Impact100 Traverse City Awards $348,000 in Grants to Three Local Nonprofits

Impact100 Traverse City announced the three nonprofit recipients that will share $348,000 in grants at its annual meeting this week.

The 2024 grantees – Northwestern Michigan College Foundation, Thompsonville Area Revitalization Project, and Friendship Community Center - were each awarded $116,000.

The three recipients, chosen from four finalists that also included Bay Community Theatre, were selected by membership rank vote. The nonprofits will use their respective grants to fund transformative projects thanks to the 348 women who each donated at least $1,000 to the organization this year.

Northwestern Michigan College Foundation will use their funding to purchase a 3D printing arm. This 3D printer will revolutionize the construction industry in our region by leveraging cutting-edge technologies to construct homes, while also helping students acquire specialized technical skills that will set them apart in the job market.

Thompsonville Area Revitalization Project’s mission is to undertake projects which will enhance the quality of life for all people in the greater Thompsonville area. Located just down the road from Crystal Mountain, they’ll utilize the Impact100 grant to construct their keystone project – a bicycle trailhead and an ADA compliant visitor’s pavilion and campground – to catalyze transformational change in their area.

Friendship Community Center hosts Leelanau Investing For Teens (LIFT), a no-cost, out-of-school program for 6th through 12th graders in Leelanau County that connects teens with community mentors and offers activities that support their development and mental health. LIFT will utilize the funding to update its classrooms and purchase a 12-passenger vehicle.

 

Past Impact100 grant recipients are Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library GTR, The United Way of Northwest Michigan, Freedom Builders of America, Friends of the Garden Theater, North Country Trail Association, Single MOMM, Cognition, Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology, Grass River Natural Area, Kalkaska Area Interfaith Resources (KAIR), Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center, Child and Family Services, Peace Ranch, Inland Seas, Communities in Schools of Northwest Michigan, Addiction Treatment Services, Newton’s Road Northwest, Habitat for Humanity Grand Traverse Region, and Michael’s Place.

 

Impact100 Traverse City is an all-women, all-volunteer 501(c)3 nonprofit serving Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau counties. Impact100 is a global grassroots movement that has over 60 chapters across the United States and beyond, and has given away more than $140 million since its inception in 2001. Impact100 TC typically strives to select five finalists for grant funding each year, focusing on organizations aligned with our impact areas. This year, our rigorous review process yielded four exceptional finalists, demonstrating our commitment to funding organizations that meet our eligibility criteria and requirements for impact, capacity, and sustainability, ensuring that our members’ investment will make a lasting difference.

The local chapter has awarded $2.4 million to 22 groups since 2017.