People who love Chattanooga love giving back.  We help them do that with personalized service, grant making, local knowledge and our role as a collaborative community leader and convener.

We were formed in 1963, by leaders like: Z. Cartter Patten, Sam Yarnell, John P. Guerry, Scotty Probasco, Robert Maclellan, Bill Brock, and E.Y. Chapin, who saw a need to create a public charitable entity that could support philanthropic goals of many donors and, in doing so, create a meaningful impact on the community.

And since our founding days, we have existed to connect donors' passions-their values-with purpose, so that they can have a meaningful impact on the community.  Central to our mission is the stewardship of permanent assets to support local nonprofits and good work in the community.

The mission of the Community Foundation is to encourage giving and inspire action to improve lives in the Chattanooga area.  The Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga is a trusted community partner, serving at the intersection between ideas and action, needs and resources, donors and nonprofits.