Federal Investments in Knoxville
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Mayor Indya Kincannon with Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff |
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The Biden-Harris Administration and Congress are investing in Knoxville through several transformative projects and key programs.
While Knoxville has benefited for years from many federal grants that provide formula-based funding or flow through state programs, legislation in recent years has released several rounds of funding directly for local governments and their partners.
These competitive and new formula grants range from infrastructure improvements to planting new trees to transforming neighborhoods.
Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods
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Announcement of $42.6M grant at Alex Haley Square on March 13, 2024 |
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Amount: $42.6 million
Grant recipient: Knoxville’s Community and Development Corp. (KCDC)
Funded by: U.S. Department of Transportation
Reconnecting Knoxville will implement a civic infrastructure plan intended to begin the restoration of cultural and economic opportunity to communities impacted by urban renewal initiatives. The seven-phase project will create nearly 10 miles of connectivity improvements to link East Knoxville residents to economic, cultural and recreational amenities.
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Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Grant
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U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg with Mayor Indya Kincannon. |
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Amount: $8 million
Grant recipient: City of Knoxville
Funded by: U.S. Department of Transportation
Safe Streets for All will implement Vision Zero strategies to reduce vehicular, bicycling, and pedestrian fatalities on Magnolia Avenue, Broadway and Woodland Avenue.
Learn More (page 42 of pdf)
Federal Transit Administration Low or No Emission Grant
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Knoxville Area Transit was awarded this FTA grant in July 2023. |
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Amount: $3.64 million
Grant recipient: Knoxville Area Transit
Funded by: U.S. Department of Transportation
This grant will be used for overhead electric bus charging infrastructure. This award recognizes KAT’s commitment to reducing emissions and improving air quality in the Knoxville area.
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Urban and Community Forestry Grants
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Trees Knoxville was awarded part of the forestry grant to plant and maintain 7,500 trees along streets, in parks, at schools, in public housing communities, in historic African-American cemeteries, and elsewhere.
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Amount: $4.3 million
Grant recipients: Trees Knoxville ($1.7 million) and University of Tennessee ($2.6 million)
Funded by: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Knoxville will expand its tree canopy through grants awarded to partner Trees Knoxville and to the University of Tennessee. Additional federal funding will also be awarded through the State of Tennessee.
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Climate Pollution Reduction Grant
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The City was awarded CPRG funds in 2023. |
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Amount: $1 million
Grant recipient: City of Knoxville
Funded by: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program supports reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution. This is part of a two-phase program with $1 million for planning efforts.
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Choice Neighborhoods Program
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The Western Heights neighborhood is strategically located 1.5 miles from downtown Knoxville, the University of Tennessee, jobs, and amenities.
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Amount: $40 million
Funding provided to: KCDC
Funded by: U.S. Housing and Urban Development
A total of more than $200 million in public and private funding has been committed to Transforming Western, a comprehensive plan to transform Western Heights and the surrounding neighborhood.
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Community Violence Intervention
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LaKenya Middlebrook, Director of Community Safety & Empowerment, attended the National Office of Violence Prevention convening with the White House on May 22, 2024.
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Amount: $2 million
Funding provided to: City of Knoxville
Funded by: U.S. Department of Justice
These funds will expand and build critical resources for community-based support to individuals and communities at highest risk for being impacted by gun violence.
This three-year grant is from the Office of Justice Programs Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative.
Youth Homelessness Demonstration Grant
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Preventing and ending youth homelessness |
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Amount: $1.8 million
Funding provided to: Knoxville-Knox County Continuum of Care (CoC)
Funded by: U.S. Housing and Urban Development
The CoC received $1,823,342 in funding through the federal Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) to prevent and end youth homelessness in Knoxville.
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Composting and Food Waste Reduction Grant
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South Knoxville Recycling Center now has four food-scraps collection bins. |
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Amount: $89,270
Grant recipient: Knoxville Compost Project
Funded by: U.S. Department of Agriculture
The Knoxville Compost Project began as a small pilot program. Funds provided through the USDA’s Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction Grant will allow the program to expand.
Growth includes an increase in its number of food scraps drop-off sites, free backyard composting workshops, and support for composting at several community gardens throughout town.
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Health Food Financing Initiative (HFFI)
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The purpose of HFFI is to support food supply chain resiliency, improve access to healthy foods in underserved areas, create and preserve quality jobs, and revitalize
low-income communities. |
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Amount: $1 million
Funding provided to: United Way of Greater Knoxville
Funded by: U.S. Department of Agriculture
One of 16 private-public partnerships awarded. The United Way, KCDC, and the Real Good Foundation will launch the Knox Healthy Food Financing Initiative and the Knox Good Food Fund with the mission to create an equitable future for our community where fresh, healthy food is abundant and our most vulnerable neighbors and communities thrive.
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Areas of Persistent Poverty
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This DOT funding program provides competitive funding for planning studies or financial plans to improve transit services in areas experiencing long-term economic distress. |
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Amount: $360,000
Funding provided to: Knoxville Area Transit
Funded by: U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) will develop a transit map that identifies areas where transit-oriented development could blend with mixed- and low-income development to spur job growth.
The map would provide the basis for the City to increase transit use and invest in high-quality transit services that would help reduce poverty and help Knoxville meet climate challenges.
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The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provided funds that allowed Knoxville to invest $62.5 million for public safety, water quality, street paving, and other projects.
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ARPA dollars helped enhance playtime at Fort Kid at World's Fair Park. |
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About 40 ARPA-funded projects – a total investment of $62.5 million – have benefitted Knoxville since 2021.
“We’re extremely grateful for the ARPA funding,” Mayor Kincannon said last year. “These important projects need to get done, but they’re so expensive, Knoxville could not have done this alone.
“The game-changing effects of ARPA will be felt for generations to come.”
For example, $3.4 million was invested in the renovation of the closed St. Mary’s Hospital to repurpose it as the City’s new Public Safety Complex. Adjacent property was purchased for a community urgent care and behavioral health facility.
But not all ARPA money went to big bricks-and-mortar projects. What else did ARPA do for Knoxville?
• “Hero pay” for first responders during the pandemic – $2.15 million
• Street paving – $7.3 million
• Sidewalk improvements – $1.9 million
• Support for Community Action Committee programs – $2 million
• Grants to United Way non-profits – $1 million
• Grants to local artists and non-profits, administered by the Arts and Culture Alliance – $1.3 million
Learn More
Washington Pike
This public-safety improvement plan – mostly federally funded, an estimated investment of more than $20 million – will improve traffic flow along the Washington Pike corridor, between I-640 and Murphy Road.
The project is entering the right-of-way purchase of property stage. The design adds turn lanes, corrects accident-prone intersections, and creates wide bicycle and pedestrian paths.
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Stormwater Upgrades
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Stormwater repair by City of Knoxville employee |
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Mostly federal funding has enabled the City to commit more than $2 million to redesign or repair stormwater infrastructure in three flood-prone areas – with construction money to follow once designs are finalized. Trouble areas include Bluegrass Lake, Cherry Street, and Baum and Erin drives.
ARPA funding will also correct erosion problems and improve water quality at Mary Vestal Park, Holston River Park and Rock City Ballfield.
Learn More