What is Impact100 DC?
Impact100 DC is an all-volunteer women’s philanthropic community dedicated to improving lives in the Washington, DC area by collectively funding high-impact grants to local nonprofit organizations.
Our vision is to address unmet needs in our community, prioritizing those that result from systemic racism and structural inequity. We aim to create and sustain a diverse community of dynamic women committed to building bridges across the wide demographic divides in the Washington, DC area and to empower women as
philanthropists and leaders.
At least 100 women come together, with each woman donating $1,000. This allows us to award a $100,000 grant to a local nonprofit organization. We also give additional grants to other deserving nonprofits, with the number and size of these grants depending on the total membership. The more members we have, the more
we can give back to our community
We started recruiting our first members in 2020 and have completed four grant cycles. We have 164 members in 2024 and are looking to grow substantially in 2025.
To date, we have awarded over $550,000 in funds to nonprofit organizations on the front lines of change in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Each year, we award a $100,000 grant to an outstanding nonprofit for their transformational work, along with smaller grants to four other organizations. The size of these additional grants varies depending on the number of members that year. To learn more about our grantees and their work, click here.
Applicants must be located in and serve residents of the District of Columbia, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Arlington, and/or Fairfax Counties or the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church.
In this all-volunteer organization, Impact100 DC members lead and participate in the grant evaluation process through five Focus Areas: Family, Health and Wellness, Arts and Culture, Environment, and Education.
You can learn about Impact100 DC’s grantees from the past four years by clicking here.
Focus Area Committees are small groups within our organization where members review and evaluate grant applications. This is where we decide what program or project will make the most profound impact with our grant funds.
Yes. Our Finance Committee does a “deep dive” analysis of an organization’s financial statements and long-term viability following the Focus Area Committees’ initial round of grant screening.
We are first and foremost a grantmaking organization. However, our vision includes building and sustaining a cohesive and vibrant group of members, and that means providing opportunities to connect with other members. We host a September Impact Maker breakfast, fall meet and greet events at members’ homes, winter coffees with new members, a spring happy hour, and an annual June celebration where we announce grant winners.
The annual Impact100 DC membership fee is $1,000. Every penny of that contribution goes into the pool of money for the five annual grants.
You can join by visiting our Membership page. We need to receive your contribution by December 31, 2024.
Yes! Impact100 DC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are fully tax-deductible. Impact100 DC’s Federal tax identification number is 84-2317756.
We strongly encourage members to join in the Membership Plus category ($1,100), contributing an extra 10% or more for critical operating expenses. Our organization’s operating budget primarily consists of those generous additional donations. As an all-volunteer organization, we have a very lean budget, with expense obligations that are critical to our continued operation. These include: our membership database
platform, our grant application and review platform, our fees as a charitable organization in two states plus the District of Columbia, insurance, and other basic expenses
Yes, we offer shared memberships between two members, with each member paying half. Those two members share a vote when it comes time to select the annual grantees but otherwise participate as full members. Individuals in a shared membership may not serve on the Board of Directors or as a Committee Chair. For more information and a Shared Membership Application Form, click here. You may also pay in four monthly installments.
The only obligation for membership is to contribute $1,000. This entitles you to vote to select grant awardees. There are also volunteer opportunities to suit every member’s time, talent, and interest, but there is no obligation to participate in any of those activities.
No! We have members from all over the DMV, as well as from other states who have a deep interest in our community and want to be involved.
The Impact100 DC Fellowship program advances our commitment to building a community with diverse voices and perspectives by providing a path to women ages 21-39 who are interested in philanthropy but currently lack the financial resources to join us. Impact100 DC fellows contribute to our mission in a variety of ways, from serving on our grant review committees to amplifying our outreach to helping organize events. The fellowship is for one year, with an option to apply for a second year.
Some companies do sponsor memberships. Check with your employer to see if they offer sponsorship or matching gift programs
No, each member is limited to one vote per person per year. However, you can prepay your membership for subsequent years, sponsor others to join Impact100 DC, and/or make an additional contribution towards the fellowship program or operating expenses.
We welcome “Friends of Impact100 DC” and are thrilled when an individual or a foundation wants to help us with our annual operating expenses through monetary donations or in-kind service donations. Our costs are held to a minimum as much as possible since we are an all-volunteer organization. You may also contribute to our Fellowship Program or sponsor another member.
Typically, at least 50% of our members participate in Focus Area Committees to review grant applications and select finalists. They report an overwhelmingly positive experience with that process. Others help with membership, communications, website, database management, and more.
The sign-up period will be the first two weeks of January 2025.
Yes, participation is open to all. You can choose your area of interest. We may ask if you are flexible, and if so, we may move you based on the sign-up numbers for each committee.
Yes! We are always looking to deepen our bench of leaders, including positions on the Board, committee leadership, and more.
We offer a mix of virtual and in-person participation. Virtual activities include Focus Area Committee meetings. In-person events include social gatherings and our annual celebration. Site visits with grant applicants are sometimes virtual, and sometimes in person.
Yes, there are several social opportunities. These include a September Impact Maker breakfast, fall meet and greets at members’ homes, winter coffees with new members, a spring happy hour, and our Annual Celebration in June where we announce grant awardees.
If you’d like to speak with an Impact100 DC board member, please email us at President@Impact100DC.org