Impact100 Gulf Coast to Help Local Charities

BAY COUNTY, FL - Impact100 is a global organization with local chapters started by a Florida woman, Wendy Steele in 2001 where she wanted women to be philanthropic by helping local charities with $100,000 grants. Impact100 Gulf Coast is a newly formed chapter seeking to have women make an impact on the charities in our region, seeking to support Bay, Calhoon, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington Counties.

The focus is on the local community and the charities that exist within those communities. While there are other organizations seeking to help charities to complete their work, they are often limited to smaller donations that are gratefully received but Impact100 believe $100,000 can make a significant change in a charity and the people they serve.

The principle is pretty basic: At least 100 women come together, they each donate $1000/year and then collectively give $100,000 to a local charity per year. The charities selected locally in the new Impact100 Gulf Coast are: Arts and Culture, Education, Children & Family, Health and Environment.

Lori Allen, CEO of Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, is leading the charge in organizing a local chapter, ‘Impact100 Gulf Coast’ here in Bay County with the early starters, Amy Myers & Stacie Galbreath. They are close to adding 100 members at $1000 but are shooting for 300 new members by October 31st so they can award $100,000 to three different charities. All funds go to the charities.

The timeline looks like this:

November FSU of Panama City will host a reveal of how much funds will be available this coming year.

January to March Impact100 Gulf Coast will:

1) Host a Link & Learn to help organizations with the Grant writing process

2) Grant will be submitted and a few will rise to the top.

3) A committee will narrow the applicants down to a pre-agreed number.

4)The select few will present their grant to the board members.

5)The members will confer and select a 1st place recipient or recipients and in May the $100,000 will be awarded.

Impact100 is hosting a couple “meet and greet” events so you can attend and learn about this opportunity. They are listed on the Facebook page and there is one coming up May 20th at the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center. The website should be going up by June, http://www.impact100gulfcoast.com On Facebook, search Impact100 Gulf Coast. Or email: impact100gulfcoast@gmail.com