Celebrating Our Legacy, Shaping What’s Next
by Janet Collins
It’s hard to believe that we are already halfway through 2026, our 25th year of making an impact in Greater Cincinnati! Rereading Inside Impact 100 reminded me just how much this organization accomplished in the span of the last three months.
Thanks to everyone who participated on a Grant Review Team (GRT), coordinated or attended site visits, reviewed financials, and all the rest that makes our grant review process operate. I was with a former member who remarked about her experience with our “totally buttoned up” process. We should all feel proud of that legacy.
The membership and recruiting teams have been equally busy hosting Spread the Word events in Loveland and Blue Ash, and building awareness with hundreds of women at Cincinnati Magazine’s spring Savor event and Girls’ Night Out, and the Michael Kors fundraiser. Our Young Philanthropist group has been busy networking and “spreading the word” too! What a great start to 2027 membership!
One of the highlights for me last quarter was the Education Event held on May 4 at CityLink Center. We had a great turnout, including several men and nonmembers. The panelists challenged us to think differently about the past, present and possibility of philanthropy and where we fit. Thank you to Jenny Berg, Tiarra Owens, Clare Blankemeyer and Meghan Cummings for their leadership and gift of their time, talents, and testimony.
Impact 100 also supported opportunities to volunteer with three of our recent awardees – UpSpring, Cornerstone Renter Equity, and Serenity Recovery Network. We will continue to find ways to promote our awardees from the past three years.
The focus over the next few months will be preparing our finalists, hosting another Spread the Word event, a few volunteer opportunities, and, most importantly, coordinating the Annual Awards Celebration (AAC) on September 15, commemorating 25 Years of Impact 100.
Another initiative we will be completing this quarter is a study of the impact we’ve had over the last 25 years on nonprofit organizations, the community, and our members. The study is being conducted by Michael Jones, University of Cincinnati Economics Professor and several graduate students. From what we’ve seen so far, the data is incredibly compelling and inspiring. Highlights will be released at the AAC.
The theme for our 25th anniversary is Visionary Women: Impactful Future. It’s an opportunity for us all to reflect on what a few visionary women started back in 2001, how far we’ve come, and the impact we are yet to make.
I joined Impact 100 because I believe in collective giving and the impact we are making. I believe we are better together than any one of us is alone. I believe our impact is way beyond the annual grants we give.
I believe we are the future. Join us in celebrating the past, present, and possibility.
Check out the upcoming events section of Inside Impact 100 for all the details.
