Late last month, the four Focus Area Committees (FACs)—Economic Empowerment, Education, Health, and Housing—began reviewing grant applications for the first time since the adoption of Many Hands' strategic plan, Sustaining Impact: 2022–2025. The strategic plan commits Many Hands to balance responsible stewardship of contributed funds with best practices in trust-based philanthropy. As part of this commitment, we are now making all grants in the form of unrestricted funding.

What does this mean for application review at Many Hands? As articulated by the Grants Committee, providing unrestricted funding:

(Click here to see the full Grants Committee presentation.)

With this guidance in mind, each FAC will carefully consider applicant materials, conduct a limited number of site visits, and ultimately, select one grantee, to be announced in May. Following the Annual Meeting and the membership vote, one organization will receive the 2023 Impact Grant of $100,000, and three will receive Partner Grants, which are projected to be at least $50,000 each.

As always, we will continue raising funds until the year's grants are made. If you'd like to help grow the grant pool and select the 2023 Impact Grantee, click here to learn more about Many Hands membership or email Mary Kwak at membership@manyhandsdc.org.

Save the Date PowerUP! Baltimore - November 5–7

Many Hands is proud to be a co-host of PowerUP! Baltimore: The Spark Igniting Collaboration, Philanos's national conference for leaders in women's collective giving. Over three days in November, keynote speakers and breakout sessions will explore new ways of thinking about collective giving, increasing effective responses to community needs, and fostering systemic change. Participants will also share best practices gleaned across the Philanos network to strengthen giving circles and deepen the impact of collective giving. The conference will take place November 5–7; Early Bird registration opens May 1. Click here to learn more about the conference, including sponsorship opportunities.

Theresa Pattara is a public policy executive who is passionate about leveraging her expertise in charitable tax law and governance to advise organizations on their philanthropic endeavors, including fundraising and grantmaking. She joined Many Hands in 2020 and in 2022, served on the Economic Empowerment Committee and helped review applicant financials as a member of the Financial Review Committee. Always active in her community, Theresa recently joined the board of CASA/Prince George’s County, a 2019 Many Hands grantee, and has been an Administrative Volunteer with the Annandale Volunteer Fire Department, supporting fundraising and social media outreach, since 2021.

What most appeals to you about the Many Hands model? Definitely, the impact of a $1,000 donation being multiplied many times over. I am aware of how difficult it is for small organizations to raise money and know how impactful a $100,000 or $50,000 grant can be for them. I love that amplification effect. I also love the fact that the funds are contributed by successful women!

Click here to learn more about what inspires Theresa's commitment to community engagement, why she chose to join Many Hands, and what stands out to her about her Many Hands experience.

Are you looking for a flexible way to volunteer with Many Hands? Do you enjoy meeting fascinating people and learning what makes them tick? Would you like to help spread the word about Many Hands grantees? If so, please considering joining Many Hands' communications team. We are particularly interested in having volunteers interview fellow members and grantees, but we welcome support for all communications opportunities. To learn more, email us at communications@manyhandsdc.org.

All members are invited to join Linda Simmons from the Women’s Giving Alliance of Northeast Florida and Patricia Massey-Hoke of the Women’s Impact Fund (Charlotte) to learn how their groups solicit and respond to nonprofit feedback. The webinar will take place on Tuesday, February 14 at 12:00 pm (ET); participation is free to all members of Philanos affiliates. If you already have a Philanos account, click here to register by February 12. To create an account, please email Karen Murrell at info@manyhandsdc.org.

What's more inspiring than one Many Hands grantee creating positive impact every day? Two Many Hands grantees working together to expand and deepen their reach. 2022 Partner Grantee Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB) and 2022 Impact Grant recipient My Sister's Place (MSP) are doing just that, and the leaders of both organizations agree that the partnership is one of the benefits that grew out of the Many Hands grant process.

MSP Executive Director Mercedes Lemp and CAAB CEO & ED Joseph Leitmann-Santa Cruz connected last summer, shortly after the two organizations were awarded Many Hands grants. “I have always been a big fan of [CAAB],” Mercedes says. “They do great work, so we were really excited to see them also be a grantee.” After learning more about CAAB's programs to help low- and moderate-income households (described by Joseph above), MSP decided to work with CAAB to offer a matched savings program and financial education and counseling to help survivors of domestic abuse build financial security and launch new, independent lives. Click here to read Stephanie Nealer's report about the new partnership.

Many Hands leverages the power of collective giving to support nonprofits serving and empowering Washington, DC area women, children, and families in socioeconomic need. Many Hands is a 501(c)(3) organization. EIN: 51-0486987.