Impact100 Metro Denver provides high-impact grants that enable compelling but often lesser known initiatives to dream “big”.
Our goal is to provide significant grants that reach under-served populations, highlight unmet needs in our community, and raise the profile of organizations striving to make transformative change.
Annual Grant Cycle
Select Focus Areas
July-September
Members vote on three Focus Areas for the year
Grants team develops criteria and Request for Proposal (RFP)
Issue RFP
October-January
RFP is released publicly on website, via email and through media channels
Review & Refine
February-April
Grants team evaluates proposals
Semi-finalists are selected
Select Finalists
May
Grants team makes site visits to semi-finalists
Finalists are notified
Vote & Award
June
Finalists present to the membership
Members vote for $100k top award
Finalists split the remaining funds
Focus Areas
Arts & Culture
Programs that promote creative thinking, expression, education or appreciation.
Economic Opportunity
Programs that focus on economic independence, housing security, training, education or life skills.
Education & Lifelong Learning
Programs that strive to close achievement gaps by addressing access, parity and quality.
Environmental Conservation
Programs that address economic and health consequences, protect natural resources or provide access to recreation.
Health & Wellness
Programs that provide access to health services, raise risk awareness and build equity in health care.
Social Services
Programs that meet needs for food, clothing, shelter and safety; or that tackle social problems in vulnuerable communities.
Apply for a Grant – Timeline
Annual RFP released
Fall
Application Deadline
December/January
Decision Date
Late Spring
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible nonprofit organizations must meet the following criteria and submit a response to our RFP
- 501(c)(3) status
- Annual operating expenses that fall within RFP guidelines
- 65% of programming serves constituents in at least one Metro Denver county: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson
- Clear plan for an innovative and sustainable program/project within their organization that aligns with one or more of the focus areas selected for the grant cycle
- Demonstrated commitment to constituent engagement and diversity, equity and inclusion
Application Process
- RFP is linked below
- Before submitting, please review the FAQs to get acquainted with our process and answer any immediate questions
- Still have unanswered questions? Impact100 Metro Denver hosts a webinar for Q&A with potential applicants. Specific dates, times and log-in information are noted in the RFP.
- Send your completed proposal to grants@impact100metrodenver.org.
- All applicants receive confirmation when their proposal is received. We are unable to provide other interim status updates.
- Final notification! If your organization is selected to receive a grant from Impact100 Metro Denver, you will be notified by late spring.
FAQ
Will you take phone calls or emails to discuss my application?
No. As an all-volunteer organization, Impact100 Metro Denver, does not have the resources to address individual questions. We do offer a webinar to applicants to answer questions in a group setting. Please see the current year’s RFP for webinar date(s) and time(s). After the webinar has occurred, an audio recording will be posted on the website.
What if we have other questions not addressed here?
Impact100 Metro Denver hosts one or more webinars for Q&A with potential applicants. Please see the annual RFP for specific dates, times and log-in information.
Do applicants that reflect more than one focus area receive higher consideration?
No.
What are your evaluation criteria for applicants?
- All basic requirements of RFP are met and include:
- Organization expense budget is within range ($500,000-$5M)
- Financial reporting is complete and included with application
- Timeline for implementation is included
- Organization has the required local governance
- Request is for a specific transformative and sustainable project and not to sustain ongoing operations
- A clear description is included of how the organization is working to embrace DEI principles and incorporate the voice of constituents in its work
- Project fits within one of the three Focus Areas
Applicant demonstrates how a one-time grant of $100,000 will make a TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE in the organization’s ability to serve its mission and constituents. - Applicants have a plan for how this transformational change will be sustained in future years.
- The program/project budget is consistent with and adequate for the program/project goals and activities.
- Applicants demonstrate how the results of this specific program/project will be measured.
- Applicants demonstrate a commitment to engaging constituents and working to embrace DEI principles within their organization.
- Demonstrate the organization is financially sound.
Do you provide smaller grants?
The Impact100 Metro Denver grant is $100,000. If, in any granting period, we have more than 100 women who join our collective giving circle, there may be additional smaller grants awarded to finalists. There is, however, no guarantee of smaller grants and we do not accept applications for grants at less than $100,000.
What if my program or project requires more than $100,000 in funding?
The Impact100 Metro Denver grant is $100,000 and we require that we are the largest funder, providing at least 51% of the total project or program expenses. That means we will not review projects or programs that require more than $196,000.
If other funders will be necessary, please be as specific as possible in your response about who those funders are or might be.
What does transformational change mean?
We define “transformational change” as that which will create sustained and significant improvement in an organization’s ability to serve its mission and constituents. Transformational change could include changes in the structure or composition of an existing program/project or the addition of a new program/project which has a significant impact on the organization or constituents served by the organization.
We encourage nonprofits to think about transformational change as more than incremental change. We ask that applying nonprofits provide a persuasive rationale for why your proposed project or program is transformational to your organization and those that you serve. Clear, direct and persuasive arguments are appreciated. Be simple and straightforward.
Do you provide information on the status of an application?
There are no interim status reports. We do notify all applicants when their response to the RFP is received.