A small group of women joined forces recently to begin a movement in the Greater Wichita Falls area. At the heart of their discussion was the core belief that ordinary women can make extraordinary impact by pooling their financial resources to effect change that can positively influence the trajectory of our community. Impact 100 Wichita Falls was created to gather at least 100 women who each make a $1,000 tax-deductible gift. Each member’s gift is then pooled with the contributions of 99 other women. With equal voice of each of the 100 women, a $100,000 high-impact grant is selected and given to a local nonprofit organization. Most people refer to this as the “multiplier effect,” but Impact 100 Wichita Falls calls it the “exponential power of giving.” The structure of this local giving circle is based on the landmark Impact 100 Model created in 2001 by Wendy Steele. Since its inception in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Impact 100 community has grown to over fifty chapters worldwide with a global impact of over $55 million since the end of 2017.
At its core, Impact 100 Wichita Falls promotes women’s philanthropy. Whether an experienced philanthropist or someone who has never given at this level before, Impact 100 Wichita Falls provides the opportunity for women to invest their financial resources in meaningful ways to produce lasting community change. It also gives members insight into where their dollars are going and a level of accountability that’s just not possible with smaller gifts. Overall, the Impact 100 model promotes intentional saving, giving, and hands-on grantmaking for all women no matter their background, age, ethnicity, and financial status.
One Woman. One Gift. One Vote.
It’s truly that simple. Women have the power to effect change in this community like never before. All individual gifts are leveraged through transformational, high-impact grantmaking. And with collective decision making, each woman uses her gift and voice to make a significant impact in a way that she could not have done otherwise. It’s a logical process to unite philanthropy and passion in such a powerful way.
In April 2020, Impact 100 Wichita Falls plans to grant at least one, $100,000 award to a nonprofit organization committed to improving the community in one of the following focus areas: Arts & Culture; Education; Environment, Recreation, & Preservation; Family; and Health & Wellness. This high-impact grant is intended to be transformational. †
If you represent a local nonprofit organization and are interested in applying for the inaugural grant award, please access the website or email grants@impact100wf.org for more information.
