If you’re new to Impact Austin, or you’ve simply never served on a Grant Review Committee (GRC), you might be wondering if participating this year is right for YOU. Maybe so! Here are some points to consider.
On a GRC, you’ll experience grant-making first-hand. In June, we’ll vote to award three Program Grants and one Catalyst Grant, each for $100,000. Until then, GRC members guide the process and outcomes, selecting semi-finalists and then finalists.
You’ll learn about community needs and local nonprofits doing amazing work. This information may inspire your own philanthropic journey going forward!
You’ll make lasting friendships on your GRC team. Each GRC includes approximately 25 Impact Austin members, and each team is led by experienced members in co-chair and advisor roles. Members bring diverse views to the work but come to consensus through a satisfying process.
The workload has been streamlined. Compared with previous years, you’ll have fewer meetings, fewer applications to review, and flexible online training that you can view on your own schedule. The total time commitment ranges from 25-40 hours from January through May 2019.
You can calendar your meetings right now.
* Education: Monday Jan 14, Jan 28, Mar 25, Apr 29 at St Matthew's Church, 8134 Mesa Drive
* Catalyst: Tuesday Jan 15, Feb 12, Mar 26, Apr 30 at Tarrytown United Methodist Church, 2601 Exposition Blvd
* Community: Wednesday Jan 16, Jan 30, Mar 27, May 1 at St Matthew's Church, 8134 Mesa Drive
* Health and Well-Being: Thursday Jan 17, Jan 31, Mar 28, May 2 at Tarrytown United Methodist Church, 2601 Exposition Blvd
* Site visits for all GRCs are April 11-13. Attendance is optional but highly recommended.
Early registration gives you a better chance of being assigned to your first choice GRC. Registration for all committees will close on December 17th.
Other members rave about the experience!
Marla Whelan – “My favorite part of the grant process are the site visits. … getting out to the
nonprofits’ home bases and hearing their stories is awesome. We meet before and after each site visit at a restaurant nearby to prepare and then debrief. You really get to see the advantage of a group of women with various life experiences and how there can be multiple views of the same situation.”
Kali’ Rourke - “Everything I learned in reviewing grants through my Impact Austin membership influenced what I looked for from Seedling’s programs and metrics. It was ‘on the job’ training to be a better board member and a better leader.”
Melissa Gray - “I am continually impressed by how Impact Austin transforms ordinary women into educated philanthropists, inspiring them to continue giving throughout their lives.”
Barbara Ellis – “I have immense respect for the Impact Austin grant evaluation process and appreciate that each member has an equal voice in selecting grant recipients.”
Meeta Kothare - “At Impact Austin we learn about the unmet needs of our community, and combine our funds with those of other members to award large, high-impact grants to worthy nonprofits.”
Rachel Brownlow Lund - “Serving on Grant Review Committees has been a great way for me to learn more about the local nonprofits and the value they add to our community. The process is so democratic, thorough and well-honed, that I know my money is going to a good place.”
How do I join a GRC?
If you have never served on a GRC, click HERE to create your Impact Austin profile in Apricot (our grants management system). After creating your profile, you will be returned to the Apricot login page. You MUST log back into Apricot and follow the instructions to record your Conflicts of Interest and committee preferences.
If you have been a member of a GRC in the past (and already created a profile in Apricot), click HERE and follow the instructions to review and update your Impact Austin profile, Conflicts of Interest and committee preferences.
*Please note Apricot works best with Chrome*
If a GRC isn’t right for you this year, there are many other volunteer roles available! In particular, New Member Journey, Volunteer Management, and Technology Committees are actively recruiting, and event volunteers are always needed for our signature activities like Discovery Day and Annual Meeting. Refer back to our September newsletter for details.
