What is Impact100 Southern Indiana?
Impact100 is a nationwide model of philanthropy developed by a woman for women.
The model is simple: 100 women pool individual donations of $1,000 and then vote to
award a local nonprofit a $100,000 grant. Wendy Steele created Impact100 with women
in Cincinnati in 2001.
Impact100 Southern Indiana mirrors that model. Women pool donations of $1,000 and
then vote to award one large grant to a local nonprofit serving Clark, Floyd, and/or
Harrison counties.
Today, more than 60 Impact100 organizations across the country award high-impact
grants to nonprofits in their own community.
Why is Impact100 Southern Indiana only for women?
Impact100 Southern Indiana is intentionally limited to women members in the belief that
women want to learn together, give together, and make an impact together.
Collective giving is a key feature that attracts women to Impact100. Women from all age
groups and a wide variety of backgrounds collectively can make an impact in their local
community.
What does it mean to be a member? I’m not sure I want to be a member of
another group.
Being a member means that you donate $1,000 and you have an equal vote in
awarding the collective total. That’s all!
You may choose to attend one of our social events and network with other members.
You can volunteer as a grant reviewer. You can join in the effort to encourage more
women to become members. But the only member requirement is a $1,000 donation.
Does Impact100 Southern Indiana only make grants of $100,000?
Impact100 Southern Indiana grants 100% of member donations each year. So far, we
have awarded one grant each year. The size of our grants has varied as the amount of
donations each year has varied. From $50,000 in 2017 to $116,000 in 2022, we have
awarded a different grant amount each year. Our goal continues to be to raise enough
in one year to award multiple grants in different focus areas.
How does Impact100 Southern Indiana decide which nonprofit receives a grant?
The members of Impact100 decide!
The grant application process opens each year after our fundraising total is announced
at the Big Reveal. Nonprofits serving Clark, Floyd, and/or Harrison counties submit grant
proposals for transformational, impactful projects that can be completed within two
years.
The projects submitted must fall within one of five focus areas: art and culture,
education, environment and recreation, family, or health and wellness.
Volunteer Impact100 members serve as reviewers and objectively score and rank each
grant to determine three finalists. Finally, at the Annual Award Celebration, there is
a live member vote to determine the nonprofit with the winning proposal.
How is Impact100 able to grant 100% of donations?
Impact100 Southern Indiana is able to donate 100% of member donations to nonprofit
grants due to our volunteer members and sponsors. Our advisory board and
committees are all volunteer.
Individuals can help offset operating costs by becoming Hazel Members with a $1,100
donation. $1,000 goes towards grants, while $100 helps pay for expenses.
Foundation, corporate, and individual sponsors generously support the Impact100
mission. These sponsors provide the additional funds that allow us to finance our
activities and services.
What is the connection between Impact100 Southern Indiana and Community
Foundation of Southern Indiana?
Impact100 Southern Indiana is a separate organization with its own independent
advisory board. Donations to Impact100 Southern Indiana are held as a component
fund of the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana and share the 501(c)(3)
registration that allows donations to be tax-deductible.