The 2021 grants timeline is shorter than normal, and will take place from January through March. This abbreviated cycle is in response to the urgent needs of the Sonoma Valley nonprofit community and ensures that the funds will be available as quickly as possible. To see all dates and deadlines for the current year, click here.

Impact 100 has always asked about an organization’s mission, and we trust them to know the needs of, and how to best serve, their clients and constituents.

However, we recognize that, especially in this time of COVID-19, in order to best fulfill this mission, the organization’s needs may not conform to a specific program or project, but may be more fundamental. We fund broadly, so we ask each applicant organization to tell us its plan for our grant funds and how our grant funds will allow the organization to become stronger and more resilient in the face of current challenges and into the future.

Impetus Grant Review Committees and the Financial Review Committee are made up of volunteer members of Impact100 Sonoma. The Financial Review Committee reviews all financial documents submitted and makes a report to the Grant Review Committees. Grant Review Committees review and discuss the applications, select site visit candidates and ultimately select finalists to present to the entire Impact100 Membership. The Membership votes to select Impetus Grant recipients. Read more about the process here.

Yes. One of the collaborating organizations must be the lead, applying on behalf of the collaboration as if it were an individual organization. The lead organization must be willing to take on all the potential rights, responsibilities, restrictions, and liabilities of the entire grant if the grant is awarded. See definitions here.

An organization may only apply for one Impetus Grant unless it applies for one grant individually and for another one as part of a collaborative or partner grant.

Yes. Impetus Grants are meant to be a one-time-only response to the challenges of COVID-19. We intend to return to our usual model of Impact and Community Grants in 2022, and all applicants will be able to reapply.

The fiscal agent acts on behalf of the applicant organization primarily when the organization is too small to have 501(c)3 status. Acting as a pass-through entity, the fiscal agent has financial control over the grant but does not have management control over the project. No fees may be paid to a fiscal agent with the grant funds received from Impact100 Sonoma.

Yes. We will fund capital expenditures for an Impetus Grant request that is clearly related to the objectives of the proposal.

Yes. We will fund construction or renovation if it is clearly related to the objectives described in the proposal.

Yes.

No, please submit your application online in the manner described in the Application Process.

No, only submit the materials requested in the Application Process. The applicant will have the opportunity to share more with us if the applicant is selected to have a site visit.

The number of grants depends on how many Impact100 members we have for 2021. We will not be certain of that number until late in January 2021.

Impact 100 prides itself on its ability to maintain a level playing field among all applicants. Therefore, we do not offer feedback on proposals. For specific questions regarding grant guidelines, processes or forms, contact:

• Mary Jane Stolte, Impetus Grant Chair - maryjane@impact100sonoma.org
• Kathy Bloch, Impetus Grant Chair - kathy@impact100sonoma.org
• Robin Layton, Impetus Grant Chair - robin@impact100sonoma.org
• Dana Simpson-Stokes, Grants Oversight Chair - dana@impact100sonoma.org

Impact100 Sonoma oversees distribution of funds through grant agreements and reports.

A nonprofit grant recipient signs a grant agreement letter stipulating that the nonprofit agrees to use the funds in accordance with the grant request and Impact100 Sonoma's procedures. The grant agreement also requires the nonprofit to submit a report when all of the funds are expended on the project. Any substantial change in the plan must be requested and approved by Impact100 Sonoma to ensure that the funds are being spent in accordance with the purpose of the grant. Find report forms here.

Additionally, grantees will be invited to give a short presentation to our members and their guests at our Grants Update meeting, typically in March. Due to COVID-19, our 2020 grant updates will be posted on our website in October 2020, but we hope to return to our grants update meeting in March 2022 for 2021 grant recipients.

Yes, Impetus Grants will be distributed in one lump sum. Grant recipients will have up to two years to spend the funds.

Yes. We will allow for some flexibility, as long as the recipient contacts us and asks for permission to carry out the revised plan.