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 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.
About Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union
Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union (TVFCU), a not-for-profit financial cooperative, was established in 1936 when 57 Chattanooga TVA employees pooled $500 to create the member-owned credit union. Today, TVFCU serves more than 172,000 members who live, work, worship, volunteer or attend school throughout the 17-county service community. With more than $2.9 billion in assets and 28 branches throughout the area, TVFCU is the largest credit union in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. For more information about TVFCU, please visit tvfcu.com.
