Chair Clare Irons says 201 local women have contributed to the total grant pool, which will be split into two major grants from the total pool of $201,000.
"In what is a challenging time for many, locally and globally, it’s wonderful to be able to give significant support to organisations that do such tireless work for our community, making a lasting impact in the Whakatipu.
"We are incredibly grateful for those who have so generously donated.
"We know that the organisations we have already funded have made a huge difference, and we are excited to see what this year’s winners will be able to do with their grants."
Impact100’s now calling for expressions of interest from local charities wanting to apply for the grants.
Grants committee chair Tess Wethey says including this year’s funds, the total amount raised and donated in the Whakatipu over the past five years is $896,500 — a "phenomenal amount".
Last year’s major grant recipients were KiwiHarvest, which used the money to purchase a new distribution truck to aid in its food rescue work, and Arrowtown’s Lakes District Museum, which is well underway with a digital archive project, using an Impact100 Digital Suite, complete with scanners and cameras.
Wethey says to qualify for a grant, applicants must be a registered charity based in the Whakatipu and have a planned project to the value of at least $100,000 they want support with.
Expressions of interest — via impact100wakatipu.org — close at 5pm on June 21, after which the grants committee will select five finalists.
Impact100 members will then vote on this year’s recipients at a gala event in October after finalists’ presentations.
