Each Focus Area Committee (FAC) reviews and evaluates grant applications from nonprofits working in a specific focus area. Members read proposals, participate in site visits and work together to determine which applicants advance to the final vote.

Our Grant Review Committees
  • Arts & Culture – Programs that enrich lives and strengthen community through creative expression and cultural engagement
  • Education – Initiatives that expand access to learning and improve educational outcomes for all ages
  • Environment, Preservation & Recreation – Projects that protect natural resources, promote sustainable practices and build a healthier future
  • Family – Services that strengthen families, build community connections and enhance quality of life
  • Finance – Thorough analysis of each organization’s financial statements and long-term sustainability
  • Health & Wellness – Efforts that improve physical, mental and emotional health across our region
How Committees Work
  • Choose Your Committee: Members select the focus area that most aligns with their interests or expertise.
  • Review Applications: Committee members read and score grant proposals.
  • Conduct Site Visits: Small teams visit applicant organizations to see programs in action and ask questions.
  • Recommend Finalists: Committees collectively decide which applicants will advance to the final vote by the full membership.
Why Join a Grant Review Committee?
  • Directly influence where our grants go.
  • Learn more about local nonprofits and the challenges they address.
  • Build deeper connections with fellow members.
  • Gain insights into the grantmaking process and philanthropic best practices.

All members are invited to participate in the review process. No prior experience is required—just curiosity, open-mindedness and a commitment to thoughtful discussion.

2026 Key Dates for Focus Area Committee (FAC) / Grant Review Participation
  • FAC Sign-ups open: Friday, January 2–Tuesday, January 13
  • 2026 Welcome and Grant Cycle Kick-Off Zoom: Wednesday, January 7, 4:00–5:00 pm
  • All FAC  Zoom Training Session: Thursday, January 22, 6:00–7:30 pm
  • First Round FAC Grant Review and Selection of Semi-finalists: Monday, January 26–Friday, March 13 
  • Finance Committee Review of Semi-Finalists: Saturday, March 14–Thursday, April 16
  • Semi-Finalist Site Visits, Final FAC Deliberations, Finalist Selections:  Monday, April 20–Thursday, May 14
  • Meet the Finalists Zoom Event: Wednesday, June 10 
  • Annual Grant Awards Celebration (in-person): Wednesday, June 17
Focus Area Committee FAQs
What if I miss the deadline? Can I sign up late?

No. Unfortunately, we cannot accept late sign ups. The grants review period is very tight and late sign ups create significant disruptions to the flow of the FAC process. If you miss the sign up deadline, but still wish to get more involved, we have other volunteer opportunities, including on our membership and events committee. Visit our Volunteer Opportunities page to learn more ways to get involved.

Can I choose which FAC I sign up for?

Yes! During the sign up, we ask that each member select a FAC based on their interests and/or area of expertise. If you are flexible about your choice of committee, we ask that you indicate that so we can balance committee sizes if necessary. Many committee members, even those with particular expertise in a given area, have enjoyed the learning opportunity that exists from participating on different committees from year to year.

Can you tell me more about the process?

There are 3 phases to the Focus Area Committee review process:

Phase 1 – INITIAL REVIEW
Committee members evaluate proposals in their areas. Not everyone needs to read each proposal. Lead and secondary readers are assigned to each application. Members can expect to read from 2-4 proposals and score them on a rubric. Committees narrow applications down to 3 to send to the Finance Committee.

Phase 2 – FINANCE COMMITTEE REVIEW
FAC members have a hiatus while the Finance Committee members perform a deep dive into the financial information and reports.

Phase 3 – FAC SITE VISITS AND FINAL REVIEW
Committee representatives conduct site visits of semi-finalists (in person) and report to the full committee. (Members of the Finance Committee participate during phase three as well.) During final discussions the committee will select one finalist for promotion to the full membership for a vote.

What is the time commitment involved?

In phase one, lead readers and secondary readers can generally expect to spend up to an hour reading one application to present to the full committee – so that’s times 2 to 4. Meetings to present and discuss applications will likely take place once a week, with perhaps the need for an additional meeting at the end.

In phase three, when committee work resumes after the Finance Committee has completed its review, committee member participation in site visits is optional but encouraged. Ideally, each member would attend one or perhaps two site visits depending on the size of the committee. Final deliberations and a committee vote will likely take in one to two meetings.

How do I know how to evaluate a grant application?

We will provide grant review training for members at the beginning of the grant cycle. Training covers ethics, rules and responsibilities, evaluation criteria, and how to use our online application system. There is also a scoring rubric provided to help members evaluate applications consistently. You will also have the support of your FAC chair and other members.

What if this is my first time on an FAC and I want to observe but not review applications?

Given the importance of the FAC and the number of applications we receive, we require that all FAC members are actively involved, accepting assignments as lead and secondary readers. If you do not feel comfortable reviewing applications, but wish to get more involved with Impact100 DC, visit our Volunteer Opportunities page to learn about other ways to get involved.

What if the FAC meeting time doesn’t work with my schedule?

During the signup process, the meeting time for each FAC will be listed to help you select a FAC that works with your schedule. FAC meeting times will be varied to offer options for all types of schedules. We ask that you pay attention to the meeting time when signing up.

I’m interested in participating on the Finance Committee. Tell me more.

Participation on the Finance Committee is hugely interesting work, in part because members become familiar with applications from all of the Focus Area Committees. Their work takes place during phases 2 and 3.

In phase two, Finance Committee members can expect to spend 1-2 hours reviewing each application. This includes a review of the application proposal, proposal budget, financial reports, and performing initial analysis and documentation of review. As described above, the Finance Committee will review the 15 applications selected by the FACs. Members will generally review 2-3 applications so can expect approximately 6 hours of review time.

Meetings will be held to discuss applications and initial findings and will approximate 1.5 – 2 hours in length. The first meeting will be an orientation and training session to introduce members and walk through the financial review process and documentation steps. No finance or prior financial statement review experience is required. Finance Committee members also participate in site visits.