Renew or start your WIG membership for 2015!

It's time to renew or start your membership with Women Impacting Greensboro (WIG) for 2015! If you haven't yet joined, you can request a form via email by clicking here. We will send it to you ASAP!

Members are eligible to present a nonprofit for consideration at any gathering during 2015. (Click here to access the guidelines.) Gatherings for 2015 will be held on February 12, May 14, August 13 and November 12.

WIG is a group of women who are passionate about our community and want to help make a difference. Members join for many reasons -- to learn, to meet new people, to have a "girls night out" with old friends, and more. Ultimately, we join together to share our gifts with an organization or project that could use a financial boost.

Together, in 2014 we gave away more than $25,000 to four nonprofits selected by the group: BackPack Beginnings, Pathways Center (Greensboro Urban Ministry), Mental Health Association of Greensboro (MHAG), and People & Paws 4 Hope.

We hope you'll consider joining. Please take a look at the prior blog posts to learn more about our group and the work we do together. If you have any questions, send us an email at WomenImpactingGreensboro@gmail.com.

WIG Gathering on Thursday, February 12!

Women Impacting Greensboro (WIG) Meets Thursday, August 14th!

Where:  Holy Trinity Episcopal Church (607 North Greene Street)

When: Thursday, August 14th

• Registration and social time: 6:30 pm
• Presentations and award of donations: 7:15 - 8:30 pm

What to Bring:

• A beverage of your choice or an appetizer/dessert to share
• Your checkbook and a willingness to write a $100 check (either individually or with your WIG team) to a local non-profit benefitting women and children

Why Come?

• Who can resist a  girls' night out with other fun, energetic Greensboro women who also want to help our community?

What You'll Leave With:

• Knowledge about 3 local nonprofit organizations
• Satisfaction that you helped award a local nonprofit $10,000
• Energy from hanging out with old friends and making new ones

Questions? 

Post them here or send an email. 

Follow us on Facebook

See you on Thursday!

FAQs about WIG

FAQs about Women Impacting Greensboro (WIG)

(Updated5/7/14)

Where can I get more information about WIG?

We have a Facebook page  at www.facebook.com/greensborowomengiving, you can send an email to womenimpactinggreensboro@gmail.com, or contact an Ambassador.

If I become a WIG member, what's in it for me? 

Great question--a lot, actually! You will be able to:    

•  Meet and get to know other cool women who want to contribute to—and get connected within—our community.
•  Learn about several different local non-profits/initiatives.
•  Experience satisfaction of being a philanthropist and making a bigger financial impact with a non-profit/project than you might be able to make on your own.
•  Participate in something that's high impact, low effort, and inspiring to others.
• Understand how your dollars were used by the selected non-profit/project.

What's required of me? 

All members sign a commitment form stating that they will participate for the remainder of the year (a one-year commitment). This helps garner commitment from everyone in the group and also ensures that we can meet the goal of delivering a large gift to the selected non-profit/project. Commitment forms will be available at every Gathering and by request.

How will each Gathering work? 

Here's an overview of the evening.

• Registration, mingling, food and drinks
• Welcome and overview
• Organization receiving prior Gathering’s grant invited to share how dollars were used
• Selection (out of a wig) of the 3 non-profits/projects that will be presented that evening
• Five-minute presentation for each non-profit/project (total of 15 minutes)
• Five-minute Q&A from audience
• Participants vote
• Non-profit/project receiving award is announced to membership
• Checks collected, more networking, laughter and general merriment

When and where will Gatherings be held? 

Gatherings will be the second Thursday in February, May, August and November. They will be held in locations that are available at no or low cost. We will look at all options and communicate the location prior to the event.

Can I ask others to join?

Please do! We have a “the more the merrier” view of the world, so please invite any women you think would enjoy this unique opportunity.

Who's in charge? 

We operate using a shared leadership model--every member has a voice, a vote, and an equal opportunity to present. A group of founding members will continue to help shape the group as needed, but we anticipate little if any ongoing administrative work.

What if I can’t make the $100 gift? Can I still participate? 

Yes! We encourage you to find a partner (or two or three) who can commit to participating with you. (For example, you and a partner can chip in $50 apiece per Gathering.) We are asking for commitment and $100 can be a stretch, especially when financial situations change. Our goal is to be flexible, but to deliver a large gift after each Gathering to the selected organization.

What types of non-profits/projects be considered?

Women Impacting Greensboro funds projects and organizations that focus on empowering and serving women and children in Greensboro.

How will we select non-profits/projects to be presented?

Selection will be member-led. Have a non-profit or project that you’d like Women Impacting Greensboro to consider? Take these steps:

• Before a Gathering, prepare a five-minute presentation that answers some basic questions about the organization. (Presentation guidelines will be available at each Gathering and by request.)
• During the registration period at the Gathering, simply write down your name and the name of the organization you’d like to present, and put it in the hat (or wig, if that suits us better). Three names/organizations will be drawn.
• If your name is drawn, you’ll have five minutes to talk about the non-profit to a very appreciative audience.
• After all three presentations, there will be a 5-minute Q&A from participants.
• Each “team” will have the opportunity to vote for the nonprofit she would like to support by writing the name of the nonprofit on a piece of scrap paper.
• Votes will be counted, and the results will be announced at the Gathering.

What if my name/organization isn’t selected?

If your name isn’t pulled from the hat, you can enter it again at future Gatherings. If you present and the organization isn’t selected, you can also continue to enter it into the drawing again in the future.

Why are you considering "projects" instead of just non-profit organizations? 

Some great funding opportunities may exist that are not associated with non-profit organizations, so we want to have the flexibility to consider these options as well. However, if the organization does not have 501(3)(c) status, this must be disclosed to Gathering participants during the presentation since it has tax implications, i.e. contributions are not tax-deductible.

Will non-profits be required to use the dollars awarded for a particular purpose? 

A cornerstone of this initiative is focused on building trust -- among members, with the non-profits/projects we support, etc. To that end, we will ask the organizations/projects to use the donations where there's the greatest organizational need. The exception is if the group votes on a particular effort the organization provides (for example, a scholarship program run by a non-profit organization).

How will we know how the grant was used by the non-profit/project?

A representative from the non-profit/project will be invited to speak at a future Gathering to share more about how the money was used and the impact it had.

What if I can't make it to a Gathering? Do I still need to contribute? 

We’re asking for some level of commitment to WIG so we can determine how many dollars we can deliver at each Gathering. If you commit to participating for the year (by signing a pledge form), we’ll ask you write a check as soon as possible (typically 48 hours) after a Gathering so we can deliver the dollars to the organization/project awarded the grant.

What if I don't like the non-profit selected? Do I still need to write a check? 

To be blunt...yes! Since this is member driven, we hope this won't be a problem. Since we trust one another, we also believe that collective wisdom rules the day. If the group chooses to fund a project that wasn't your first choice, there will be other opportunities for the unselected non-profit/project to be presented again. However, if you have a significant moral issue with the organization selected, you can write a check to the organization selected at the prior Gathering. It will be your responsibility to deliver that contribution.

Will non-profits/projects know the group is considering them for a grant award? 

If you’re passionate about an organization and want help developing the short, informal presentation, you may want to get in touch with the organization to get details. However, since the three presenters for a Gathering are selected randomly and the selection us up to the group, there’s no way of knowing which organizations will be awarded the grant at a particular Gathering.

How will we ensure transparency within the group? 

Information will be shared on our Facebook page as we prepare for—and hold—Gatherings. Three women who are not presenters at the Gathering will count ballots and confirm results. Checks will be written directly to the non-profit or project. A group will deliver all checks within three business days of the Gathering--and there will be a photographer on hand to capture it all.

What are the guiding principles of Women Impacting Greensboro?

• Keep it simple.
• We are inclusive-, multi-generational and multi-cultural. We have a "the more the merrier" approach and will not limit membership as long as physical space allows.
• We are about building trust and our actions demonstrate that. We trust that people will do the right thing--members, the nonprofits/projects we entrust our gifts to, etc.
• We are asking for a commitment. Members are expected to write a check for $100 at each Gathering. They can raise those funds in lots of different ways (i.e. partner with someone else, etc.)
• We operate through shared leadership. 
• Everyone has an equal opportunity to present.
• At each Gathering, our gift of $10,000 will fund one project focused on underserved women and children--the project that the majority selects.
• Presentations about nonprofits/projects will be member led. Staff of nonprofits will not be represented at the Gathering unless they are members of the group.
• Organizations awarded a grant will be invited back to a future meeting to speak about how they used the money--and the impact made.
• We will keep our costs close to $0 so we can focus on funding projects.
• We will remain flexible and make changes along the way as needed.
• We're in this for the long haul and will work together to make it so!

Present Your Favorite Nonprofit at an Upcoming WIG Meeting

Passionate about a nonprofit that helps women and children in our community? Want to push yourself to learn more about an organization that you've heard of? Presenting at a WIG meeting is a great option!

Every WIG member who has signed a 2014 pledge form is eligible to present. (Haven't completed your pledge? There's still time. Click here to request a form.) 

Here's how it works:

• Select the nonprofit you'd like to present and do a little research using the presentation guidelines. (Click here to access the guidelines.)
• Prepare an informal 5 minute presentation. Using notes is great and we promise an appreciative crowd.
• When you register at the WIG meeting, write your name and the organization you'll present on an index card and put it in the hat/wig.
• Three cards will be selected. If selected, you'll have five minutes to present.
• You get to share your favorite nonprofit and your audience has the privilege of learning about it. Win-win!

Organizations that have been awarded a WIG grant aren't eligible to be presented until a year passes. In 2014, we've presented grants to BackPack Beginnings and Pathways Center (Greensboro Urban Ministry).

Charitable Organization Fact Sheet (for Presenting Nonprofits at a WIG meeting)

WOMEN IMPACTING GREENSBORO

CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION FACT SHEET

• Name of organization: 

• Address (headquarters and where services provided):  

• When was the organization started?

• Mission statement: 

• What makes the organization unique in comparison to similar organizations? 

• What population does the organization serve and how many are served annually? 

• What is the success rate for the organization? 

• What are the current sources of funding for the organization? 

• How would donated funds be used and what percentage would be used for operational costs? 

• Is the organization a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization so that donations are tax deductible?

• How should donation checks be made out and what information is needed for the memo line? 

• Will the organization agree not to use, sell, or give out contact information of donors for further solicitations?

• Why did you nominate this organization and/or what is your personal connection to the organization?

Any questions concerning charitable organization nominations or presentations should be directed to Kara, Kim, or Melissa at WomenImpactingGreensboro@gmail.com

Second WIG Meeting: May 2014

Our second WIG gathering on May 8 was another fun, energetic and engaging event. Some highlights:

• Unveiling of the new WIG logo and the WIG playlist
• A presentation by Parker White, Executive Director of BackPack Beginnings, telling WIG membership how the first grant was used
• Three presentations about deserving local nonprofits
• The selection of Pathways Center, a shelter for families experiencing homelessness, as the second grant recipient.

Thanks to everyone who made it such a great evening.