Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union (TVFCU) is calling on community members to vote for a People’s Choice Finalist in each region of its annual Idea Leap Grant Competition. All finalists (including those selected by People’s Choice voting) are guaranteed at least $10,000 to help them take their business to the next level.
Voting opens on Monday, March 30, at 8 a.m. and closes on April 3 at 5 p.m. ET. To vote, visit tvfcu.com/vote, select a regional competition to view semifinalists in that area and watch videos showcasing their businesses. Simply click “vote” and enter a valid email address. Each person may only vote once in each competition.
“We’re excited to invite the community to be a part of the Idea Leap journey by voting for the People’s Choice
Finalist,” said Dionne Jenkins, vice president of corporate engagement at TVFCU. “Each of these
entrepreneurs is bringing bold ideas and real passion to our region. When people engage, vote, and share
these stories, they’re helping lift up small businesses and shape the future of innovation across our 17-county
service area.”
Semifinalists are vying for a total of 15 grants worth $225,000. During each regional pitch event, several
grants will be awarded: the top prize in each region is $30,000, second place earns $15,000, and three
additional finalists will each receive $10,000.
The Chattanooga region semifinalists are:
The Chattanooga region semifinalists are:
- Chef Express
- Convenient Cocktail Co.
- Little Tail Farms
- Mindy B’s Deli
- Scenic City Arborists
- Scenic City Wellness
- Shaq’s Mobile Detailing
- Southside Vet Clinic
- Windy City Eatz
- Yellow Racket Records
The Ocoee region semifinalists are:
- Bradley Tree Service
- Copperhill Brewery and Ocoee River Distilling
- The Drug Store Benton
- First Bloom Coffee and Bakery
- Fitted Stitches
- Heat N Eat
- Integrated Solutions of TN
- Mona & Larry’s
- Polk Physical Therapy
- Quality Cleaning Services
The Northwest Georgia region semifinalists are:
- Band Instrument Repair Academy
- Estela’s Taqueria
- Grace Hair Company
- KB Pressure Washing
- Lookout Mountain Flight Park
- Made By Kourmoulis
- Mayelli Meza
- Ragged Oak Farm
- Rise Wellness
- Stout Healthcare
This year, Local 3 News will premiere pitch competitions for the Northwest Georgia and Ocoee regions during the week of May 4. On the evening of May 7, TVFCU will hold an in-person pitch competition at The Signal for the Chattanooga region finalists. RSVP information will be available in the coming weeks. Visit tvfcu.com/idealeap for more information.
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 175,000 members who live, work, worship, volunteer or attend school throughout the 17-county service community. With more than $3.2 billion in assets and 29 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.
About TVFCU’s Idea Leap Grant
The Idea Leap Grant Initiative is an extension of TVFCU’s Idea Leap Loan Initiative that was created in October 2016. The Idea Leap Loan fills a community funding gap by providing loans of up to $75,000 to emerging businesses. Through the Idea Leap Grant Initiative, TVFCU is reinvesting Idea Leap Loan proceeds back into the community.
