What were the highlights of 2007 for you? Was it the release of the world’s first IPhone? Or the final installment of the Harry Potter series? Perhaps you thought the sky was the limit for investments: the Dow Jones Industrial Average soared above 13,000 for the very first time. All of these moments were important, but for some local women, all of these milestones pale in comparison to the most transformational event of autumn, 2007: Beth Dahle became aware of the Impact100 collective grantmaking model, which lead her to partner with Mary Broach to establish Impact100 Philadelphia the following year.

One of the great challenges of any startup volunteer organization is maintaining true to the Founders’ initial vision while accommodating membership growth, shifting needs and new ideas. In 2014, the our all-volunteer Board realized they needed administrative help to meet the goals and aspirations of a rapidly growing Impact100 Philadelphia. As a result, Alice Dolbin was hired in 2015 because she was up to the challenge of working in a virtual organization and finding ways to add value. Her combined experience in nonprofit operations and her technical skills immediately helped us to organize our files in the Cloud and assist us as we took on the development and launch of our new website. Alice brings professional acumen and the heart and soul of a volunteer, which make her a perfect fit for prioritizing the needs of all 387 Impact100 Philadelphia members.

In addition to routine record-keeping and correspondence, Alice maintains our website, manages all of our email correspondence and SlideRoom, and assists Board members with needs for data, printed materials and event management. She played an important role in our recent implementation of a new grants process as well as our new membership database system. Because her role is vital to the continued success of Impact100 Philadelphia, Alice is a full voting member and serves on a Focus Area Committee. Her insights as a member and a professional help Impact100 Philadelphia create a better experience for our members, grantees, volunteers and the nonprofit community. Alice also serves as a Grants Manager at The Merchants Fund. This organization was established in 1854 to facilitate grants to merchants in the city of Philadelphia, to increase local economic development.

Alice’s background is literally a combination of art and science. As a sculptor and painter, she operated her own studio as an undergraduate at Penn State. After Happy Valley, she honed her professional skills at Drexel University, where she earned a Master of Science in Nonprofit Business and completed her thesis on Impact Investing, specifically Program-Related Investments and Social Impact Bonds within private foundations and public charities. She plans to pursue additional educational opportunities. One of Alice’s professional goals is to increase her skills in financial management of nonprofits through a variety of specialized accounting certifications. Her contributions are both precise and open ended and and she continues to provide the support that allows others to succeed. Alice Dolbin truly understands both the big picture and exacting detail of the mission of Impact100 Philadelphia.