About

Our History

Impact100 Little Traverse Bay is a diverse group of women committed to strengthening our community through collective funding of transformational grants that drive high-impact, sustainable change in Emmet and Charlevoix Counties. As the 73rd chapter in the global Impact100 network, we proudly join over 35,000 women across four countries who have collectively granted nearly $160 million to empower local communities.

Our chapter’s story began with founding president Lloyann Curtis, inspired by her husband’s cousin, Wendy H. Steele, the visionary founder of Impact100. After attending the 2023 Impact100 Global Conference with her daughter, Victoria Curtis, and meeting women from successful chapters worldwide, Lloyann felt a calling to bring this powerful model to her own community. Drawing on her family’s deep roots in the Petoskey area and a longstanding commitment to philanthropy, Lloyann recognized the potential for Impact100 to make a lasting difference in Emmet and Charlevoix counties—a community central to Wendy’s own philanthropic journey.

After returning from the conference, Lloyann connected with fellow founding board member Sarah ‘Sunny’ Wagner to share her vision and explore the potential of starting a local chapter. Driven by determination and a clear sense of purpose, Lloyann assembled a talented Board of Directors, comprised of women with a variety of skills and perspectives to build a strong foundation for the chapter’s success.

As the Impact100 Little Traverse Bay team continues to grow and empower women throughout the region, they are bringing to life the vision of transformational, sustainable, and collective giving.

For more information about how Impact100 started, see the Impact100 Global story.

Together, we will make a sustainable impact in our community, one transformational grant at a time.

The Impact100 Model

The Impact100 model was created by Wendy H. Steele in 2001 in Cincinnati, Ohio in response to feeling as though women’s roles in philanthropy needed a new way to be expanded and encouraged. The model is designed to empower women to see themselves as philanthropists and overcome the barriers women have historically faced in this arena. The Impact100 model is simple, yet profound and designed for transformational and sustainable grant making within communities, with a minimum grant size of $100,000.

Impact100 LTB strives to coordinate a diverse group of local women aged 18 and older in varying stages of life, income levels, and backgrounds in Emmet and Charlevoix Counties in the greater Northern Michigan area.

At Least 100 Women Come Together

Each Woman Donates $1,000 annually

Each year, $100,000 is donated to a Local Charity

Focus Areas

Arts & Culture

Initiatives That Develop, Enhance, and/or Preserve the Arts, Music, Culture and/or History of Emmet and/or Charlevoix Counties

Education

Initiatives That Further the Educational Process and/or Improve Access to Education for Children, Adults and/or Seniors Living in Emmet and/or Charlevoix Counties

Environment

Initiatives That Restore, Revitalize and/or Enhance the Environment and/or Create and/or Improve Recreational Opportunities in Emmet and/or Charlevoix Counties

Family

Initiatives That Strengthen and/or Enhance the Lives of Children, Families, and/or Seniors Living in Emmet and/or Charlevoix Counties

Health & Wellness

Initiatives That Improve the Mental and/or Physical Well-Being of People Living in Emmet and/or Charlevoix Counties

How It Works

The annual $1,000 donation of each Impact100 Little Traverse Bay member is pooled together with the donations of other members made up of a local diverse group of women 18 years of age and older in varying stages of life, income levels and backgrounds who come together and fund transformational grants of $100,000 or more to be given away to nonprofit organizations serving Emmet & Charlevoix Counties.

Impact100 Little Traverse Bay are all volunteers with no paid staff, 100% of each member’s annual contribution of $1,000 goes directly into the grant pool with no deductions for overhead or administrative costs. The number and size of grants awarded each year are dependent on our membership. Our goal is to give incremental grants of a minimum of $100,000 annually. Grant amounts are announced in January at The Big Reveal Event, commencing our grants cycle. Nonprofit finalists are chosen by grant committees through a competitive application process. Finalists are announced in July at the Meet the Finalists Press Conference event. In August, the Finalists present to the membership at our Annual Awards Dinner and grants are awarded to the Finalists with the most membership votes. Every woman who gives $1,000 or more for that grant cycle has one vote at this event.