STRONG Families Northeast Tennessee (NETN)
Securing $25M to Build a Coordinated, Family-Centered Support System Across 10 Counties
Funding Secured
$25M
Counties Served
10
Cross-sector partners engaged
20+
The Challenge
Northeast Tennessee communities face compounding challenges related to economic instability, access to mental health care, workforce readiness, and family well-being—particularly in rural areas where services are often fragmented across counties and providers. While the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides a critical funding stream to support families, translating those resources into coordinated, place-based solutions requires strong regional leadership, clear governance, and cross-sector alignment.
The Tennessee Opportunity Pilot Initiative (TOPI) was designed to fund innovative, regional approaches that move beyond siloed services toward integrated systems of care. To compete successfully for this highly selective funding, regional leaders needed to demonstrate not only programmatic vision, but also readiness to manage a complex, multi-county initiative with strong accountability, equitable service delivery, and measurable outcomes for families.
Our Approach
VIDA Collaborative partnered with the First Tennessee Development District to co-develop and write a comprehensive TOPI/TANF grant proposal that reflected both community needs and system-level solutions. Our role focused on shaping a compelling, results-oriented narrative; aligning partners around a shared vision; and clearly articulating governance, fiscal management, and performance accountability across a 10-county region.
The resulting proposal positioned FTDD as the fiscal agent responsible for grant administration, reporting, and monitoring, while elevating the STRONG Families Northeast Tennessee (NETN) model as a coordinated Accountable Care Community. With backbone support from Ballad Health, the application clearly defined leadership roles, partner contributions, and implementation structures—demonstrating the region’s readiness to steward a large-scale public investment and deliver meaningful outcomes for families.
Projects Results
The proposal was successfully awarded $25 million, making FTDD one of seven funded TOPI grantees statewide. The award enabled the launch of STRONG Families NETN, a multi-county initiative designed to strengthen family stability, improve access to mental health and supportive services, and increase economic mobility across Northeast Tennessee.
The funded model established a clear governance and delivery structure: FTDD serves as fiscal agent; Ballad Health provides backbone support; a dedicated STRONG Families Program Director leads day-to-day execution; and a STRONG Families Advisory Committee oversees assessment, monitoring, and continuous improvement. With funding secured, the region is now positioned to implement a coordinated, family-centered system that aligns health care, social services, workforce supports, and community voice at scale.
Project highlights
- Selected as one of seven TOPI grantees statewide
- Established FTDD as fiscal agent for a 10-county initiative
- Activated mental health supports and a multi-sector Family Partner Network
- Aligned incentives with family progress toward stability and self-sufficiency goals
- Implemented coordinated supports across health, workforce, and family services
Services provided
- Planning and Design
- Technical Assistance
industry
Human Services & Social Services, Public Health & Behavioral Health, Workforce Development & Economic Mobility, Family & Child Well-Being, Public Sector / Government Programs (TANF), Community & Regional Development
Project timeline
2022-2023
location
Northeast Tennessee
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