To be sure you receive all emails that go to our nonprofit community, please email the Grants Committee at grants@impact100pensacola.org with the name of your organization and contact information.
Below are frequently asked questions about applying for an IMPACT 100 grant.
Do small or new nonprofits have a chance of being awarded a grant?
Yes. Grants have been awarded to small, medium, and large-sized nonprofits. Applications are evaluated on the strength of the organization, the strength of the project, the project’s sustainability, and the impact of the project on the community.
Does being a member of IMPACT 100 or contributing to IMPACT 100 increase the chance of receiving a grant?
No. Being a member of, or a contributor to, IMPACT 100 is not a requirement for applying, nor a factor for grant consideration.
Does improving property require that the grant applicant own the property?
Capital improvements or renovations to property require that the organization has a possessive or ownership interest in the property for at least 3 years from the date of the grant award, and that the landlord consents to the capital improvements. The property cannot be currently listed for sale or plan to be sold within 3 years from the date of the grant award; if rented, the landlord must provide a statement confirming there are no plans for the property to be sold within this timeframe.
If a nonprofit is a religious organization can it apply for a grant?
Possibly. While a church, synagogue, or other body of worship is ineligible to apply for a grant, a separate tax-exempt public charity that operates independently from the religious institution can apply. However, the grant must fund a project that is not restricted to a particular faith, denomination, or religion and does not require participation to conform to a specific practice.
Is it ethical to pay a commission to grant writers?
Professional fundraising organizations, such as the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), prohibit commission-based compensation, finder's fees, or percentage-based payments for grant writing, as these practices are considered unethical. IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area upholds ethical grant-seeking practices and strongly encourages nonprofits to do the same. IMPACT 100 grant funds cannot be used to pay grant writer's fees as these would be services would be rendered prior to the grant award, and so would not be reimbursable during the 24 months grant fulfillment cycle.
What is a Grant Collaboration?
Why can’t we use the funds for “operating funds”?
Each nonprofit must already have sufficient funds to sustain their ongoing operations. This grant is to enable you to pursue a dream that you might otherwise be unable to complete. Operating funds would have to be related solely to the new project funded by the IMPACT 100 grant and a sustainability plan must be provided. General operating expenses or overhead, such as ongoing salaries for existing staff, will not be funded. The exception to this is the request for items of an operating or overhead nature that are a part of a new or expanded initiative or project to be funded by IMPACT 100. Salaries can be covered by grant funds as long as the salary represents a new position with significant involvement in the grant initiative and a sustainability plan must be provided
Do we have to submit a Letter of Intent in order to apply for a grant or serve as a collaborator on a grant?
Yes. Applicant organizations and any collaborative partners are required to submit individual Letters of Intent. Grants Committee verifies eligibility of nonprofit organizations intending to apply for a grant prior to the grant application process. This prevents IMPACT 100 from having to disqualifying a nonprofit's application later in the process.
How do we submit the Letter of Intent?
Complete the online form on our website. To access the form, click here.
What is the deadline for the Letter of Intent?
The deadline for the Letter of Intent is April 30th at 12:00 noon.
Why do we need a copy of the Dept. of Treasury letter granting 501(c)(3) status for our organization?
The Dept. of Treasury letter that your nonprofit received when it obtained its status will verify that your organization was granted the 501(c)(3) designation as an individual or group charity. This is how we check for current certification. This is NOT the same certificate as your tax exempt letter.
What if we don’t have our 501(c)(3) yet?
You may submit your Letter of Intent with an explanation that you’ve applied for it (and the date applied). You may apply, but we MUST have a copy of the 501(c)(3) letter by the time the grant application is submitted.
How is the IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area's Board of Directors using AI tools in reviewing grant applications?
We use a paid, private artificial intelligence platform as a tool for summarizing the Project Narrative and Organization History of grant applications for our members’ use. All AI-assisted summaries are carefully reviewed by our Board for accuracy. The IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area Board of Directors does not enter nonprofit names, addresses, clients served, financial data, board information, or any other sensitive details into the AI tool.
Is my nonprofit data safe with IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area's use of AI?
The IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area Board of Directors is committed to safeguarding all nonprofit data to the extent possible. The Board utilizes an approved trusted AI platform that adheres to robust privacy and data protection standards. Sensitive or confidential information is not shared with, nor processed by artificial intelligence systems. Furthermore, Members are informed of the Member AI Usage Policy, and individuals serving on Focus Area Committees are required to sign a confidentiality agreement affirming their compliance with these requirements.
What is the deadline for the grant application?
The deadline for the online grant application is June 15th at noon.
Can we turn in a grant application if we didn’t turn in a Letter of Intent?
No. We MUST have the Letter of Intent (LOI) by April 30th if you intend to turn in a grant application. Submitting an LOI does not obligate you to apply. We strongly recommend submitting an LOI even if you are unsure if you will apply.
Can our organization submit different grant applications in different categories?
No, each organization may submit only one grant application per year.
Why won’t you tell us which focus area to apply in?
We believe you are the best judge of where your grant application, once written, will best fit. A project may meet the criteria for several focus areas, so we believe the decision is best left to the organization.
Can we meet with our Focus Area Chair/Co-Chair to review our application before we turn it in?
No. But it is a great idea to bounce your application off some of your board members, or even women who are members of IMPACT 100, but not on the board. IMPACT 100 board members are available for general questions about the grant process. We offer an annual Grant Application 101 Workshop and Grant Application Q&A session. Details for these events are on our Events calendar.
Grant Application 101 is designed to offer an in-depth review of the IMPACT 100 grant application, while Grant Application Q & A offers an opportunity to ask application questions one on one of a member of the IMPACT 100 Board and/or Grants Committee.
Can we include our brochures, annual reports or videos about our organization?
No, we do not accept these types of materials with the application.
What are some of the most common application errors?
What if our organization does not have to complete a 990?
Submit a copy of the IRS form 990-N (E Post Card) if Form 990 is not required.
What if the nonprofit has only existed for one year and cannot submit two years’ 990 forms?
Submit the past year’s 990.
What if our organization is smaller and may not need the full amount of the grant?
This is a transformational grant opportunity. An organization must decide if they have a need or a program that meets the criteria for the full grant.
What are some of the reasons applications may not be selected as a finalist?
What happens after we turn in our grant application?
The Grants Committee will give the applications to the Chairs/Co-Chairs of the respective Focus Area. Focus Area Committees will begin meeting once a week during late July through August.
What happens during the Focus Area Committee Meetings?
The Focus Area Committees are comprised of IMPACT 100 members who volunteer and have no conflict of interest to serve (e.g. not staff or board member of a nonprofit which has submitted a grant application in that focus area). All discussions during committee meetings are kept private (even from IMPACT 100 members not on that committee). The committee meets each week, reviews all grant applications, and chooses smaller groups for site visits. A site visit leader will call you to schedule an appointment. After each site visit, that group reports back to the remaining committee members. After site visits are completed, the entire committee votes on each application and chooses the finalists.
How many finalists will be selected to make presentations to the IMPACT 100 membership?
Each finalist selected by Focus Area Committees will have the opportunity to make a presentation to the IMPACT 100 membership at the Annual Meeting.
What should we expect to happen at the site visit?
This is the time for your organization to shine and for you to be able to tell your story, your vision, and your dream in person. You will have the opportunity to explain what the application cannot always convey: the passion, the difference this grant would make, and the impact on the organization and the community. You should plan to have the following people attend the site visit: your board chair, your treasurer or someone who can answer financial questions, and perhaps one or two key employees. There should be no press at the meeting.
How many people will be on the site visit?
There will be an average of 2 to 5 members from the focus area committee.
Do we need to provide refreshments, hand-outs, or demonstrations for the site visit members?
Any amplifying information, such as brochures or reports are appropriate. Refreshments, CDs/DVDs, mementos, promotional items, or gifts are highly discouraged. All applicants will have an opportunity to submit a wish list of items that could benefit their organization. Wish lists will be posted on the IMPACT 100 website for one year, giving possible donors an opportunity to grant applicants’ wishes.
How will we know if we have been named as a finalist?
Finalists will be notified by phone. All other applicants will be notified by both email and mail prior to the Finalist Announcement press conference in September.
If we apply for an IMPACT 100 grant and are not selected as a finalist, can we apply next year?
Yes, we encourage your organization to reapply next year. Additionally we encourage you to submit your wish list, as many of the women are anxious to donate resources to the organizations even if they aren’t grant finalists. We call this the “impact of IMPACT”!
If my organization is not selected as an IMPACT 100 finalist, can we get some feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of our grant from the IMPACT 100 site visit team in an effort to improve our grant submission for next year?
We do not provide specific feedback to any applicant. The reason for this is that the committee members that review your grant will change each year. If we were to provide feedback from this year’s site visit team, next year’s site visit team might have a totally different perspective. If you were to make changes based on the opinions of these ladies alone, it might have no relevance whatsoever to a different group of ladies reading and evaluating your grant next year.
We do provide aggregate feedback at our Nonprofit Workshop in April. There, we present general feedback regarding what makes a good grant and the evaluation criteria the ladies use in assessing each grant. We also host a Grant Application 101 Workshop where we go through each section of the grant application, question by question, to ensure that applicants are very clear as to the intent of each question. Nonprofit organizations attending these events have found both to be helpful in getting their questions answered.
If we submit a proposal and are awarded a grant, how soon can we apply again?
An organization must have expended all funds from the previously awarded grant prior to submitting another grant application. In other words, if a 2020 grant recipient has expended all funds as of the grant application deadline on June 15, 2022, at noon, the nonprofit organization may submit a grant application for 2022.
How does IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area disburse the grant money?
IMPACT 100 disburses funds on an as expended basis. Grantees must submit quarterly reports upon implementation and progress of the project. Prior to the release of grant funds, each recipient must complete the IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area grant agreement form.
What is the period of time the money must be spent?
A project must expend the grant funds within two years, following award of the grant. For example, a 2021 grant recipient may not begin to expend funds prior to November 1, 2021 and must expend grant funds by October 31, 2023.
Can you be a member of IMPACT 100 if you work for a nonprofit organization?
Yes! You can even participate on a Focus Area Committee, but not one that reviews your organization’s application.
Can you be a member of IMPACT 100 if you are a CEO of an organization?
Yes! You can even participate on a Focus Area Committee, but not one that reviews your organization’s application.
Who can we contact for more information or questions?
Contact the IMPACT 100 Grants Committee at grants@impact100pensacola.org or (850-304-7895).