The Neighborhood Catalyst Grant

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In response to community leaders’ request for accessible funds, Impact 100 used donations received, above the initial $100,000 grant, to establish the Neighborhood Catalyst Grant. This place-based grant was a long-term investment in a local Greater Richmond neighborhood. Multiple neighborhoods were explored by an advisory committee to Impact 100 and the Fulton neighborhood was chosen by a membership vote. Over four years, our membership donated up to $25,000 annually to various nonprofits that served the Fulton community. The grants were chosen by a women-led committee of Fulton residents who volunteered to support Impact 100 Richmond during a four-year long partnership. These grants were intended to encourage and reward collaboration, advancement and partnership in solving community challenges across all Impact 100 Richmond focus areas. 

What was Unique? Multi-year, Neighborhood-based and Resident-led:

Through a trust-based philanthropic model, the Catalyst Grant Committee, comprised of Fulton neighborhood leaders, identified very specific needs and concrete solutions for improvement to the Fulton community and worked to direct the funds to the most impactful nonprofits serving the area. 

We believe the Catalyst Grant is an additional and essential way to address the ever-changing demands of the nonprofit landscape. Here are some of the results from Impact's $100,000 grant to the Fulton Community from 2018-2022:

2021 - 2022: 

• Friends of Historic Fulton Memorial Park - $15,000 for park pylons 
• Fulton Montessori- $6,000 for computers
• Innovate Fulton - $3,000 for internship 
• Gillies Creek Foundation- $1,000 to remove invasive species

2020 - 2021: 

• Innovate Fulton - $9,000 
• Fulton Montessori School - $16,000 

** Matching Gift: $30,000 from Mary Morton Parsons Foundation -

• Historic Fulton Memorial Park - $25,000
• Gillies Creek Park on Government Rd. - $5,000 for park shelters

2019 - 2020: 

•  Neighborhood Resource Center - $25,000 Covid Relief & Food Security

2018 - 2019: 

• Innovate Fulton -  $11,500
• Historic Fulton Memorial Park - $13,500 

Having just completed the final installment of the Catalyst Grant awarded to the Fulton Community, we will be evaluating the timing of the next Neighborhood Catalyst Grant. Stay tuned!

Special thanks to the Fulton-based volunteer Neighborhood Advisory Committee members. We could not have done this without your leadership, trust and support.