Over the summer, we conducted a member survey to learn more about our members: how long they’ve been part of Impact100, what motivated them to join and renew, and how they want to be engaged with committees and each other. Many thanks members who responded and provided detailed comments.
Among those who responded, we have a fairly even mix of members who initially joined in each year we’ve been around – going back to those charter members from 2017. What most influenced members to join were leveraging their donation to have more impact (78.46%) and being part of a community of like-minded women (80.6%). More than half (59%) also noted the flexibility to be as involved as they choose.
Serving on Committees
Among those who responded, 72% serve on a committee, with most serving on Grant Review, which is was to be expected as this is our largest committee. Additionally, 28% of those who responded did not serve on a committee, and as one of our principles is that members can be as involved as they like, this was another important group of members to hear from.
We asked members to describe their committee experience, and the comments were very positive overall. Many women used words like rewarding, energizing, intense but fun, and noted that they learned a lot. There were several comments that indicate we have room to improve our diversity and communication within committees. Those are both areas that the Leadership Council is looking to strengthen in this new membership year.
Member Gatherings
Members have definitely felt the absence of in-person events and committee meetings during the pandemic, and those who have joined during the pandemic are especially looking forward to more opportunities to meet and work with each other and to engage with our grantees in person.
We asked how often members would like to connect with other members, and 56% felt that a quarterly opportunity to come together would be best. About 22% suggested semi-annually and 10% suggested annually. We are looking at how best to provide more in-person opportunities for members to engage, either purely socially or with our grantees. This can only serve to strengthen our connection to each other and to our mission.
While many members (53%) want more in person events, another 41% want to see us continue to provide hybrid opportunities to gather. As with our 2022 Annual Meeting, we will continue to find ways to engage members both in person and virtually when feasible.
With respect to the kinds of events members want to see more of:
- 75% want more social and networking events
- 53% want more opportunities to volunteer with non-profits
- 46% want opportunities to learn more about our grantees
- 43% want to learn more learning opportunities about non-profits
Awareness of the Needs of Non-Profits
Fully 81% of our members said that becoming a member of Impact100 South Jersey has increased their awareness of the needs of non-profits in our region, and 90% are interested in connecting personally with our grantee organizations. This speaks to the depth of commitment our members have for the degree of impact they want to have by belonging to Impact100 South Jersey.
Small Grant Pilot
We asked members how they felt about the idea of small grant program, providing grants from $5,000-$10,000 to smaller non-profits with smaller operating budgets below our $300,000 eligibility threshold for a core mission grant but for whom a small grant could have high impact. Most members – 92% – felt we should fund small grants. A task force has been formed to develop a small grant pilot program, and members will hear more about that as we refine the idea.
Member Communication
Most members are satisfied with the amount of communication they receive (84%). We hope everyone takes the time to look at the newsletters and other member emails to stay aware of what’s happening in our chapter and what’s coming soon.
Enhancing Your Member Experience
A number of suggestions came out in this survey item, including:
- More diversity, and more younger members – perhaps finding a way for newer members to meet more experienced members as they join
- Increased outreach to new members
- Connect members more with each other and with local non-profits, both grantees and organizations that have applied but did not receive a grant
- Help those who participate in virtual events feel more connected
- More member events and events with grantees
Your feedback and comments help the Leadership Council and committee chairs create a meaningful experience for all our members. We look forward to having more opportunities to work together, learn from each other and our grantees, volunteer together and enjoy each other, all in service of our mission.