We are beyond thrilled to announce that we have been chosen as a finalist for this year’s Impact Austin Community Partners grant in the Environment category!
Each year Impact Austin chooses worthy local causes within four focus areas, culture, education environment, and family, to award high-impact grants. Proposals are submitted in the fall, evaluated by Impact Austin from January to May and awarded in June.
This year, Hill Country Conservancy was chosen to compete for the Environment Program Grant to help fund Phase 3 of the Violet Crown Trail Project. Programs and projects that are evaluated must “1) improve, enhance or restore the surroundings and promote conservation of our natural resources in the Greater Austin area, 2) promote the protection and welfare of animals and 3) encourage research, public awareness and education relating to the environment and animals.”
We can’t wait to share an in-depth look into our Violet Crown Trail project with the members of Impact Austin on June 6!
About Impact Austin
From Impact Austin’s About page on their website.
Mission:
We’re a progressive leader in women’s philanthropy, bringing new resources to the community and making philanthropy accessible. Through high-impact grant making, we engage, develop and inspire women to effect positive change.
How they work:
Impact Austin began in 2003 and we are one of the largest women’s philanthropy groups in the nation. We are dedicated to helping women become philanthropists right here in our community. We combine our members’ annual donations to give multiple high-impact grants each year to local nonprofits. Our membership requirements are simply to be female and to make a $1,250 donation each year, with $1,000 going to provide grants for the important work done by our grant recipients and $250 going back into Impact Austin to support our daily operations and membership development.
Grant applications are accepted each winter. Members can choose to serve on one of the several committees which follow Impact Austin’s process for reviewing applications and selecting the finalists. These reviews take place throughout the spring to narrow the pool of applicants. There is a Grant Review Committee (GRC) for each grant to be awarded. We award four Program grants selected from the five Focus Areas below. We also award a Catalyst grant each year. The number of program grants and the particular focus areas for each year are announced by the annual Impact Austin Non-Profit Workshop conducted each Fall.
Each grant review committee narrows the field of applicants, ultimately choosing two finalists. In June our members gather at the Annual Meeting to hear presentations from the finalists and vote in each of the grant areas. The winners are announced that evening, and each of those nonprofits receives a grant from Impact Austin.
We are volunteer driven and our members use their diverse skills and talents to make this organization great. Members have many opportunities to participate in Impact Austin. From coffees, to event planning, to committee memberships, to reviewing grant applications, we provide a variety of opportunities for members to learn more about local nonprofits and to become knowledgeable philanthropists. However, there is no time-commitment required. Some members simply like knowing their donation will be put to good use in the community.