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The First Tennessee Development District (FTDD) Foundation is proud to announce a $35,000 grant from the Women’s Fund of East Tennessee’s Strong Women, Strong Futures initiative to support women and families already participating in STRONG Families NETN. The two-year grant, beginning August 31, 2026, will help current STRONG Families participants overcome financial barriers to post-secondary education, workforce training, and career advancement. Helping Women Keep Moving

On August 13, FTDD staff, Lottie’s family, friends, and colleagues gathered to celebrate the upcoming retirement of Lottie Ryans and honor an extraordinary career of service, leadership, and dedication. It was a special afternoon filled with laughter, memories, heartfelt stories, and plenty of reminders of just how many lives Lottie has touched throughout her years with FTDD. As Lottie prepares to begin this next chapter, we asked some people on the FTDD team to describe Lott

Andria Smith speaking at the 2025 Education to Employment Summit with panelists Lottie Ryans and Chuck Carter A vision years in the making is becoming a reality for Sullivan County Schools thanks to a $1.5 million New Care Partner grant from the Tennessee Department of Human Services. The innovative project will establish childcare centers that not only support school employees with access to affordable, high-quality childcare, but also create valuable career pathways for stu