Membership Frequently Asked Questions
When can I join?
Membership is open and inclusive. Our recruitment season concludes on May 31 to coincide with the launch of our grant review process. Members joining later in the year will have opportunities to participate in grant review and other Impact activities.
How long is my membership in force?
Each paid-in-full membership donation provides voting membership for the next calendar year. The membership year begins after our January Annual Awards Meeting running from February 1 to January 31. New members joining before February are welcome to attend all Impact events.
Why do I pay the Community Foundation? I thought I was donating to Impact100 Essex?
The Community Foundation of NJ (CFNJ) is our parent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Impact100 Essex is a special projects fund under CFNJ. We pay CFNJ a fee to manage our funds, execute required tax filings and financial audits, and handle core administrative tasks such as providing an application and evaluation platform and printing and sending donation acknowledgments and tax receipts to our members. More importantly, CFNJ, which hosts the other three New Jersey Impact groups, promotes our work, and connects us to New Jersey thought leaders and nonprofits.
I’m not able to make a contribution of this size at one time. What are my options?
There are several options available:
Members may opt for monthly automatic recurring contributions to spread the cost over the first ten months of the year.
Members also join through the contribution of their employers. See Sponsor a Member for a letter you can send to your employer indicating the professional development benefits you’ll gain by joining Impact100.
Our Every Voice Fellowship provides an on-ramp to membership, offering graduated contributions for the first two years of membership, after which a member can make other choices to join.
Some members use their employers’ matching gift to cover half of their annual membership cost.
Other members decide to re-allocate their total giving to nonprofits and focus on a high impact gift that invests in their local community.
If my/my spouse’s employer has a matching program, will you accept this donation?
Yes, you can double (or triple) your impact! We gratefully accept employer matching gifts. Donations exceeding your membership contribution play an important role as they are applied toward program and operating costs. Please submit a matching request for your donation to your or your spouse’s employer. Some employers may also provide matching donations for retirees.
Are my donations tax-deductible?
Yes. The Community Foundation of NJ is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The tax ID number is 222281783. Contributions (including the administrative fee) are tax-deductible for the year in which they are made.
Do you accept gifts of stock?
Yes. To make a stock donation, please email MLaurenzi@cfnj.org indicating your interest in Impact100 Essex and a stock donation form will be sent to you.
How does Impact100 Essex allocate my membership donation?
For general memberships, $1,000 goes directly into the grant pool and $100 goes to support the essential program and operating expenses of Impact100 Essex.
I love the idea of joining Impact100, but I don’t have time to commit to another organization.
Members participate as much or as little as their time and circumstances permit. Members can join active committees, take on one-time or leadership tasks, or can decide just to vote on the award - and they can also do that by absentee ballot. Over a third of members elect to participate in fall and/or spring grant review, the beating heart of our work. Members can network with like minded women, connecting at social and educational events to increase their connections to the community. Members can also join one-time educational, volunteer, or social events.
What role is there for me if I don’t want to become a member?
You can become a Friend of Impact100 Essex. Donations of any amount are accepted via check, credit card, bank ACH transfer, or stock transfer. Although they do not provide voting rights, these donations help cover program and operating expenses that are essential to accomplishing our mission, growing our membership, awarding grants, and assuring our sustainability. You are invited to attend our annual meeting and acknowledged in the annual meeting program.