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Greetings Members,
I can’t believe fall is already upon us! It seems like we were just sitting together at the Annual Meeting talking about our summer plans, and now I’ve already sent my kids off to school. On Tuesday, Gavin started his senior year at LASA, Kennedy began fifth grade, and Kiran brought up the rear as a second grader. I’m looking forward to many milestones and special memories this year.
It's been wonderful hearing about the incredible summer adventures many of you have shared with me. I feel like I’ve traveled the world after learning about the many countries, cities, and even remote areas our members have explored. I spent most of the summer in Michigan with my daughters. We enjoyed our lake, cooler temps (although surprisingly warmer than Austin at many points), and celebrated my grandmother’s 101st birthday.
We have an exciting fall planned! Our newest g3 class is eager to begin their philanthropic journey and soon you’ll hear more about how you can sign up for a GRC. I’m especially excited to see our members at the many Membership Info Socials, Member Connect Events, and Town Hall - all scheduled over the next few months. I look forward to seeing you at an event, and I hope you invite a friend to join us too!
See you soon!
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Deanna DeHaven
President, Board of Directors
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Earlier this week, Grants Committee leaders met with the Board of Directors to propose changes to Impact Austin’s grantmaking. New procedures will launch with our 2025 grant cycle. Details will be refined and presented to members at our Town Hall Meeting on Nov 12 and announced to nonprofit colleagues soon after. Save the date and join Town Hall to hear the exciting developments.
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Girls Giving Grants Registration is Open
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Through Sep 15, Girls Giving Grants (g3) will welcome new members in grades 8-12. Our g3 members value collective giving, learning about the community and philanthropy, and developing their leadership and presentation skills. The g3 program culminates in one collective grant to a youth-serving nonprofit in greater Austin. g3 members will gather in person every other week during most of the school year at Big Brothers Big Sisters, 4800 Manor Rd Building K, Austin, TX 78723. Membership in g3 may qualify for community service hours. See the syllabus for meeting dates and details. Find all details about joining and the application form here. And check out our blog article that describes how g3 Empowers Tomorrow's Leaders.
The g3 grant opportunity will open Sep 23, with more details to follow next month.
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Welcome to New g3 Leaders | For the 2024-2025 program year, Girls Giving Grants will be mentored by three Impact Austin members serving as Co-Chairs: Rebecca Birch, Karen Davenport, and Mae Mendoza. Meredith McMahan is the current President of g3. Meredith is a senior at Westlake H.S. and has been a g3 member since 8th grade, serving in several leadership roles. Thank you to these Impact Austin leaders! Learn more about all four women on our blog. | |
Left to right: Rebecca Birch, Karen Davenport, Mae Mendoza, Meredith McMahan | |
It’s important to note that funds available for 2025 grants will be based on the Impact Austin membership level as of December 31, 2024. To build the largest pool of grant funds possible, let’s ensure our own renewals are paid on time and invite more women philanthropists to our collective giving mission! As we've learned, most new members come to Impact Austin because of personal connections to existing members. | |
The Member Connections team is curating fun and exciting events for fall. Starting with a special Book Club on Sep 11, gatherings are being planned where Impact Austin members and guests can connect and socialize. Two volunteer opportunities with the Central Texas Food Bank come up on Sep 23 and 24. Look for more details and more events in Member Connections emails and on our social media. | |
Keep an eye on our Events page! Members are welcome to ALL Impact Austin events and encouraged to bring friends and colleagues who might be interested in our giving circle. Just a few of last year's activities are captured below. | |
Learning about Texas History at the Texas State Cemetery | |
Laissez les bon temps rouler with social time and seafood | |
Volunteering with Austin Creative Reuse | |
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Aug 29: CONNECT with Impact Austin at Culinary Dropout - This event is open to anyone who wants to meet Impact Austin members and learn more about our collective giving mission and community impact. Register here.
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Sep 11: Member Connections Book Club – Members are invited to this special gathering with the author of Up the Down Escalator. Members, please register by Sep 5; space is limited.
Sep 19: Membership Info Social - If you’re a non-member, this event will help you learn more about Impact Austin. If you’re already a member, come to mingle with others who have recently joined. Bring a friend who might like to meet us! Register here.
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Sep 23 and Sep 24: Volunteering Together at the Central Texas Food Bank - These are always popular hands-on opportunities to socialize with fellow members while doing good! The Sep 23 opportunity is an afternoon shift from 1:00-4:00 PM; register through CTFB's volunteer hub. On Sep 24, we have an evening shift from 6:00-8:30 PM; register through CTFB's hub.
Oct 10: New Member Orientation – New and new-ish members will want to register now! This is a great opportunity to network, meet new friends, and learn how to engage with Impact Austin.
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Oct 16: Member Connections Pickleball – Save the date while registration details are being finalized. Members will instruct others at the new Pickleball Ranch,11000 Middle Fiskville Road, Bldg B, Austin, TX 78753. The event is scheduled from 7:00-9:00 PM. Space will be limited with a wait list, and there will be a fee. Stay tuned!
Nov 12: Town Hall Meeting – Details are being arranged, but save this date for our fall Signature Event. This will be an old-style town hall gathering with important discussion of Impact Austin business – the new strategic plan; changes to grantmaking; and more. Just as important – it’s a fabulous opportunity to gather and meet Impact Austin friends during the social hour.
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Hot Jobs for Impact Austin Volunteers | |
All committees need womanpower and welcome new volunteers. A few also need leaders to help keep the committee’s tasks and initiatives sustainable. Below are Impact Austin’s “hot jobs” right now; please sign up to support Impact Austin's work.
- Events Committee Chair/Coordinator
- Learning Committee Co-Chairs (2)
- Membership Committee Co-Chair
- Technology Committee Co-Chair
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Impact Austin leadership wanted to make members aware that we recently experienced an attempted phishing incident where a board member’s name was used to try to steal funds. Thankfully, our vigilance mitigated the situation without harm, and we have not experienced a security breach. We have also been made aware that there have been rising incidents of fraud and scamming occurring to other nonprofits in Austin, as well. We want to remind members that if you have ANY reason to believe that a communication you’ve received from Impact Austin is fraudulent, please email contact@impactaustin.org for support. | |
Community Partner Spotlight | |
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2022 Community Partner Explore Austin offers a 100% free, six-year-long program to youth from economically disadvantaged communities. The program empowers youth to reach their full potential through mentoring, leadership, and outdoor adventure. Our 2024 Annual Meeting highlighted Explore Austin with a video that shared the outcomes of our $75,500 Community Grant. Check out their grant outcomes video!
Impact Austin’s investment helped Explore Austin to stabilize youth participation in the wake of the pandemic. From 2022 to 2023, Explorer attendance at Saturday Challenges increased by 8%. Attendance at Summer Wilderness Trips increased by 13%. Explorer recruitment in 2023 was the strongest since 2019.
During 2022 and 2023,19 teams of Explorers and their Mentors completed their Summer Wilderness Trips. Explore Austin youth adventured in wild places throughout Texas, California, Colorado, Arkansas, Idaho, New Mexico, and Utah. These trips challenged Explorers physically, mentally, and emotionally. They presented an opportunity for the youth to take a break from technology and focus on their well-being.
Through Saturday Challenges and Summer Wilderness Trips, Explorers spent on average 195 hours outdoors, reaping the many benefits of time in nature. 2022 surveys reported that:
- 90% of Explorers reported feeling they belong at Explore Austin, are valued and respected by their teammates, can trust their Mentors, and can make a positive impact in their communities
- 94% said they can see and appreciate the intelligence of other living things
- 92% said they have a deep understanding of how their actions can affect nature
- 86% reported that spending time in nature lowers their stress and improves their overall mood
- 85% of youth reported they can always manage to solve difficult problems if they try hard enough
- 79% said they can remain calm in the face of difficulties because of their coping abilities
Explore Austin is now actively recruiting mentors through Sep 27.
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Impact Austin Quick Links | |
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Back by popular demand: these resources hold answers to IAFAQs
- Which nonprofits have received Impact Austin grants? See Our Impact lists all our grantees, organized alphabetically, by year, and by grant category. Find Girls Giving Grants awards here.
- Who leads Impact Austin? Our Leadership
- Where are Impact Austin's financials? Reports & Publications
- How did Impact Austin start? Check out our blog and a link to Rebecca Powers' book.
- Can I join your mailing list without becoming a member? Yes!
- How can a new member get quickly involved and meet others? Member Connections
- I want to volunteer, but I’m not yet sure exactly how. Find committees here or sign up to share your skills in general.
- What is g3? Check out Girls Giving Grants, their program, and how to register for the 2024-2025 year. Registration is open through Sep 15.
- How can I find Impact Austin events? Upcoming events will be here, and past events, which sometimes include links or recaps, are stored here.
- How do I join a Grant Review Committee? GRC registration will open in November.
- Where do we store previous newsletters? On our blog!
- Where do I find links to philanthropy education events? We recap some on our blog, and many are stored on our YouTube playlist.
- What have our grants accomplished? Explore See Our Impact, blog articles, and grant outcomes videos on our YouTube channel.
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Aug 29 – CONNECT with Impact Austin at Culinary Dropout. Open to all. Please register.
Sep 11 – Member Connections Impact Austin Book Club. Members, please register.
Sep 15 – Deadline to register for Girls Giving Grants
Sep 19 – Membership Info Social. Open to all. Please register.
Sep 23 - Volunteer Together at Central Texas Food Bank. Please register.
Sep 24 - Volunteer Together at Central Texas Food Bank. Please register.
Oct 10 – New Member Orientation open to all members. Please register.
Oct 16 – Member Connections Pickleball. Member registration pending.
Nov 12 – Town Hall Meeting. Save the date.
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We have a team of amazing individuals working hard to keep you up to date with what is happening at Impact Austin.
Visit our blog to find event info, press releases, member profiles and so much more! And don't forget to #JoinImpactAustin on your favorite social media sites!
Please "like" and "share" our posts! You'll help to promote Impact Austin to a wider audience and potential members. We would love to hear from you...what do you want to learn more about? What type of information is useful for you?
Email us at contact@impactaustin.org.
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