Impact 100 members and prospective members met with representatives of the four most recent grant recipient organizations at Impact Day last Wednesday afternoon at Northern Trust. The appreciative Community Partners gave an update on the transformational impact made by the $100,000 grants they each received in April 2016.
Representing their nonprofits were Barbara Hammond, Learning Alliance CEO; Heather Roberts, New Horizons program director; Sara Mayo, Indian River Habitat for Humanity CFO; and Annabel Robertson, United Against Poverty executive director. The forum and a series of open houses during January and February gave members a better appreciation of the collective impact each of their $1,000 donations have made on the community.
“As you look around the room, you’ll see women here from all the neighborhoods of Indian River County,” said Carolyn Antenen, Impact Season chairwoman, referencing the diversity of the membership. “What we all have in common is we’re really passionate about transforming individual lives and organizations within our community.”
Since 2010 Impact 100 has provided $100,000 grants to 21 local organizations, six of whom received grants twice, and at least a dozen more have received merit grants. They have collectively funded more than $2.9 million in four focus areas: Education, Health and Wellness, Enrichment and Environment, and Family.
“When you give $100,000 to a charity in this community, it is definitely transformational,” said event sponsor Robin Lloyd of Robin Lloyd & Associates, P.A., whose wife Brenda chaired the event. Lloyd said he was impressed that each member’s $1,000 goes directly to the charities.
Board President Suzanne Bertman moderated the panel, giving each an opportunity to speak about how the grant money was spent and where the projects currently stand. Before they spoke, she noted that an Impact 100 Visioning Committee is reaching out to assist smaller organizations that might not have professional grant writers or development professionals on staff.
“We have a lot of need,” said Bertman. “There are a lot of niche charities in Vero Beach that are doing a fantastic job. We want to make sure that we’re meeting the needs of many, many nonprofits in town.”
The Impact grant has enabled United Against Poverty to substantially grow its STEP (Success Training for Employment Program) initiative, by developing a 120-hour curriculum, acquiring additional computers, and creating a simulated workplace environment for an expanded enrollment.
Habitat for Humanity is in the process of creating Meadows Field on land owned by the City of Fellsmere. A planned 25-acre recreational area with two soccer fields, a baseball diamond, walking trail and picnic facilities, the site is surrounded by a Habitat community of low-income, working families. The goal is to use a communal sports and recreation area to build a stronger community.
New Horizons recently opened a new Indian River County Learning Center where individuals with mental-health illnesses can learn or relearn daily living and employment skills so that they may live meaningful, productive lives. The grant funded equipment and supplies, enabling them to double the number of clients served in a much more centrally located location.
The Learning Alliance introduced a Moonshot Institute Learning Lab for Educators, giving teachers the tools, strategies and collaboration necessary for their students to achieve academic success, bringing them ever closer to the Moonshot Moment goal of achieving 90 percent literacy by third grade. The Learning Lab is now serving as a national model.
The four panelists were unanimous in their appreciation, noting that being awarded an Impact 100 grant is seen as getting a stamp of approval within the philanthropic community.
Impact 100 is again on track to top 400 members, and each woman will have a say determining the next grant recipients when they vote at the April 19 Annual Meeting. Membership dues must be received by Feb. 28 to vote. For more information, visit impact100ir.com.