A new competitive grant initiative challenges community groups to collaborate with business and government entities on creative projects that address an urgent need: young people’s mental health and resilience. 

Letters of intent are being accepted by the United Way of Greater Knoxville through Thursday, April 28. Three finalists will receive $20,000 toward enacting their projects. 

The Mayor’s Social Innovation Challenge is a collaboration between the City of Knoxville, United Way of Greater Knoxville, University of Tennessee College of Social Work, Mental Health Association, Knoxville Chamber and Knoxville Area Urban League. The goal of the new competitive grant is to encourage organizations to seek out new partners and original ways of thinking about youth mental health and both individual and community resilience.

“We must come together to support our young people and their support networks,” says Mayor Indya Kincannon. “Our community has the empathy, imagination and skills to find creative ways to establish or boost services and activities that strengthen our young people’s mental health and resilience. We are up to that challenge.” 

“Our young people struggle with problems that can’t solely be solved by a government agency or a single charitable organization,” says Community Engagement Coordinator Kathy Mack. “We’re challenging our community leaders, thinkers and changemakers to present their biggest, boldest ideas that will improve the lives of our young people.” 

All projects submitted for consideration must be collaborative, community driven and community led; address current gaps in services; support underserved youth; and position youth as the experts in what they need and barriers they face.

Organizations interested in participating in the Mayor’s Social Innovation Challenge can email Kathy Mack at the City of Knoxville or Torrie Boggs at the United Way.