“While we were all certainly disappointed not to be selected as a finalist, I have to say that everyone here felt honored and privileged to have made it as far along in the process as we did. It really was a terrific experience – from the initial LOI to the site visit (which was one of the better site visits I’ve ever experienced!).”

--Grant Applicant

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I submit my Letter of Inquiry and/or Full Proposal?
Letters of Inquiry must be emailed to grants@impact100philly.org on or before the deadline. Full Proposals must be sent via U.S. Mail and postmarked by the deadline.

May I send additional materials with the Letter of Inquiry, like one of our brochures or newsletters?
No, please only send information specifically requested. Any additional materials will be discarded.

If we’re not sure which Focus Area applies to us for our Letter of Inquiry, can we leave it blank and allow you to select one for us?
No. Applicants must choose one Focus Area for the Letter of Inquiry based on the descriptions provided in the grant guidelines. We will not consider a Letter of Inquiry without a selected Focus Area.

Can you give us guidance on which Focus Area is appropriate for our Letter of Inquiry and Full Proposal?
Sorry, we do not provide advice about selecting a Focus Area. Each organization must make that decision. Often, a proposal can fall into more than one Focus Area. For example, a project related to an after-school arts program for underprivileged students could fit into both the Arts & Culture and Education Focus Areas. It would also fit within the definition of the Family Focus Area, since such a program would “strengthen and enhance the lives of children and families” by providing a quality after-school activity for children. If the proposal also emphasized how such a program positively impacts the mental health of the children, it could be construed to fit within the Health & Wellness Focus Area.

The “competition” within each Focus Area will depend on the number and quality of proposals submitted for that area. Because of that, it could be perceived as unfair for Impact100 to help an applicant choose a Focus Area.  We recommend you consider which Focus Area best represents the emphasis of your project.

What is your Grant Policy?
Impact100 Philadelphia has a formal grant policy, approved by the board of directors. The policy states that at each increment of $100,000 in membership contributions, another project grant will be awarded. Each project grant will be exactly $100,000. Residual membership contributions above an even multiple of $100,000 will be awarded as operating grants.

The funding we need for our program or project is less than the $100,000 grant Impact100 offers. Can we submit a proposal for less than the full amount?
No. Impact100 is looking for projects or programs that use the full $100,000 grant.

Can our organization submit Letters of Inquiry or Full Proposals in more than one Focus Area?
No, each organization may submit only one grant application each year and may select only one Focus Area.

How does Impact100 Philadelphia decide who gets the grants?
We accept Letters of Inquiry (and Full Proposals by invitation) in five Focus Areas. Each Focus Area has a committee made up of Impact100 members. These committees review and evaluate the applications, and may request a site visit, to select a deserving finalist.

Committee members attend training sessions about Impact100′s process and learn how to evaluate grant proposals. This training teaches committee members to consider the credibility and merit of the applicant organization and the feasibility and significance of the proposed project or program.

After each committee selects its finalist, all Impact100 members receive information on the finalists for review. The finalists attend our Annual Meeting in June and make presentations about their projects. Impact100 members vote by individual ballot at the Annual Meeting, and that vote determines the grant recipients.

I noticed that you will award both project grants and operating grants.  Can I apply for an operating grant?
No, all applicants to Impact100 apply for a $100,000 project grant.  The results of the membership vote at the Annual Meeting determine the recipients of any operating grants.

Whom can we contact to discuss our grant application after we send it in?
For questions regarding the guidelines, process or forms, you may email  grants@impact100philly.org. If we have questions about your Letter of Inquiry or Full Proposal, we will contact you.

Impact100 Philadelphia is committed to a fair, unbiased process. We do not accept any unsolicited communication related to topics other than questions about the guidelines, process or forms. Applicants must not contact members or the board of Impact100 Philadelphia in any way unless we request additional information. Applicants must not make any attempt to lobby for their proposal. Any attempt to unfairly influence the process is grounds for elimination from consideration.

Do you give grants to programs or projects that expend the funds over a period of years?
As stated in the grant guidelines, Impact100 seeks projects or programs that expend grant funds within 15 months.

Will you consider a proposal from a group of organizations collaborating on a project or program?
Yes. However, one of the collaborating organizations must be the “lead organization,” applying as if it were an individual organization on behalf of the collaboration. The lead organization must be willing to take on all the potential rights, responsibilities, restrictions and liabilities of the grant, if it is received.

Your guidelines indicate you will not fund capital campaigns. Will you fund capital expenditures as part of a proposal?
Yes. We will fund capital expenditures that are clearly related to the proposed project or program.

Your guidelines indicate you will not fund general construction or renovation. Will you fund construction or renovation as part of a proposal?
Yes. We will fund construction or renovation expenditures that are clearly related to the proposed project.

Your guidelines indicate that applicants may allocate up to 15% of the Impact100 project grant toward overhead. What do you consider as eligible overhead expenses? Must we itemize these expenses?
We recognize the ongoing costs involved in running a non-profit organization, and we will allow up to 15% ($15,000) of Impact100 grant funds to be allocated toward these operational expenses. We consider overhead to include facility costs, general staff salaries, supplies, and other items used by your organization that are not directly related to this project. If you allocate part of your project budget in this manner, please include the dollar amount as a line item in the project budget, labeled as Organizational Overhead. No further itemization is necessary.

Once an organization receives a grant from Impact100 Philadelphia, can it reapply the following year?
An organization that receives a $100,000 project grant from Impact100 may not apply again for 36 months. If an organization receives an unrestricted operating grant, it may reapply for a project grant the following year. Organizations that apply but are not selected as finalists, or are finalists that do not receive the $100,000 grant, may reapply the following year.

If we submit a proposal this year that is not funded, how soon can we submit another proposal?
You may apply again the following year.

What kind of communication can we expect from Impact100 Philadelphia during this process?
Impact100 notifies all applicants at each stage of the application process, even if they are not invited to submit a Full Proposal, receive a site visit, or become a finalist.

Will the grant be paid in a lump sum?
Impact100 distributes project grants in installments depending on the nature of the project.  Operating grants are distributed in a lump sum payment.