The Volunteer Mentorship Initiative (VMI) is a statewide effort to ensure that every returning citizen in Tennessee who desires a mentor has access to a consistent, trained volunteer relationship before and after release. At any given time, nearly 20,000 men and women are incarcerated in Tennessee state prisons, and more than 6,000 return home each year. The months following release are among the most vulnerable, often marked by barriers to employment, housing, and stable support.

Led by the Governor’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Correction and local Implementation Partners across all fourteen state prisons, VMI mobilizes community volunteers, equips them through structured training, and supports ongoing mentorship grounded in accountability and trust. By aligning state leadership, faith-based organizations, nonprofits, and justice-impacted advisors, VMI strengthens public safety, restores dignity, and helps returning citizens move toward stability and renewed purpose.

Nonprofits with reentry experience
Community-based organizations with volunteer management capacity
Organizations with strong local networks and institutional credibility
Faith-based and non-religious organizations

Applicants must demonstrate:

Capacity to recruit and manage volunteers
Experience working with justice-involved populations preferred
Strong leadership and organizational infrastructure
Commitment to consistent relationship-based mentorship