Impact San Antonio is Founded
In 2004, Kelly Hutchinson founded Impact San Antonio with just 25 women.
Impact San Antonio is a nonprofit, women’s collective grant-making organization committed to expanding philanthropy in San Antonio by empowering women as both donors and decision-makers. Since its founding, the members of Impact San Antonio have been working to improve the lives of people living and working in the community.
Kelly Hutchinson founded Impact San Antonio in 2004 with just 25 women, and the results have been astonishing. Since awarding our first grant of $25,000 to the ARC of San Antonio, Impact San Antonio has grown to regularly awarding High Impact Grants of $100,000 in all of our five focus areas. We’ve provided more than $7 million in grants to more than 140 area nonprofits.
Women joining together to serve as catalysts for transformational change in the Greater San Antonio community by providing substantial grants to nonprofit organizations through the power of collective giving.
To solidify our legacy of transforming lives with the most compelling and sustainable model of collective giving by leveraging a highly diverse and growing membership.
Updated by Board of Directors August 20, 2024
Wendy Steele of Cincinnati, Ohio created the Impact 100 giving model in 2001 and has since seen it grow to almost 50 chapters. Her vision was to encourage women from all walks of life to be philanthropic and increase their community involvement through transformational grant making. She knew that a diverse group of women pooling their financial and creative resources together would make a substantial and lasting mark on charitable giving. Her model outlined the Five Focus Areas and detailed the grant recipient selection process. All Impact 100 chapters still follow this landmark model.
Impact San Antonio is a member of the Impact 100 Global Council and Philanos, which empowers women by supporting the creation, development, and expansion of collective giving through informed grantmaking.
In 2004, Kelly Hutchinson founded Impact San Antonio with just 25 women.
Impact SA's first grant of $25,000 was award to The Arc of San Antonio to help convert office space into six new classrooms for children and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This expansion added an additional 4,500 square feet and increased its program by 48%.
Impact SA's first High Impact grant of $100,000 was awarded to St. Jude's Ranch for Children to develop a transition program in San Antonio for young adults 18 years and older. The funds purchased furniture, computers and vans as they moved into the city. A guide was also developed on Transitional Living Program development, for use by others.
With 550 members, Impact SA awarded $100,000 High Impact Grants in all five focus areas. Together with the Support Grants awarded, $550,000 total grants were awarded.
Despite an unusual year of challenges, Impact SA continued its legacy of making transformative grants to outstanding local non-profits while adjusting grant guidelines to acknowledge the new health and financial stresses non-profits were facing. Impact SA pivoted to virtual operations to keep everyone safe and remain an enduring resource to the community.
