Grant Award Guidelines

• The Women’s Impact Fund awards high-impact grants ranging from $40,000 to $100,000 to community organizations in Mecklenburg County. 
• The grants fund is a pooled fund comprised of annual contributions of $1,000 from each member of the Women’s Impact Fund. All money contributed by members to the pooled fund will be awarded within the current or future grants cycle.
• Grants will be made to fund both new and existing projects and programs that: 1) apply  creative, substantive approaches to critical community needs, and/or 2) address emerging community issues. These funding criteria allow the Grants Committee to recommend agencies in need of operational assistance to sustain current programs as well as launch new programs.
• The Grants Committee, composed of all Women’s Impact Fund members who wish to serve, will lead a thorough and participative grantmaking process. The Grants Committee will research community needs in five areas: arts & culture, education, environment, health, and human services.
• Based on thorough research, analysis and community collaboration, selected community organizations will be invited to submit grant applications through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process.
• All members of the Women’s Impact Fund will be engaged in the final grantmaking decisions by having a vote on a slate of proposals for funding. Over time, projects selected for funding will reflect the diverse interests of the membership.
• The in-depth grant selection process is designed to help educate members to become more knowledgeable and skilled philanthropists.
• Grantmaking practices will be conducted with integrity, fiscal responsibility, respect, and fairness to community organizations.

Funding Priorities

The intent of the Women’s Impact Fund is to award grants that have the potential for high impact, resulting in significant positive change in the community. The Women’s Impact Fund awards grants to:

• Both new and existing projects and programs that meet at least one of the following criteria:
  1) provide a creative, substantive approach to a critical community need, and / or
  2) address an emerging community issue.
• Proposals that offer opportunities to collaborate and foster partnerships, as well as leverage other funding sources.
• Projects that demonstrate the ability to achieve measurable results and have a high probability of successful continuation beyond the grant period.
• Projects that fit within one of our five funding areas: 1) Arts & Culture, 2) Education, 3) Environment, 4) Health, and 5) Human Services.

Eligibility

• Organizations must be located and provide services in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Agencies applying for an environmental grant may be domiciled outside of Mecklenburg County, but must provide services within the County.
• Applicants must qualify as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be classified as a unit of government.
• Organizations that have previously received funding from the Women’s Impact Fund may not submit another Letter of Inquiry for a minimum of three years after the completion of the term of the previous grant award.

Inclusiveness & Diversity

The Women’s Impact Fund seeks to promote inclusiveness and diversity in its grantmaking process and practices. We affirm and value human diversity in its many forms. We seek diversity to ensure that a range of perspectives, opinions and experiences is recognized and acted upon to enhance our ability to contribute to the common good in our changing society

Areas Not Funded

• Capital and endowment campaigns
• Travel and conferences
• Projects that promote religious or political views
• Fraternal organizations
• Organizations for re-granting purposes

Still have questions? Please visit Frequently Asked Questions for more information about the Women’s Impact Fund grants process.