Cedar Rapids-area nonprofits are invited to apply for the fourth-annual Grand Impact, a pitch-style event culminating in a $100,000 award for one organization’s project.
The event, presented by The Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids (Downtown Rotary), is made possible by donations of $2,000 from 50 local businesses, a news release states. A committee of Downtown Rotarians will select three nonprofit finalists to pitch their plans at the Grand Impact event, where representatives of those donor businesses will ask questions and vote on the winner.
The Grand Impact will be held on Monday, May 12, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton downtown. The public is invited to attend this luncheon event, but must RSVP to [email protected] to reserve a spot.
The program is open to any 501(c)3 organization located in and serving Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha, and/or Robins. The proposed project or initiative must align with at least one of Rotary’s seven areas of service, which include:
- Peace and Conflict Prevention
- Disease Prevention and Treatment
- Education and Literacy
- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
- Community Economic Development
- Maternal and Child Health
- Environmental Issues
The application and full list of requirements can be found at https://bit.ly/GrandImpact2025. The deadline for nonprofits to apply is Friday, Feb. 28. Finalists will be notified in April, the release states.
“This is a one-of-a kind opportunity to bring our business community together and support a deserving nonprofit with one of the largest charitable awards in the region,” said Grand Impact 2024-25 Chair Jennifer Welton, in the release. “We are honored to present this event for another year, and excited to see the visionary projects our community’s nonprofits have planned.”
Grand Impact has previously awarded funding to Matthew 25 (2022), Together We Achieve (2023), and Kingdom Community Center (2024). The concept was originally created in 2021 by five Cedar Rapids business leaders: Lura McBride, of Van Meter; James Klein, of Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust; Beth Malicki, of KCRG-TV9; Jason Smith, of TrueNorth Companies; and David Sorg, of OPN Architects. The event is now managed and produced by Downtown Rotary.
Learn more and find updates at the official Grand Impact webpage, https://rotaryclubofcedarrapids.org/page/grand-impact, and at the Grand Impact Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TheGrandImpact.