2021 Next Step Awards

Impact 100 was a novel idea for our community 20 years ago—women donors pooling their funds to make transformational grants.  In celebration of our 20th Anniversary, Impact 100 created the Next Step Awards to celebrate nonprofit organizations with total budgets of $500,000 or less.  Awards will be at least $7,500 up to $20,000 per organization for a total community award amount of $60,000.  The Next Step Awards are an opportunity to introduce Impact 100 to new nonprofit partners and expose our members to smaller, grassroots, and diverse organizations within our community’s nonprofit landscape.

In 2021, in celebration of its 20th Anniversary, Impact 100 will award a total of $60,000 to organizations that are addressing a community need with a project/program that is innovative, collaborative, and transformative.

Important Considerations:

  1. 501 c3 organization working in Impact 100 ‘s ten-county area with an annual operating budget of  < $500,000.
  2. Project or program addresses a community need.
  3. Project or program is innovative, collaborative, and transformative. 
  4. Award request amount is between $7,500 to $20,000 – applicant determines the amount requested based on its program/project need– to be spent within one year.
  5. Previous Impact 100 grant recipients are not eligible to apply.

Submission Details

     Interested organizations are encouraged to submit an online application and estimated project budget.  For additional information: https://impact100.org/next-step-awards/ 

     Key Dates

     April 15, 2021                                                     Application process opens

     May 27, 2021                                                      Application due by noon

     August 1-4, 2021                                                Next Step Award recipients notified

About Impact 100

Founded in Cincinnati by Wendy Steele, Impact 100 was born out of a desire to make a greater impact by collectively pooling the philanthropic donations of area women into a significant, $100,000-plus grant. The name, Impact 100, comes from the initial goal of 100 women contributing $1,000 to award a $100,000 grant to a community organization. Impact 100 has grown into a movement with chapters in 40+ U.S. cities and two foreign countries. Together, the organizations have awarded more than $25 million in grants. The Cincinnati chapter alone has awarded over $5 million in grant money locally and is a 2019 Recipient of the BBB Cincinnati Torch Award. To learn more about Impact 100, visit

 www.Impact100.org