Impact100 Philadelphia
, co-founded by Mary Broach of Lower Merion ten years ago, is one of the early arrivals among a growing number of giving circles in the region, writes Lini S. Kadaba for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Giving circles pool membership fees into a grant fund and provides each member with a vote so they can participate in deciding how to allocate the funds.
Since it awarded its first grants in 2009, Impact100 Philadelphia has seen its membership nearly quadruple, from the original 111 women to 398 this year. The grant pool grew accordingly, added Broach, an organizational development consultant.
Last year, Impact100 Philadelphia added a $575 Young Philanthropists level, half of its regular membership. In addition, it has Founders Fellows, whose fees are sponsored to help reduce barriers to philanthropy.
During the circle’s annual meeting this year, five finalists vied for three $100,000 grants and two smaller ones.
“It’s an American Idol situation,” said Margaret O’Sullivan, executive director of the Nationalities Service Center in Philadelphia and a 2018 Impact100 grantee. “Our program team rehearsed three weeks straight.”
Read more about Impact100 Philadelphia at The Philadelphia Inquirer by clicking here.
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