First Tennessee Development District

What First Tennessee Development District does

First Tennessee Development District (FTDD) is a nonprofit regional development organization established in 1966 by the Tennessee General Assembly as one of nine such districts in the state. Headquartered at 3211 N. Roan Street in Johnson City, TN, FTDD serves as the statutory coordinator for general and comprehensive planning and development activities across eight counties (Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, Washington) and twenty municipalities in Northeast Tennessee. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors composed of mayors from member counties and municipalities, along with industrial and legislative representatives.

FTDD operates a portfolio of interconnected programs addressing community development, workforce, aging services, housing, and disaster recovery. Core programs include the First Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability (FTAAAD), which administers the CHOICES long-term services program and the OPTIONS community-living program with nine counselors (seven community-based); CareerQuestTN career exploration events that served approximately 4,600 students in 2024; Caring Workplaces supporting recovery-friendly employment; housing rehabilitation programs administered through partnerships with THDA and USDA; Long-Term Recovery Groups coordinating Hurricane Helene response in five counties; and economic and community development services including business financing, transportation planning through a Rural Planning Organization, and TACIR infrastructure needs reporting. The organization has no proprietary technology platform; its infrastructure is administrative and service-delivery oriented.

The revenue model is entirely government-dependent. FTDD is funded through Tennessee state appropriations, federal grants (notably $1.3M from the U.S. Department of Labor in October 2020 and $541,700 from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee in March 2021), state program funding (THDA, TN Department of Economic and Community Development), and pass-through grants administered to local governments and community organizations. The FTDD Foundation serves as the fundraising arm. Pricing is grant-based where applicable (e.g., Arts Build Communities grants up to $5,000); there are no commercial products or services. FTDD serves as the sole regional intermediary between federal/state agencies and the local governments of Northeast Tennessee, a structural role that defines its market position.

Name

First Tennessee Development District

Legal name

First Tennessee Development District

Website

https://www.ftdd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

First Tennessee Development District (FTDD), founded in 1966, is a state-legislated regional planning and community development organization serving eight counties and twenty municipalities in Northeast Tennessee with workforce, aging, housing, disaster recovery, and economic development programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Economic and Community Development Services

NAICS

Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning) (BPAIANAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE)

Keywords

• Regional planning services
• Community development programs
• Workforce development services
• Aging and disability services
• Disaster recovery coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Johnson City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding and Grants: FTDD operates as a regional development district established by Tennessee state legislation, funded through government appropriations, federal grants, and state programs. The organization administers various federal and state funded programs including workforce development (WIOA), aging services (FTAAAD), housing programs, and economic development initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

First Tennessee Development District (FTDD) carries out general, comprehensive planning and development activities for local governments across eight counties and twenty municipalities in Northeast Tennessee. The organization administers a portfolio of publicly funded programs spanning aging and disability services (CHOICES, OPTIONS), workforce development (WIOA), housing rehabilitation, economic and community development, transportation planning, environmental and historic preservation, arts grants, and Hurricane Helene long-term recovery coordination.

Product overview

First Tennessee Development District is a regional economic and community development organization serving Northeast Tennessee since 1966. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs addressing community development, workforce, aging services, and disaster recovery. Core programs include the Area Agency on Aging & Disability (FTAAAD) managing CHOICES and OPTIONS programs for seniors and disabled individuals; CareerQuestTN providing career exploration for students; Caring Workplaces supporting recovery-friendly employment; housing and economic development initiatives; and Long-Term Recovery Groups coordinating Hurricane Helene disaster recovery. The organization also provides planning, transportation, environmental, and historic preservation services to eight counties and twenty municipalities through regional coordination and technical assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• First Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability (FTAAAD): Division providing aging and disability services including CHOICES program, OPTIONS program, and senior support services
• CareerQuestTN
• FTDD Foundation
• Caring Workplaces
• OPTIONS Program
• CHOICES Program

Products and services

• Area Agency on Aging & Disability (FTAAAD) Provides services and support for older adults and individuals with disabilities, including programs like CHOICES (long-term services and support), OPTIONS (community living support), and Information & Assistance services to help people remain independent in their communities.
• CareerQuestTN Career exploration event program for students in grades 8-12, featuring industry sectors including Advanced Manufacturing, Construction, Healthcare, Information Technology, Business, Hospitality, and Culinary Arts, held at regional venues.
• Caring Workplaces Program supporting employers and individuals in recovery by creating pathways to meaningful employment and stronger communities through recovery-friendly workplace initiatives.
• STRONG Families (TOPI) Tennessee Opportunity Pilot Initiative (TOPI) program leveraging TANF funds to support families moving toward self-sufficiency through person-centered approaches.
• Arts Build Communities (ABC) Grant Program Locally administered grant program supporting arts projects that broaden access to arts experiences, address community quality-of-life issues through the arts, and enhance sustainability of asset-based cultural enterprises. Grants up to $5,000 available.
• Childcare Finder / Childcare Northeast TN Resource program connecting families with childcare options in Northeast Tennessee, including special projects coordination for early childhood education initiatives.
• Long-Term Recovery Groups (LTRG) County-level recovery groups (Carter, Johnson, Unicoi, Washington, Cocke) supporting communities impacted by Hurricane Helene, providing housing repairs and critical support services for displaced families.
• Housing Programs Housing rehabilitation and assistance programs including THDA HOME Homeownership Rehabilitation, USDA grant assistance for disaster recovery, and housing initiatives to improve neighborhood quality of life.
• Economic & Community Development Comprehensive economic development services including business financing, industrial programs, community development initiatives, and regional planning support for local governments.
• Workforce & Literacy Initiatives Workforce development programs including WIOA services, literacy programs, Employment to Education Summits, and initiatives connecting employers with future talent pipelines.
• Local Planning & Transportation Regional planning services including transportation planning through the Rural Planning Organization (RPO), zoning maps, demographic and economic data, and infrastructure needs assessment.
• FTDD Foundation Nonprofit foundation supporting the organization's mission through charitable donations, grant administration for disaster recovery, and community investment initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 6,000 patients served through Friends in Need Healthcare in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFTDD staff including Executive Director Mike Harrison participate in ARC Annual Conferences focused on economic growth across Appalachia. ARC provides federal-state partnership for economic development in the Appalachian region.
• East Tennessee State University (ETSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFTAAAD participates in ETSU pilot programs focused on senior nutrition and addressing isolation. ETSU Quillen College of Pharmacy partnered on Medicare training program for pharmacy students. CareerQuestTN events hosted at ETSU campus.
• Northeast State Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for CareerQuestTN career exploration events serving regional students.
• Rural Health Association of TennesseecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFTAAAD received the inaugural Rural Resiliency Award from this organization in recognition of Hurricane Helene response and community support efforts.
• The Sycamore InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFTDD participates in Regional Housing Summit hosted by The Sycamore Institute focusing on housing outcomes in the Tri-Cities region.
• Seven States Power CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssisted with ribbon-cutting ceremony for FTDD's first-ever electric vehicle fleet and charging station installation.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of TennesseeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded $541,700 grant to FTDD Foundation for mobile vaccination vans through their philanthropic initiatives.
• USDA Rural DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFTDD assisting homeowners with applications for USDA Rural Development grant funding for Hurricane Helene impacted homes in Northeast Tennessee.
• Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree FTDD communities (Johnson County, City of Elizabethton, Town of Greeneville) awarded $540,000 each through THDA's HOME Homeownership Rehabilitation Program.
• Tennessee Department of Economic and Community DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with FTDD on Opportunity Zones 2.0 convening focused on community investment and economic growth in Northeast Tennessee.
• United WayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFTDD's Leslie Thompson participated as panelist at ALICE Summit hosted by United Way in Miami, sharing insights on TOPI program and STRONG Families initiative.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Opportunity Zones 2.0 redesignation process for economically distressed communities in Northeast Tennessee.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Greater Nashville Regional Council: Another Tennessee regional development council with overlapping mandate in regional planning, economic development, aging services (AAAD), and workforce programs under the same state statutory framework.
• Upper Cumberland Development District: Tennessee regional development district covering a rural multi-county area similar in demographic and economic profile to FTDD's Northeast Tennessee territory.
• East Tennessee Development District: One of Tennessee's nine other regional development districts, performing the same comprehensive planning and economic/community development coordination function for a different multi-county region of the state.
• Memphis Area Association of Governments: Regional planning and development organization serving West Tennessee counties and municipalities with comparable economic, community, and transportation planning responsibilities.
• East Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability: Another Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability performing the same CHOICES, OPTIONS, and aging/disability services under Tennessee's DDA framework, operating in an adjacent region.

Others

• Appalachian Regional Commission: Federal-state partnership for economic development in Appalachia; FTDD's Executive Director participates in ARC's annual conference. ARC is a primary funding conduit rather than a direct competitor but is the most strategically aligned ecosystem partner.
• National Association of Regional Councils: National membership organization representing regional councils and development districts; not a service peer but the industry body governing best practices, funding advocacy, and peer learning for entities like FTDD.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCvT_FLiVVp-wTV0HVGckmWA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ftdd.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-tennessee-development-district
• Instagraminstagram.com/first_tn_development_district
• Xx.com/the_ftdd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about First Tennessee Development District