Impact Fairfield County began in 2015 with a powerful idea from founders Wendy Block and Vicki Craver: bring together women who care about their community, give them real knowledge, and pool their resources.

The model is straightforward. Each member contributes $1,100, combined into a single grant of $100,000 or more, awarded to one local nonprofit each year through a member-driven process.

Over ten years, this approach has directed nearly $2.6 million to dozens of nonprofit organizations across Fairfield County — addressing food insecurity, workforce development, youth services, mental health, and more. Every one of those grantees is still going strong.

In our 10th year, 284 members participated, with over 170 serving on grant review committees to evaluate 59 proposals. We provided $284,000 in grant funding in 2025, plus $170,000 in anniversary grants to all 17 past grantees.

But the numbers only tell part of the story. The real impact is in the room at every site visit, every committee meeting, every Grant Awards Celebration — women coming together with purpose, learning from each other, and making decisions that change lives.