Thursday afternoon, Impact 100 Owensboro and Impact 100 Next Generation members gathered in Old National Bank’s lobby to reveal their 2019 membership numbers.
A combined total of $254,000 will be awarded to local nonprofits at the October annual meeting.
“It’s always down to the last minute on totaling the numbers,” said Carol Bothwell, president of Impact 100 Owensboro.
Impact 100 Owensboro surpassed their $3 million goal for money given to the community since the first year, something that members cheered about as the number $3,086,500 was revealed.
Impact NextGen, the philanthropy organization for teenage girls that is associated with Impact 100 Owensboro, announced that its membership for 2019 has reached 130, meaning they will award a $13,000 grant.
Impact 100 has made a change to the money that is not used in each $100,000 grant. Previously, that money was divided among the three grant finalists who did not receive a $100,000 grant.
This year, the $41,000 will provide a third Impact 100 grant that nonprofit organizations can apply for separately of the other two (two $100,000 and NextGen grants).
“The board listened to the membership and held strategic planning sessions — to make changes that were small but also could have an impact for an organization,” Bothwell said of the changes.
Three Impact grants will be offered and a fourth through Impact Next Generation. Each is a separate application and Bothwell hopes this change generates interest in nonprofit organizations that find it easier to come up with a need for a smaller amount.
“Sometimes it is hard to calculate the needs of $100,000, but a smaller amount would satisfy ‘x,’” Bothwell said.
Bothwell said that this is not set in stone for how it will be each year but that through the boards strategic planning event and member comments, the decision was made for this change.
During the NextGen membership drive, past members on the recruiting committee worked within their individual schools to ask peers to join. They shared personal experiences of their involvement and what it was meant to each for making a difference in the community, Carroll said.
“These young leaders are well on their way,” said Joy Carroll, NextGen board chair of the increase in NextGen membership. “NextGen’s 2019 retention rate was right at 70 percent after taking out graduating seniors and adding 72 new members.”
A change that NextGen has made for this year is the mentorship of Impact 100 women to connect them with women leaders in our community who are making an Impact by being a member.
“These women have a lot to give to the passionate young ladies of NextGen,” Carroll said. “And if I might add…the time and energy given by the women of IMPACT 100 will not be lost on these young ladies, but will be absorbed, increased and taken to the next level with these incredible high schoolers who, in ever-increasing number, want to link arms in service to our community.”
Impact 100 Owensboro is holding a grant writing workshop at the Logsdon Center on April 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All interested nonprofits are encouraged to attend.
“It’s important to note that nonprofit organizations that apply for Impact 100 grants may also apply for Impact 100 NextGen grants and vice versa,” Carroll said.
Application information is available on their website as well as important dates.
