November 02, 2016 - Newsroom
Impact Austin Receives Outstanding Philanthropic Organization Award
AUSTIN, TX – November 2, 2016 – Impact Austin, one of the country’s largest collective giving organizations, was selected as the Outstanding Philanthropic Organization of the Year by the Greater Austin Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).
The award, founded more than 20 years ago, recognizes outstanding philanthropic commitment demonstrated through financial support and encouragement of others to take leadership roles in philanthropy and community involvement.
“We are honored to be recognized with this award,” said Sharon Francia, President of the Board of Directors of Impact Austin. “Impact Austin is committed to helping our members and the young women of Austin grow as philanthropists and to being leaders and innovators in the philanthropic world.”
Impact Austin members have given more than $5.5 million to worthy causes over the past 14 years. The organization strives to stay abreast of developments in the philanthropic field and to gather feedback from nonprofits as to their greatest needs. In response to these efforts, Impact Austin began offering a Catalyst Grant to help nonprofits grow and strengthen their infrastructure thereby broadening their capacity to provide services. Both programmatic grants and Catalyst Grants are now offered annually by the organization.
“Since awarding our first high-impact grant, we’ve supported more than 60 local nonprofits operating in the areas of Culture, Family, Education, Environment, and Health and Wellness,” said Donna Benson-Chan, Executive Director of Impact Austin. “In addition to our members’ contributions, Impact Austin’s youth initiative, Girls Giving Grants, has donated more than $50,000 to the community.”
Girls Giving Grants was founded to help guide and nurture the future generation of philanthropists. Each girl, in grades 8-12, contributes $100 of her own money and members evaluate their own pool of grant applications. The g3 program is unique among collective giving organizations nationwide.
Impact Austin is volunteer-driven, with each member contributing $1,250 annually and each member’s vote counting equally in determining grant recipients. Members have an opportunity to be as involved as they like from volunteering on an assortment of standing committees, to participating on a Grant Review Committees to simply attending the Annual Meeting and casting their vote.
About Impact Austin
Impact Austin is a 501 (c) (3) public charity comprised of women seeking to transform lives in the Greater Austin area through high-impact and lifelong giving. Its only membership requirements are to be female and donate $1,250 each year. Impact Austin combines the annual donations from members and awards large grants each year to local worthy causes selected by its members. Grant applications are accepted in each of the following areas: culture, environment, education, family, and health and wellness. Learn more at www.impactaustin.org.
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