Grants

Interested in Applying for One of Our Transformational Grants?

We are so glad that you’re interested! Before submitting your application we highly recommend thoroughly reading through our focus area descriptions to make sure you know which of the five focus areas your organization fits best. Also see the eligibility information below to confirm that your organization and initiative qualify for Impact funding.

Grant Application

Applications for a 2024 Impact100 Traverse City grant are now closed. Applications for 2025 will open in April of 2025 so watch this space in early 2025 for more information regarding training and application submission.

A packet and recording of our 2024 NonProfit Grant Submission Training is available to assist you in completing your application. Please submit any additional questions to grants@impacttc.org.

Example Financial Summary

Unsure how to fill out the financial summary form? Check the example below before completing your own.

Financial Summary

Download the financial summary form below. Once complete, please submit it with your application via Submittable.

Initiative Budget

The form for your initiative budget can be found below. Please submit it with your application via Submittable.

All organizations applying to Impact100 TC must be/have the following:

  • Tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code (or co-applicant with such an organization who can receive our funds as a fiduciary)
  • Based in and/or significantly serve Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, or Leelanau counties.
  • Be free of legal actions declared: including current or pending conflicts

Initiatives eligible to apply for the Impact100 TC grant must: 

  • Serve residents of and expends fully funds in any of the five counties listed above
  • Be transformational and increase the breadth and depth of the organization through innovation, deepening or expansion
    • Innovation – new program or capital project, or services delivered in a new way
    • Deepening – more services of the same provided more often to the current population
    • Expansion – expanding services to a new population
  • Have a total project budget for the full Impact100 available grant
  • Expense funds with 24 months of the award date or notify Impact100 TC of timeline changes
  • Designate one of the following focus areas: 1) Arts & Culture 2) Education 3) Environment, Recreation & Preservation 4) Family 5) Health & Wellness
  • Grant applicants must have a plan for sustainability

The following are deemed ineligible:

  • Grants to individuals
  • Endowment funding
  • Interim or bridge funding
  • Partisan, legislative or political activity
  • Capital improvements or renovations to property for the grant project where the organization may be denied access to at some point in time
  • Is a project of an individual church, religious organization, or body of worship for its own benefit

Impact100 Traverse City collectively funds transformational grants in the areas of environment & recreation, education, arts & culture, family, and health & wellness in the five county area including Grand Traverse, Antrim, Leelanau, Benzie and Kalkaska.

Arts & Culture

Charitable initiatives that cultivate, develop, educate, and improve the cultural climate within those five counties.

Education

Charitable initiatives that further the ability to educate and improve education within those five counties.

Environment & Recreation

Charitable initiatives that preserve, enhance, revitalize, or restore facilities and surroundings within those five counties.

Family

Charitable initiatives that strengthen and enhance the lives of children and families within those five counties.

Health & Wellness

Charitable initiatives that positively impact the mental or physical health and wellness of the people within those five counties.

Frequently Asked Grant Questions

What are some of the reasons applications are rejected?

Agency requested less than $100,000. More than one application came from an organization. Program proposed or agency is not viable or transformational.

If we are not a grant recipient will someone let us know how we can improve our application?

It is our policy to not give direct feedback. Committee members change every year so advice other than general information presented on our website or at our Information Session for nonprofits would be misleading.

We are a small Non-profit and very new, will we still be considered?

You may want to consider collaborating with another nonprofit that has a proven financially stable track record. If you have not had an audit, our Grant Committee will require a justifiable reason as to why.

Can our organization submit different grant applications in different focus areas?

No, each organization may submit only one grant application each year.

Will Impact100 decide which Grant Review Committee will review an application?

No, every agency must make that decision independently.

If we submit a proposal this year that is not funded, how soon can we resubmit the proposal?

You may apply again the following year.

If we submit a proposal and are awarded a grant, how soon can we apply again?

When a nonprofit is awarded a grant, then the organization must wait three years before reapplying to Impact100 for another grant. The 2 year period for grant recipients to re-apply begins the year that the grant is awarded no matter if the grant money is distributed lump sum or via installment payments according to the terms of the grant agreement.
(Example: Nonprofit X received grant in 2017. Nonprofit X would be able to re-apply in 2020. Year 1 = 18, Year 2 = 19).

Can we include our brochures, annual reports and videos about our organization?

When we do site visits, we are interested in all this information; however, in the initial steps of our review of the applications, these things are not taken into account so we will not accept these with the original application.

How does Impact100 pay out the grant money?

Impact100 invests the grant money as a one-time payment or as a milestone payment (installments). A grant applicant may request either type of payment in the application. However, Impact 100 reserves the right to pay the grant in milestone payments if Impact100 determines it is more fiscally responsible to do so.

What is the period of time the money must be spent?

The period of time the money must be spent correlates directly with the project’s intended implementation timeline. Our milestone payment policy requires that the recipient provide Impact100 with regular interim reports detailing the progress of both the project and its budget while milestone payments are being received. Impact 100 does have a maximum expenditure time frame of 2 years for when the money must be spent.

What are the 5 counties from which Impact100 will accept Grant Applications?

Non-profits located in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau counties.
Funds must be spent in one or more of the same 5 counties.

Does Impact100 accept applications that are collaborative in nature between more than one nonprofit?

Yes. Collaborating proposals should meet the following criteria:
a) Two or more 501(c) nonprofit organizations;
b) Be aware and submit letters of support for the collaboration (Grant Application stage)
c) Engage one of the partners as a lead fiscal agent through which all Impact100 business is conducted.

If the project is a multi-agency collaboration, do we submit the financial information from all the collaborating partners?

If a project application is a multi-agency collaboration, Impact100 requires financial information from all collaborating partners during the “Grant Application” stage of our process. Please note each partner should submit complete financial data for three years as outlined in the grant application checklist.

Can the $100,000 grant be used over multiple years?

Yes! Nonprofits may spread out their award but it is not required. The distribution timetable does not impact your likelihood of receiving a grant one way or another.

Does Impact100 fund current operating expenses?

No, Impact100 grants are meant to be transformational. While the definition of transformational varies among members, we cannot fund an organization initiative that does not intend expansion or services delivered in a new way. An appropriate funding request for Impact100 would be for services performed in a new way (innovation), more services of the same kind provided more often to their current population (deepening), or expanding their current service to a new population (expansion). Impact100 would expect the budget to reflect such, which could include additional staff and their resultant operating costs or other capital requests.

How are grants that have faith focus received?

Impact100 welcomes Applications that are programmatic, capital, start-up, or technical assistance from valid 501(c)3 organizations. We do not fund overhead requests. Our funding cannot be used to advance faith-based programs (e.g. build a chapel) but can be used by a faith-based organization to address social issues.

Are grants always for the same amount?

Our grant amount fluctuates every year based on the number of members we have for that year, yet each recipient in that year would receive the same amount. Each time we accumulate 100, $1,000 donations, we are able to grant a minimum $100,000 award.

Will more consideration be given to projects that affect more than one county?

Our members are advised to look at the impact of a request. That includes both breadth and depth. What resonates with one committee may not resonate with another. We ask you to speak from the heart (and back it up with data) what the true impact will be to those you serve.

If the most recent budget is not approved by an agency’s board by the grant deadline, can the “draft” be submitted?

Yes. Impact100 is interested in your project budget and even though it is not officially approved, it must still be a realistic budget. Please note that the process asks you to confirm that the non-profit Executive Director and/or Board President are aware of the application. Grant recipients are responsible to spend all funds in the manner with which they applied for the grant.

Do you look to fund only “new impacts” or would you consider supporting previously awarded impact areas?

Impact100 encourages all types of applications and if your program will change lives, we encourage you to submit it for consideration. Our committees have full control over who they choose as their finalist.

Are committee chairs allowed/willing to meet with me to discuss prior year submissions(s) in an effort to improve upon our previous application?

Impact100 prides itself on its ability to maintain a level playing field amongst all applicants. In addition, due to the ever-changing makeup of membership and committee involvement, any advice given might actually be invalid and misleading into a next year. Therefore we do not offer feedback and just ask you to attend the information sessions that we offer and are open to everyone.

Who can I contact for more information?

Any questions or comments regarding the grant application process are welcome. Please contact us HERE.

How should I submit my Application?

Applications are submitted online. See the “Process and Timeline” page for deadlines and the Grant Application page for application instructions.

Who can we contact to discuss our grant application within Submittable?

For technical questions regarding our online Submittable application process, please contact us through the Submittable platform. Or you may email us here.
Impact100 Traverse City is committed to a fair, unbiased process. We do not accept any unsolicited communication related to topics other than questions about the guidelines or application process.

The funding we need for our proposal is more than the $100,000 grant Impact100 offers. Can we submit a proposal for more than the $100,000?

Yes. You must identify the additional funding sources for your proposal on the Full Proposal Budget Form.

The funding we need for our proposal is less than the $100,000 grant Impact100 offers. Can we submit a proposal for less than the full amount?

No. Impact100 is looking for proposals that use the full $100,000 grant.

Will you consider a proposal from a group of organizations collaborating on a project or program?

Yes. However, one of the collaborating organizations must be the “lead organization,” applying as if it were an individual organization on behalf of the collaboration. The lead organization must be willing to take on all the potential rights, responsibilities, restrictions and liabilities of the grant, if it is received.

Do you give grants to proposals that expend the funds over a period of years?

As stated in the grant guidelines, Impact100 seeks projects or programs that expend grant funds within 2 years (24 months).

What kind of communication can we expect from Impact100 Traverse City during this process?

Impact100 notifies all applicants at each stage of the application process, even if they are not invited to receive a site visit or become a finalist.