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TENNESSEE RIVERLINE CONTRIBUTES TO UT KNOXVILLE’S NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC ENGAGEMENT
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has earned the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities’ (APLU) 2025 Innovation and Economic Prosperity (IEP) Economic Engagement Connections Award—the organization’s highest honor for innovation, partnership, and community impact. The Tennessee RiverLine is one of the university’s initiatives that made this award possible.
Leaders from across the Tennessee River Valley gathered on October 31 at the Cook Museum of Natural Science in Decatur for Anchored in Alabama, a celebration of partnerships that are expanding access to outdoor recreation, community vitality, and economic opportunity along the Tennessee River.
$1 MILLION INVESTMENT POWERS RIVERTOWNS VISION ACROSS APPALACHIA
The Tennessee RiverLine is proud to announce a transformative investment that accelerates its mission to celebrate, connect, and catalyze opportunity across the Tennessee River Valley. A $500,000 planning grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), matched by $500,000 in local funds, will support the RiverTowns Program—a $1 million initiative that advances the RiverLine’s bold vision in 15 Appalachian communities across Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi.
TISHOMINGO COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, JOINS RIVERTOWNS PROGRAM
The Tennessee RiverLine is excited to announce Tishomingo County, Mississippi, as the newest participant in its growing RiverTowns Program. With this addition, all four states touched by the Tennessee River—Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee—are now represented in this transformational regional initiative.
TENNESSEE RIVERLINE CELEBRATES 2024 AWARD WINNERS AT ANNUAL SUMMIT
The Tennessee RiverLine proudly recognized the 2024 award recipients at the 6th Annual Tennessee RiverLine Summit, held February 23–25 at the Marriott Knoxville Downtown. Nearly 200 partners, stakeholders, and community leaders gathered in Knoxville, TN, to celebrate those making a lasting impact along the 652-mile Tennessee River.
PADDLE GEORGIA BRINGS 20TH ANNIVERSARY PADDLE TO TENNESSEE RIVERLINE
In June 2025, Paddle Georgia will commemorate its 20th anniversary with a unique canoe and kayak journey traversing Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. This week-long adventure will bring over 300 paddlers to explore the Tennessee River basin, with the final five days highlighting the Tennessee RiverLine—a 652-mile continuous system of outdoor recreation experiences.
TENNESSEE RIVERLINE SECURES $500,000 GRANT FROM ARC AND TNECD
The Tennessee RiverLine has been awarded a $500,000 Area Development grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and Tennessee’s Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD). This funding will power the development of a comprehensive set of Planning and Design Standards that will shape and support river experience amenities along the Tennessee River’s entire 652-mile stretch, benefiting residents and visitors alike.
BRAD COLLETT AMONG 40 GRADUATES OF ARC’S APPALACHIAN LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) recently celebrated the graduation of 40 fellows from its Appalachian Leadership Institute (ALI), representing 13 states across the Appalachian region. Among the distinguished graduates is Brad Collett, Tennessee RiverLine executive director and professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Collett’s participation enhances UT Extension’s capacity to support community development initiatives through the Tennessee RiverLine.
TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY RENEWS COMMITMENT
In a strategic alliance initiated in January 2021, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, established themselves as principal partners in the creation of the Tennessee RiverLine – North America's next great regional trail system, spanning 1.2 million acres of interconnected river experiences – as an initiative of UT Extension. TVA has renewed its commitment, solidifying its dedication to the Tennessee RiverLine's transformative vision. Over the past three years, the initial investment has yielded remarkable results, leaving an indelible mark on the Tennessee RiverLine and the communities along its banks.
THREE NEW COMMUNITIES JOIN RIVERTOWNS PROGRAM
The Tennessee RiverLine announces Lawrence County, Alabama; Calloway County, Kentucky; and Dayton, Tennessee, as the 2024 cohort of the Tennessee RiverTowns Program. Now comprised of 22 enrolled communities, the Tennessee RiverTowns Program has expanded with these new additions, each shaping their local vision for the Tennessee RiverLine.