I could probably start every column with “This is my favorite time of the year” when it comes to Impact100 … and that would be true! From the beginning of the year when we actively recruit members, through the spring and summer when we announce our totals and vet our applicants, to now as we announce our finalists and plan for our Annual Meeting, every bit of it excites me! There is always a chance to meet someone new, learn something new, and help create new opportunities for our community.

I love summer! It’s common knowledge that the whole season is meant just for recreation and relaxation. It can’t get better than that and I hope you got plenty of both this year! Summer is also a great time to get some projects done, and I want to thank the special Impact ladies who have spent time doing the important work of facilitating and participating in our 2023 Focus Groups.

As I write this column, it is Election Day in the Commonwealth. I hope you took advantage of your privilege to cast a ballot. And although there were just a few races at stake, I hope you took time to evaluate all the candidates to make an informed decision. It works like that in Impact100 too. Every member has the privilege to vote at our Annual Meeting on October 24 (mark your calendars now!). Prior to that, members are encouraged to join a Focus Group to help assess the applications to determine our top finalists.

Tick tock. Tick tock. Is it just me, or do you feel like time is not always on your side? Here’s a little good news: you still have time to be a 2023 Impact100 member! Whether you are renewing your commitment or joining for the first time, we accept pledges through March 31. Check your calendars, friends, that date is just around the corner. So don’t delay!

Here at Impact100, a new year always excites us with the potential to transform lives in our community one grant at a time. Like you, we set goals and work hard to achieve them. Since the inaugural year in 2005, Impact100 has consistently raised funding for and awarded two $100,000 grants, plus residual dollars, to worthy nonprofits in the Greater Owensboro area. Cumulatively, we are poised to cross the $4 MILLION threshold by the end of this year!

At the 2022 Annual Meeting on October 27, Impact100 Owensboro members voted to award $100,000 each to Habitat for Humanity of Owensboro-Daviess County and The Daniel Pitino Shelter. Impact100 members also voted to award two residual grants. Dream Riders of Kentucky, Inc. and Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Inc. each will receive $29,500. AND … Congratulations to Aubrey’s Song for being awarded the 2022 NextGen Grant for $9,200!

The 2022 Impact100 Grant Finalists have been announced and we couldn’t be more pleased with the candidates! To the members of Impact100, now is the time to educate yourself to vote. You will see that we have five agencies vying for two grants of $100,000 each. And we have four agencies vying for two residual grants of $27,500 each. The site visit information is on the Events page of this website. The two-page summaries of the Projects and site visit information is listed on the FINALIST page of our Members' Only website. We are hoping you'll both attend the site visits and read the two-page summaries for each finalist in order to make an educated decision at the Annual Meeting.

From our President: ...We all know that a thermometer reads the conditions of the room, while a thermostat reacts to the conditions around it. And, quite frankly, we need both. When it comes to philanthropy, and how you want to contribute to the long-term goals of an organization, do you find yourself more commonly setting your own tone for the contribution, or reacting to others around you? In Impact100 you have the opportunity to do both. Each of our members has seen the need for collective local giving and has committed the funds to make it happen (thermometers). And several of our members have volunteered to serve on Focus Groups to determine the best of the best of our applicants (thermostats). Impact100 Focus Groups vet the applications of local nonprofits who are vying for our $100,000 grants and residual grants. The women who make up these groups analyze the applications for characteristics such as viability, sustainability and feasibility as well as make onsite visits to see the dreams of our applicants from their perspective in an effort to bring forth the best of all the grant projects from each Focus Group.

From the President: Last month I had the pleasure to celebrate with our members by announcing the results of our membership drive and the total dollars collected to be awarded later this year. It’s been three years since we’ve had a BIG REVEAL live and in person and our ladies were ready to be together! We thrive on collaborating and feeding off the energy of our peers. And if you enjoy that, I encourage you to sign up and participate in a focus group this summer. New members: mark your calendar for our New Member Reception on May 24 and be on the lookout for your invitation in the mail. We look forward to meeting you and sharing some valuable information with you at the event. The Impact100 Owensboro online grant application is now open. We are so excited to read about the amazing programs and ideas from our area nonprofits. We encourage you to dream big and think outside the box. This is your time to shine! Applications for all grants are due by 5 p.m. on June 3. Read the full Newsletter at the link below.

“In like a lion, out like a lamb” often describes the month of March. For Impact100 Owensboro though, March is the culmination of our membership drive and by the end of the month, you are going to hear us ROAR! Did you know that March is also National Women’s History Month? It may be coincidence, but our Impact100 membership drive ends in March each year and our chapter has made some significant history over the last 16 years! Our chapter was the first one developed in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Our chapter co-founder, Martha F. Clark, will soon be the first woman inaugurated into the Owensboro Business Hall of Fame. And our high school chapter of NEXTGEN is just the second of its kind in the country! In 2021, we made history again with the highest number of members (287) AND the greatest total of dollars raised and awarded in one cycle ($259,500)!