Member FAQ's

Who can be a member?
Impact 100 NYC is open to women 18 and older. Memberships are renewed annually.

How does Impact 100 NYC work?
We aggregate individual donations of $1000 of at least 100 members to make one $100,000 grant to nonprofit organizations serving NYC’s five boroughs. The more members, the more grants and the more the city benefits! Collective philanthropic giving creates a rare opportunity for individual donations to make a bigger impact and for nonprofit applicants to receive a transformative grant. 

Is my contribution tax deductible?
Impact 100 NYC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and donations are tax-deductible, to the extent of the law, for the year in which the donation was made.

What is required of a Member?
Members choose their own level of involvement. Some members reap the benefit of knowing that 100% of their donation will be put to good use in the community. Others may want to volunteer – be it occasionally or frequently -- or enjoy an educational or self-improvement opportunity. We encourage all to participate in the grant review process in choosing the grant recipient finalists. Whatever the level of participation, all members have the opportunity to vote for the grant recipients, at THE BIG GIVE!

I would like to contribute more than $1,000. Do I get more than one vote?
Our founding principle is “one woman…one vote.” We gratefully welcome donations larger than $1,000, which help offset operating expenses. At year end, should we receive more funds than needed to cover operating expenses, our board of directors may vote to use the surplus to increase grant funds. Alternatively, a contribution of more than $1,000 may also be directed to sponsor a Founders Fellowship, a scholarship program to help budding philanthropists get started on their giving journey. 

Do you accept corporate matching?
Yes! Please email info@impact100nyc.org to discuss further.

My company or my spouse’s company matches funds for charitable donations. Can I give $500 and have the company match it to make my total $1,000 donation?

Matching gifts are most certainly welcome but may not be used to fund a membership donation. Matching gift funds are generally used to cover operating costs and/or a Founders Fellowship. To find out if your (or your spouse's) company offers matching funds click here.  

Can I be a part of Impact 100 NYC without making a full $1,000 contribution?
Yes! We welcome individuals and businesses to become a Friend of Impact 100 NYC. Friends play a valuable role in furthering our mission by critically helping offset operating and administrative expenses. These donations ensure our ability to assess nonprofit applications, award and monitor large grants, and raise awareness to grow membership. Although these donations do not provide voting rights to the contributor, these funds are vital to helping the organization make even more of an impact!

What is a Founders Fellowship?
A Founders Fellowship is a gift of membership, covering a portion of the $1,000 membership fee for someone wanting to engage in charitable giving and collective philanthropy yet may not have the fiscal means to do so. Through generous gift donations, the Founders Fellowship aims to make Impact 100 NYC a more diverse and inclusive group of women, reflecting the melting pot of NYC itself.

There is a membership option for $1,100.  What does the additional $100 for operating costs cover?
Although we are an all-volunteer organization and do not have paid staff, operating a nonprofit – or any organization -- requires technology, website maintenance, software, payment processing, printing, supplies, insurance, marketing, recruiting and an Independent Accounting Review.

Can I join more than one committee?
Yes! Impact 100 NYC is an all-volunteer organization, operated by its members with many talents and types of experience and expertise. All members are encouraged (but not required) to serve on one – or more! – committees. Committees and activities include:

• Grant Review Committees 
• Membership Recruitment and Retention
• Member Education, Activities and Events
• Community Service and Nonprofit Outreach
• Technology Services and Support
• Marketing and Communications

How long is my membership in Impact 100 NYC?
Our annual membership year runs from July through June. Each $1,000 donation provides membership for one year, including eligibility to select shortlist and finalist nonprofits and vote for the winning grant recipient(s) announced at THE BIG GIVE in May. Membership is renewable beginning in July of each year.

What types of projects or programs do you prefer to fund?
Each year we open grant applications to NYC-based non-profits working on behalf of New Yorkers and our communities across the five boroughs. Among the key criteria is that the grant supports innovative work and makes a transformational impact. Grants may fund work that ranges in focus and service areas and may either be new projects or expand existing programs or capital projects.

As a collaborative grant-making organization, our members decide through a rigorous grant review process and all-member vote. As we have a diverse group of women who make up our voting membership, each brings her own experience and perspective. With one member/one vote, everyone has an equal say in the selection of the grant recipients. 

Essentially, we aim to select organizations that, if empowered with our funding, would take a huge step forward in advancing their mission and dramatically help their beneficiaries overcome adversity and thrive.  

Must an organization serve only women to qualify for funding from Impact 100 NYC?
Although Impact 100 NYC is an all-women’s organization, grant applications are open to any 501(c)(3) organization that meets our funding criteria.

Will more consideration be given to programs that affect more than one borough?
Impact 100 NYC members are advised to look at the impact of a proposal through a lens of transformation, this includes both breadth and depth. There is no policy that automatically confers an advantage to applicants with programs that affect more than one borough.

Are there any grants awarded for less than $100,000?

Our grant model is based on the total number of members in our organization each membership year. For every 100 members, each having donated $1,000, we will award a $100,000 Transformation Grant. Residual funds may be awarded to the finalists as determined by the Board. 

How does Impact 100 NYC decide who gets the grants?
The process starts with Letters of Inquiry to nonprofits, followed by Impact 100 NYC issuing Requests for Proposals (RFPs), inviting nonprofits to participate. Members join Grand Review Committees to evaluate the proposals, select a short-list of nonprofits to conduct site visits. Each Grant Review Committee selects one finalist. Those finalists are then voted on by the entire membership to select the nonprofit to receive the $100,000 grant. In years where the funds for grants exceed $100,000, additional grants are bestowed to the runners-up. Should the funds exceed $200,000, the organization will select and bestow two grants of $100,000 each. 

Committee members attend training sessions on the grant process and learn how to evaluate grant proposals, such as determining credibility and merit of the applicant organization and the feasibility and significance of the proposed project or program.

After each committee selects its finalist, all Impact 100 NYC members receive information on the finalists for review. The finalists attend our Annual Meeting (The Big Give) in May and make presentations about their projects. Members vote by individual ballot either prior to or at the Annual Meeting (or by absentee ballot if they are unable to attend), and that vote determines the grant recipients. Grant awards are announced at the Annual Meeting.