Idea Leap Applications NOW OPEN through October 27!

Idea Leap is back! Applications are now open for Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union’s(TVFCU) ninth annual Idea Leap Grant competition until October 27 at 5 p.m. EST. The credit union will award a total of $225,000 in grant funding to local small businesses.

Competitions will occur across three regions –Northwest Georgia, Ocoee, and the Chattanooga Area – with a business from each region receiving a grand prize of $30,000, along with smaller grants for second-place winners and runners-up.

Applications will go through several exciting rounds of selection during winter 2025 and spring 2026, including video submissions, site visits, and people’s choice voting to narrow the field. Finalists will participate in televised (Ocoee, Northwest Georgia) and live (Chattanooga Area) game-show style pitch competitions in May 2026 to determine the winners in each region.

“Small businesses are the heartbeat of our communities, and Idea Leap is TVFCU’s way to celebrate, support, and invest in their success,” said Todd Fortner, president and CEO of TVFCU. “We’re excited to continue fueling the creativity and determination of local entrepreneurs with this year’s $225,000 in grants.”

TVFCU launched the Idea Leap Loan program in 2016 to help fill a gap in capital for startup and early-stage businesses. In 2018, following two successful years of loans, TVFCU introduced the Idea Leap Grant to reinvest proceeds from the loan program back into the local small business ecosystem.

Idea Leap grants have helped launch and grow iconic local businesses including Hutton & Smith, (Be)Caffeinated, NewTerra Compost, Gowin Valley Farms, Ocoee Riverside Farm, and more. Altogether, the program has invested over $955,000 in the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Each small business may only apply to one of the three competitions and must apply in the region where their business primarily operates. To be eligible, businesses must:

• Have 2 to 25 employees (including the owner)
• Generate annual revenue of no more than $2.5 million
• Have been operating and generating revenue for at least 12 months
• Be based within TVFCU’s 17-county service area

Visit tvfcu.com/idealeap for full eligibility requirements, official rules, FAQs, upcoming briefing events, and the application link. Submit your application from 9 a.m. EST on September 26 through 5 p.m. EST on October 27, 2025.