 employees.

Each small business may only apply for one of the three Idea Leap Grant competitions. Please apply for the primary area in which your business operates and provides most of your goods and/or services. All business members will access the same application regardless of region. For the purposes of this competition, the regions are outlined as follows:

Ocoee Region: Bradley, Polk, McMinn, and Meigs.

Chattanooga Region: Bledsoe, Grundy, Hamilton, Marion, Rhea, and Sequatchie.

Northwest GA Region: Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Gordon, Murray, Walker, and Whitfield.

In each competing region (Chattanooga, Ocoee, Northwest Georgia), three winners will receive $10,000, one will receive $15,000, and one will receive $30,000 in grant money, which can be used to advance their business in any way they see fit.

Here are additional benefits, broken down by region.

Chattanooga Area Competition:

• Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce Membership: The grand prize winner will receive a Premier Membership to the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce valued at $1,500, and all other finalists will receive a free business membership for one year.
• Sunny 92.3 Media Package: The grand prize winner will receive an advertising schedule valued at $2,500. The runner-up will receive an advertising schedule valued at $1,000.
• Wadel Media Consulting: The grand prize winner will receive a complimentary one-hour media consulting session valued at $500.

• North Georgia Radio 102.9 Media Package: All winners will receive on-air or call-in interviews valued at $100 per interview.
• Sunny 92.3 Media Package: The grand prize winner will receive an advertising schedule valued at $2,500. The runner-up will receive an advertising schedule valued at $1,000.
• Wadel Media Consulting: The grand prize winner will receive a complimentary one-hour media consulting session valued at $500.

• Mix 104.1 Media Package: The grand prize winner will receive an air schedule worth $1,500, and all runners-up will receive an air schedule worth $1,000.
• Sunny 92.3 Media Package: The grand prize winner will receive an advertising schedule valued at $2,500. The runner-up will receive an advertising schedule valued at $1,000.
• Wadel Media Consulting: The grand prize winner will receive a complimentary one-hour media consulting session valued at $50
• Cleveland / Bradley County Chamber of Commerce Membership: The grand prize winner will receive a Business Partner Membership to the Cleveland / Bradley County Chamber of Commerce valued at $995. The runner-up will receive a Business Essential membership valued at $310.

No, Idea Leap Grant funds do not have to be paid back. This program awards grants for $10,000, $15,000, and $30,000 to pitch competition winners.

No, you do not have to be a member of the credit union to apply for the Idea Leap Grant Program, and being a member will not increase your chances of winning. If you are selected as a Finalist, you will need to open a TVFCU account in order to receive your winnings.

Absolutely! We encourage all past applicants who have not made it to the pitch competition round to reapply.

The initial review of all applications takes place with an internal panel of TVFCU employees, followed by an external review of community volunteers. Volunteer judges continue to review businesses throughout each stage of the competition, and these community volunteers also serve as judges for the business pitch competitions.