Happy Fall to Impact100 DC Members and Friends,

I’m writing after our second annual Impact Makers Breakfast at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library—and what an inspiring morning it was! With standing-room-only attendance, two remarkable speakers, and 12 of our 19 nonprofit partners represented, the event was a tremendous success. We are grateful to the DC Public Library Foundation Board for partnering with us each year to make it happen.

Our speakers, Monica Dixon, President of Monumental Sports, and Susan Page, best-selling author and Washington Bureau Chief for USA Today, set an energizing tone that filled the room—no small feat in challenging times. Monica shared her guiding reminder to “move our feet,” which she and her team embodied earlier this month by building a playground in a DC neighborhood that needed one, as they do every year. Susan’s mantra is “just say yes”—an approach that has helped her seize opportunities and reach the top of a field long dominated by men. Both women’s journeys were powerful reminders of what can be accomplished when we lead with courage and action.

I also drew inspiration from conversations with our grantees. They spoke candidly about the challenges they’re facing—and just as passionately about their determination to overcome them. Again and again, they emphasized how vital support from organizations like ours is right now, and that support can take many forms beyond funding alone.

That said, those dollars are critical! This fall marks the start of Impact100 DC’s sixth year of grantmaking—and with it, our annual membership renewal and recruitment season. Many guests told me they’re eager to join, adding even more momentum to the energy in the room. To our current members: we look forward to your renewals, and we encourage you to become recruiters as well. We’ve made it easy with the materials in our Recruitment Toolkit (see below) and the many Meet & Greets our generous members are hosting this fall (again, see below). With your help, we can build on the momentum that enabled us to award two $100,000 grants this past June!

With gratitude,

Ann Vaughn

President

Help Us Grow Our Membership–and Our Impact

Impact100 DC is gaining momentum! This year, our members awarded two $100,000 grants—part of the $782,000 we’ve invested in local nonprofit organizations since our founding. With more members in 2026, we can fund additional high-impact grants that improve lives and expand opportunity across the DC metro area. You can help make that happen by inviting more women to join our community.

More members = bigger grants and greater impact.

Join or renew now to help grow our impact in 2026.

We need your help reaching new members! Our Quick Guide to Member Recruitment walks you through how to invite prospective members and makes it easy to spread the word. Together, we can reach more women and expand our impact.

Fall Meet & Greets

Hosted by Impact100 DC members in their homes, these casual gatherings have become a fall tradition. They offer a relaxed, welcoming space for current members to reconnect and for prospective members to learn more about our work and community.

We’d love to see you there—please bring friends who might be interested in joining!

October

• Tuesday, Oct. 7, 7:00–8:30 pm – Chevy Chase, DC
• Sunday, Oct. 12, 3:00–5:00 pm – Chevy Chase, MD
• Thursday, Oct. 23, 6:00–8:00 pm – Woodley Park, DC

November

• Wednesday, Nov. 5, 6:00–8:00 pm – Crestwood, DC
• Saturday, Nov. 8, 3:00–5:00 pm – Georgetown, DC
• Saturday, Nov. 15, 3:00–5:00 pm – Arlington, VA
• Sunday, Nov. 16, 3:00–5:00 pm – McLean, VA
• Sunday, Nov. 16, 2:00–3:30 pm – Rockville, MD
• Saturday, Nov. 22, 3:00–5:00 pm – Cabin John, MD

The 2026 Grant Cycle Opens on October 15

Help us spread the word! Do you know a local nonprofit organization making an impact in any of these areas?

• Arts & Culture
• Environment, Preservation & Recreation
• Education
• Family Services
• Health & Wellness

Let them know about our informational Zoom workshop on

October 15 from 4:00–5:30 pm ET. Share the information below!

We will begin accepting applications for our $100,000 Impact Grant on October 15.

All applications must be submitted by December 15, 2025.

Please contact our Grants Co-Chairs Dorothy Durden or Kate Rodgers with questions.

Fellowship Applications are Open

The Impact100 DC fellowship program advances our commitment to building a community with diverse voices and perspectives by providing a path to women ages 21-39 who are interested in philanthropy but currently lack the financial resources to join us.



We are now accepting applications for fellows to participate in our 2026 grantmaking. Applying is easy: more information is here, and applications are due November 1.

Please help spread the word!

Get to Know Our 2025 Grantees!

IMPACT GRANTEES

MISSION-BASED GRANTEES

Double Your Impact Through Employer Matching

Does your employer offer matching gifts? It’s an easy way to make your membership go further. You can contribute $500 and have your employer match it to cover your full $1,000 membership—or give $1,000 and request a match, which provides an extra $1,000 to support Impact100 DC’s operating fund and other needs. 

If you pursue a match, please let Nidhi Bouri know so she can confirm Impact100 DC is listed as an approved nonprofit in your company’s system. Thank you for exploring this powerful way to expand your impact.

Member Spotlight: Meet Heller An Shapiro!

Heller An Shapiro’s entire career has been with nonprofits, from the arts to rare diseases and disabilities. She learned about Impact100 DC when she was Director of ArtStream and applied for a grant. At the “Big Reveal,” where ArtStream won a mission-based grant, she was so impressed with Impact100 DC members’ passion and caring that both she and her Board member joined. The timing was perfect. Heller An had just retired from ArtStream so there were no conflicts of interest, and she felt she could bring value since she knew both sides of the equation and had extensive experience in grant writing and nonprofit management. “Active in the DMV nonprofit community, I was surprised that I did not know about Impact’s other nonprofit applicants, which speaks to Impact’s outreach efforts.”  

Heller An is now a member of the Impact100 DC Board and serves as Grantee Liaison, where she connects with grantees, learns their organizational needs, and assesses how Impact100 DC can provide the most effective support. She and other Board members meet with local Giving Circles to explore collaboration on issues such as common applications and joint outreach to community-based organizations. 

Heller An is a true believer in volunteering. After graduate school, rather than a research position, she opted to work as the volunteer director for a crisis hotline and later at the Kennedy Center where she managed 750 volunteers! She knows Impact100 grantees would benefit from volunteers and additional skilled Board members and hopes to help Impact100 DC members connect with our grantees. 

Heller An loves the discipline and training it takes to be a triathlete. “I focus year-round on staying strong so I can compete. In August, I finished first in my age group which is an accomplishment even when I am the only one in my age group!”

Heller An is hosting a Meet & Greet for current and prospective members in Chevy Chase, MD on Sunday, October 12 from 3:00–5:00 pm. You can sign up here for this event, or for any Meet & Greet!

Thank you to our sponsors!