Wendy Steele launched Impact100 in 2001 with a simple but disruptive idea: What if 100 women each contributed $1,000 to fund a transformational grant? Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, Impact100 has grown into a global movement, empowering women to pool their resources and fund grants of at least $100,000 for local nonprofits. Following the Global Day of Impact, Wendy reflects on the power of collective giving and the nonprofits at the heart of it all.

How has the original vision for Impact 100 evolved over the last 25 years?

We went from a chapter in Cincinnati to a global organization through the power of storytelling. When we started, we tried everything we could to get publicity, but no one was interested.

A People Magazine feature in January 2003 really boosted our growth. They approached me for a story, and once it was published, Impact100 suddenly became "newsworthy" to the local press.

Social media also played a role. Women started sharing their stories on social media or through word of mouth. When others heard the stories our members were sharing, they also wanted to bring chapters to their cities.

Not once did we say, “We need to have a chapter” in a certain city; it has all been organic growth, exceeding my wildest expectations.

We gave our first grant in 2002; within five years, we granted $1 million dollars in a single year. By our 20th anniversary, we cumulatively gave $100 million, and five years later, this year, we broke through $200 million in cumulative giving.

What do you attribute that kind of success to?

Our model is unique, but also simple to explain. Local chapters work extremely hard to ensure women are funding community projects that mean so much to them. And because it’s easy to understand, women can share it with their friends.

Take our chapter in Sarasota, Florida. During COVID, the city saw a large influx of people who wanted to live in Florida. Many women were moving there without knowing anyone and looking for their gal pals. Impact100 was easy to understand, and women from all walks of life joined to find belonging, but also help their new community.

What are you hearing from Impact100 members as their why for getting involved?

I hear time and again how powerful it feels to turn $1000 into $100,000 for a nonprofit. It’s a gift they couldn’t make on their own, and they want others to experience that feeling, too.

Pensacola is another great example. It's our largest chapter in the world and has been growing every single year. When it hit 1,000 members for its 10th anniversary, that meant $1 million to give back to local nonprofits, and they are continuing to grow each year and bring more women into that experience.

Members also begin to see their communities differently. It’s really common to see so many nonprofits representing different issues that you didn’t know were impacting the community, and that is the beauty of reading through grant applications and understanding all of the different needs, and that is what Impact100 tries to illuminate.

Tell us about the Global Day of Impact that happened on November 5th.

The Global Day of Impact brought the global team together with Impact100 Martin County, which celebrated its 10th anniversary. We livestreamed the event to celebrate the growth of the Impact100 community over the last 25 years, announce new chapters, and share stories from local women all over the world. Impact100 Martin County also awarded several grants that night, and we heard from the nonprofit recipient, which made it even more special.

We reported that more than $200 million in cumulative grants have been awarded through 85+ chapters across four countries.

I spoke about our membership and how much we've given away, but those numbers aren’t for bragging rights. Each additional member brings us closer to giving away a second or third grant. And our communities need it, so hearing from past grantees is especially powerful because it shows the difference those investments make.

We can gather 100 or 500 women, but without strong nonprofits solving problems in our communities, no woman would stay a member of Impact100. Every woman who joins invests her own money and wants to know it’s going to a worthy cause.

What have you learned about yourself in the last 25 years of Impact100?

The world has changed a lot since we started. We used to find contact information in a phone book; the iPod had just been invented. Since 2001, we’ve evolved with new technology in interesting ways, and these advancements have become incredible tools for staying connected and supporting chapter leaders worldwide.

Early on, I convened the inaugural chapter leaders at a conference to share best practices and resources. I was also going through a lot of personal upheaval, and I took that gathering's success to mean the leaders didn’t need me as much. I didn’t intentionally step away, but I became less present. Unfortunately, information started getting passed along like a game of telephone among members, making it much harder for new chapters to get started successfully.

I realized I needed to be visible and accessible, ready to answer questions. Impact100 Global is a resource not just for startups, but for the 80+ established chapters across the globe, to ensure every chapter can thrive no matter who is leading.

How do we get younger generations excited about philanthropy and Impact100?

Young people need mentors and networks. They can find those people within their organizations, but an Impact100 chapter offers a broader community of women. There are many ways to get involved, and I think young people appreciate having the flexibility to come and go. They can join a committee or participate in other ways while trusting that the women around them will steward their money responsibly.

The skills women learn through Impact100—public speaking, negotiation, analysis, project management, and collaboration— also serve them well in their careers. Those practical skills, along with a way to use them outside of work, are in high demand.

Impact100 is also a place to connect with people who bring different experiences and perspectives, all in the name of doing good for the community. That will always bring people together.

You can read our past interview with Wendy about her book, Invitation to Impact, here.