The Arconic Foundation has awarded $625,000 in grants to 20 East Tennessee nonprofit organizations, with a significant share of the funding directed to programs spanning education, environmental sustainability and human needs.
Chad Birge, Arconic Tennessee Operations Director of Manufacturing, called the 2026 allocation “possibly the largest in the history of the location,” noting that all three Blount County public school systems — Alcoa City Schools, Blount County Schools and Maryville City Schools — are among the recipients.
Local education initiatives drew the largest share of investment. The Blount County Education Foundation received $35,000 to transform school library spaces into STEM-focused learning hubs.
“These updated spaces will give students new opportunities to collaborate, create and engage with information in meaningful ways,” said Renee Poole, the foundation’s executive director.
Other notable Blount County recipients include the Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Knoxville ($50,000); Maryville College ($45,000 for environmental sustainability); Blount County Community Action Agency ($40,000); Blount County Friends of the Library ($35,000); Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley ($35,000); Remote Area Medical ($31,000); Keep Blount Beautiful ($32,000); and United Way of Blount County ($25,000).
The grants reflect Arconic Foundation’s strategy of aligning philanthropic investment with both community need and the company’s operational footprint.
The Tennessee facility, which produces aluminum products, has been a cornerstone of the region’s manufacturing sector for decades.
