Impact 100 Garden State Starts 2018 Grant Season

These are busy weeks for members of Impact 100 Garden State. The local women’s collective giving organization, which funded more than $1,000,000 in grants in its first five years, has just announced details about its 2018 grant process. All nonprofits with programs operating in Morris, Passaic, Somerset, and Sussex counties, are invited to apply for a high-impact grant of $100,000. The deadline for applicants is April 16.

Organizations may apply in one of five categories: Arts and Culture; Children and Families; Education; Environment, Recreation and Preservation; Health and Welfare.

To help nonprofits better understand the grant application process, the Grants Committee has scheduled four information sessions during February, one in each of the four counties the organization serves.

On February 15, 2018, the session will be held from 12 noon to 2pm at the Morris County Library, Public Meeting Room, 30 Hanover Avenue, Whippany; on February 26, 2018, from 11:30am to 1:30pm, at Wayne Public Library, Meeting Room A, 41 Valley Road, Wayne; on February 26, 2018, from 5:00pm to 6:30pm, at the Somerset County Library Bridgewater Branch, 1 Vogt Drive, Bridgewater; and on February 27, 2018, from 12:00 noon to 1:30pm, at Project Self-Sufficiency, 127 Mill Street, Newton.

All sessions are free of charge. While they are not required, many applicants have found them helpful. More information about the sessions and the grant process at www.impact100gardenstate.org. Please register to attend a session. Email grants@impact100gardenstate.org

Because the organization’s grants are based on the number of members who join by March 31 each year, membership recruitment is also in high gear. Each member contributes $1000 and all of her money goes directly to fund the grants. While members may be as involved in the grant process or other committee work, as they wish, their only obligation is to vote for the final recipients at the Annual Awards Meeting in November each year.

Prospective member gatherings are held at local venues, including members’ homes. On February 21, from 6-8pm, the organization will showcase their mission at an “I Love Impact” party at the Starlight Room, at Mayo Performing Arts Center, in Morristown. All members and women interested in joining are welcome. More details at www.impact100gardenstate.org. To RSVP for the event, email RSVP@impact100gardenstate.org.

President Merle Johnson, Morristown, stresses the importance of Impact 100’s mission: to offer women a chance to collaboratively assist local nonprofits with a transformative grant. “We all work together toward something larger than ourselves.” But she notes, “We also have a lot of social events and we meet other great women.” Leigh Schaeffer, Wharton, a member since 2016, says “Impact was a natural draw for me. The selfless team effort that personifies Impact is proof that all of our efforts can make a huge difference.”

For more information about joining Impact, email Merle Johnson member@impact100gardenstate.org