Your Philanthropy. Your Way.
Impact Fairfield County was founded on the belief that while an individual gift can make a difference, collective giving can transform lives and entire communities.
Impact Fairfield County provides its members the opportunity to engage in local philanthropy on a broader and deeper level than they could as individuals. Your gift, combined with those of hundreds of women, delivers life-changing grants of $100,000 or more to individual local nonprofit organizations.
Membership Contribution
Each member contributes $1,100 – consisting of a $1,000 donation to our grant funding pool and a $100 contribution towards membership operating costs – and the funds are pooled each May to make annual transformational grants of $100,000 to local nonprofits. Members determine the grant recipients through a vote of the full membership after a rigorous grant review process by volunteer committee members. Finalists not awarded an Impact Fairfield County Grant will receive a general operating grant.
We realize $1,100 is a “stop and think” gift. That is by design. For many of our members, $1,100 represents a sacrifice, and intentional budgeting is needed to make a charitable gift of this size. But women from all walks of life from all parts of Fairfield County choose to make this contribution, as they have seen year after year the difference an Impact Fairfield County Grant can make. The goal is for members to feel fully invested in and connected to their giving, and the transformational grants that result from it.
Opportunities For Our Members
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Grant Review Committees
Members can join review committees to evaluate applications in depth. Committees meet to discuss proposals, ask questions, and look closely at each organization’s leadership, financials, and track record. Committee members attend training sessions about the grant 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.
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Volunteer
Throughout the year, Impact Fairfield County hosts volunteer opportunities with past and current grantees. From staffing mobile food pantries to spending time with children at the Boys & Girls Club, these are hands-on ways to connect with the organizations our membership supports. Volunteering gives members a firsthand look at the work happening in our community and deepens our understanding of the issues nonprofits are tackling every day.
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Events & Programs
Impact Fairfield County hosts a full calendar of member events: panel discussions with grantee leaders, book clubs, educational speakers, social gatherings, and the highlight of the year, the Grant Awards Celebration. These events are where the friendships and connections happen. Whether you're new to Impact or a longtime member, our programming is designed to keep you informed, inspired, and connected to the community.
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Join Our Leadership
Interested in serving on the Impact Fairfield County board or leading a committee? We're always looking for engaged members who want to help guide the organization. Leadership roles offer the chance to shape our strategy, mentor fellow members, and ensure Impact continues to grow its reach and effectiveness across Fairfield County.
SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY
Scholarship Program
As a collective giving organization, Impact Fairfield County aspires to reflect the communities we serve by attracting members representing varied zip codes, age brackets, racial and ethnic groups, and experience, from every corner of our county. Further, we seek to eliminate financial barriers for women to join Impact by offering a Member Scholarship Program. Impact Fairfield County is committed to giving a voice to all Fairfield County women and encompassing critical diverse perspectives. Impact will work to identify potential scholarship recipients from our nonprofit grant recipient partners and from across Fairfield County to uphold this commitment. Scholarship recipients will be full members of Impact Fairfield County, with the opportunity to participate equally with all members.
If you have any questions about the Member Scholarship Program, please contact us at membership@impactffc.org.
To apply for an Impact Fairfield County Scholarship, please use the link below: