Volunteer Mentorship Initiative (VMI)

Implementation Partner Application

Thank you for your interest in serving as a Volunteer Mentorship Initiative (VMI) Implementation Partner.

VMI is a statewide effort led by the Governor’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative (GFBCI) in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) to connect volunteer mentors with incarcerated men and women as they prepare for release and transition back into their communities.

Selected Implementation Partners will receive an upfront $80,000 grant, with an additional $20,000 available for maintaining 100 active mentors for three consecutive months, for a total potential award of $100,000 per facility.

These funds are intended to help organizations build capacity to lead VMI locally, either by hiring a dedicated staff member or assigning an existing employee to oversee mentor recruitment, activation, and engagement.

Organizations may apply to serve more than one prison facility, but a separate application must be submitted for each facility.

A technical assistance call will be held on March 20 from 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM CT for any organizations interested in applying that may have questions about VMI, the grant opportunity, or the application process.

Applications will be reviewed by a multi-sector review committee, and applications close April 15.

Selected partners must attend mandatory in-person VMI training on May 21–22, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee. The 12-month grant period will run from May 21, 2026 through May 20, 2027.

All funds supporting this grant have been privately raised; no public dollars are used for this grant.

Selection is competitive and discretionary, and submission does not guarantee selection or funding.

To begin your Application, click Continue below.