HOW WE STARTED:
In 2011, our organization was a mere entry at a 48 Hour Launch event...where we were ultimately voted crowd favorite and awarded a $17,000 services package. Teal Thibaud was organizing the Social Track of the competition and was introduced to Ben Garrison, who had an idea for a grassroots-level philanthropic organization in Chattanooga. Teal liked the idea so much that she volunteered brand genius Tavis Salazar to develop the name and branding. Bijan Dhanani jumped in as the pitch artist and promoter, and Joda Thongnopnua joined the event to support building the organization.
The idea we presented at the competition was simple: local philanthropy through collective action. We saw a gap in the philanthropic funding landscape for seed stage and small program grant awards. Foundations have millions to give away and typically prefer larger multi-year grants to established nonprofits. We don't. Our members (or trustees, as we call them) each contribute $100 per month, and we pool those funds together to make a $3,000 (at the time we started that was only $1,000) micro-grant. So where does an engaged Chattanoogan go for the seed money for their big idea? Look no further.
NOW:
The UNFoundation is run by a part-time Executive Director and five Board Advisors. They each put their time and effort into promoting philanthropy and bringing awesome ideas to life. Promoting philanthropy involves recruiting trustees and meeting their needs for networking, warm hugs, and community knowledge. Trustees are the heartbeat of The UNFoundation, each giving $100 monthly to fund our grants. If you are interested in becoming a trustee, click here. #facesofphilanthropy
Bringing awesome ideas to life requires spreading the word about our easy monthly grant process to everyone in Chattanooga. We advertise to social media crawlers and public radio listeners about the opportunity for easy grants; we spread word of mouth through everyone we know; and we promote ourselves to other foundations in town. #wefundcoolideas
Here’s a little more info on the six folks running this shindig (more tenured first):
Melanie Silva (she/they)
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
When she's not having lunch with prospective trustees or planning the next UNFoundation meeting, she's usually changing a diaper and fully living the “fun parent” life with their son, Gustavo. She rocks a hot mullet and despite her preference to drink copious amounts of craft beer, she can no longer handle her alcohol and is typically in bed before 10 PM 9PM. The creative arts refuel her, and fostering social justice ignites them. She is the Founder and CEO at Rad Work, a strategic operations gap-filler consulting firm, but is the intern over dishes and laundry at home with her wife, Ashley.
Summer Elliott (she/her)
BOARD ADVISOR
With a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and over 12 years of expertise in community marketing, outreach, and program development, Summer has a proven track record of success in closing resource gaps, empowering underserved communities, and promoting health equity. Can you see why we’re so lucky to have her?
Summer is a Senior Administrator with the Morehouse School of Medicine and the More in Common Alliance. After spending over a decade working with local organizations such as Erlanger and the Partnership, she is deeply rooted in the CHA community.
Her kiddo, Eli, says she is the best Mom ever, and we tend to agree with him. (He also has better birthday parties than we do!)
Michelle Dunn-Loveless (she/they)
BOARD ADVISOR
Michelle is a lifelong student and lover of learning who went from high school drop-out to a master’s in educational leadership. Like, whoa! They spent 10 years teaching elementary and middle school, then danced into nonprofit work for several years, spreading service and good vibes with grassroots orgs like UnifiEd and A Step Ahead. These days, you’ll find Michelle outside with fifth graders, turning the forest into a classroom and chasing joy instead of a CEO title.
When they’re not in the trees, they’re soaking up time with family, lost in a good book, or wandering somewhere new.
Lisa Atkins (she/her)
BOARD ADVISOR
Lisa Atkins is a marketing maven with a knack for crafting compelling stories that captivate audiences. As the Director of Human Resources and Operations at Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy CGLA, Lisa is connected to our public schools and loves kids, people, and Snoopy. As a board member here, Lisa is channeling her expertise into elevating newsletter marketing—ensuring every update informs, inspires, and ignites action. When she’s not fine-tuning messaging strategies, you can find her exploring new trends in marketing or championing causes close to her heart. Get ready for newsletters that don’t just land in inboxes—they leave a lasting impression!
Toya Moore (she/her)
BOARD ADVISOR
Toya is the Administrator of One Westside for the Chattanooga Housing Authority and the former Director of Leadership Development at the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. Before that, she ran leadership development and executive coaching at LBMC, one of the biggest professional services firms in the Southeast. She's also a DiSC-certified facilitator, so consider yourself professionally understood if you ever meet her.
Toya was drawn to UNFoundation for the same reason we were drawn to her: a soft spot for the small, community-rooted ideas that don't always get their shot. Outside of all that, she's a proud dog mom to Nino and Rocko, and you'll usually find her elbow-deep in the garden or defending her right to a really good cup of coffee before anyone talks to her.
Jamison Shimmel (he/him)
BOARD ADVISOR
Jamison is the Director of Leadership Development at the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, where he runs Leadership Chattanooga, Protégé, and Young Professionals of Chattanooga. Before that, he was a Spanish teacher, a bilingual case manager, and most recently the Chief Stability Officer at Northside Neighborhood House, which is a fancy title for someone who spent years building programs to help families get and stay on solid ground.
Jamison is obsessed with growing the next generation of civic leaders, and he means it. His whole leadership philosophy comes down to being real, working together, and making sure the people in the room actually reflect the community they're leading. Originally from Chicago, he's called Chattanooga home since 2011 and has been all in on this city ever since.