November greetings to members and friends!

As we enter this season of giving, and as I continue to prepare to step down as Impact100 DC president, I find myself marveling at the ways in which this incredible community of women continues to grow and thrive. We are in the midst of a banner recruitment and renewal season, and we have every reason to believe our dynamic growth will continue through Dec. 31, when our 2026 membership closes. I’m thrilled to say that Impact100 DC has never been in a better position. 

As we look toward 2026 and the continued expansion of our membership, we see tremendous opportunities on the horizon—and with them, the need to ensure that our own infrastructure will be able to support our growth. As every dollar of our membership dues goes directly to our grants, we depend on additional donations from members—an optional $100 dollars or beyond added to your membership dues—to fund our modest operating budget.

Historically almost 100% of our operating income has come from Member Plus donations. Here’s what your generosity looked like for the 2025 cycle:

• 146 of 213 members (69%) contributed at the Member Plus level ($1,100 or above)
• 22 members went beyond the $100 Member Plus level and contributed at the Impact Maker level — together giving $9,000, which accounted for more than one-third of our operating funds

Your contributions over the years, together with those of our corporate sponsors, have allowed us to fund certain databases, our website, grants platforms, and to host our member events. Member Plus donations have allowed us to maintain a balanced budget and build an adequate reserve fund, consistent with recommended best practices for organizations like ours. Thank you!

Looking ahead: With our continued growth comes the need to upgrade some of the systems that provide critical services to our members. The top priority for 2026 is a new membership database that will provide additional access and services to our members and streamline the work for our terrific database volunteers. We have included funds in next year’s budget for this shift and are actively pursuing additional funding sources from corporations and others. 

Our exciting plans make your generous additional contributions more important than ever before. We encourage every new and returning member who's able to please contribute at the Member Plus or Impact Maker levels ( i.e., an additional $100 or beyond). An enormous thank you to those who have already done so! 

Even if you are not able to join in 2026, we always welcome donations of any size!

With best wishes for a very happy Thanksgiving,

Ann Vaughn

President

Help Us Grow Our Membership—and Our Impact

We’re in the home stretch of our member recruitment season—and there’s still time to join and renew for the Impact100 DC 2026 grant year. With the Dec. 31 membership deadline approaching, and at a moment when our region is experiencing so much uncertainty and need, now is the perfect time to take action by renewing your membership or joining our vibrant community.

This has been an energizing year for Impact100 DC. Thanks to our growing membership, we awarded two $100,000 Impact Grants this year for the first time—expanding our reach and deepening our impact across the Washington, DC metro area. With even more members in 2026, we can fund additional high-impact grants that expand opportunity and improve lives across the region.

Our November Meet & Greets brought together members and prospective members for great conversations, personal stories, and new connections. A big thank-you to our wonderful hosts this month—Mary Ellen Taylor, Sara Hope Franks, Elisa Joseph Anders, Julie Griffth, and Francine Lamoriello—and to everyone who has helped introduce Impact100 DC to enthusiastic women across the region. And a warm welcome and thanks to our newest members—both those who joined after attending a Meet & Greet and those who joined independently!

Let’s keep our momentum going and finish the year strong. 

More members = bigger grants and greater impact.

Join or renew now to help grow our collective giving in 2026.

Please spread the word: As we approach the year-end membership deadline, it’s a great time to reach out to friends, colleagues, or neighbors who may want to learn about Impact100 DC. Our member recruitment tools make it easy to introduce Impact100 DC—and you can also invite them to one of our December Meet & Greets.

Just Added: December Meet & Greets!

To give women one more chance to learn about Impact100 DC before our Dec. 31 membership deadline, we’re offering the following December events:

In-person Meet & Greet — Sunday, Dec. 14, 3–5 p.m. in Cabin John, MD

This relaxed gathering is perfect for women who couldn’t attend a Meet & Greet earlier in the fall or who are exploring membership now as they consider joining for 2026.

Members, please attend and bring a friend—or invite friends to attend even if you can’t make it yourself. Register here. 

Virtual Meet & Greets on Zoom

Ideal for busy schedules and for anyone with last-minute questions about joining. The first 30 minutes of these one-hour Zooms will be an Impact100 DC overview and Q&A. The last 30 minutes will be optional breakout rooms for informal conversations with Impact100 DC members.

• Monday, Dec. 8, 12–1 p.m. - Register here
• Thursday, Dec. 18, 7–8 p.m. - Register here

Please help spread the word—many women join because another member invited them to learn more.

Grant Application Deadline Approaching

We are excited to once again be accepting applications from eligible nonprofit organizations for our $100,000 grant. Applications are due on Dec. 15, 2025, a month earlier than last year. $100,000 grants are not common and we are proud to be able to provide them through the generous donations of our members. Please help us to spread the word by sharing information about our grant in your networks, on social media, and with your friends and colleagues. 

All the necessary information can be found here.

ICYMI: Watch the Nonprofit Informational Workshop HERE

See slides from the workshop HERE

Impact100 DC Grantee Updates

Thank you to our sponsors!