Two hundred local women are giving $201,000 to the Wakatipu community this year via Impact100’s charity grant.

The donated funds will be split into two major grants totalling to $201,000, and donated to two charities that will be selected by the 201 supporting women in late October.

Impact100 chair Clare Irons said she is amazed and delighted with the size of the grant: “In what is a challenging time for many, locally and globally, it’s wonderful to be able to give significant support to organisations that do such tireless work for our community- making a lasting impact in the Whakatipu.

“We are incredibly grateful for those who have so generously donated. We know that the organisations we have already funded have made a huge difference and we are excited to see what this year's winners will be able to do with their grants.”

Impact100 is now calling for expressions of interest from local charities wanting to apply for one of the two grants.

Grants Committee Chair Tess Wethey said she’s looking forward to seeing the variety of funding proposals that local charities want help with.

“Once the 2024 funds are granted, the total amount donated to the Wakatipu community in the past five years will reach $897,500, a phenomenal amount.”

Last year’s major grant recipients of $100,000 each were Kiwi Harvest and The Lakes District Museum.

The Impact100 grant is to enable Kiwi Harvest a purchase new distribution truck so it can continue to rescue 131,000 tons of food from cafes and supermarkets, which is then distributed via key local charities to 756 people who require food support in the basin each week.

The Lakes District Museum is well underway with its digital archive project, utilising its new Impact100 Digital Suite, complete with scanners and cameras provided by their 2023 grant.

To qualify for consideration, applicants must be a registered charity, be based in the Wakatipu, and have a planned project to the value of at least $100,000 that they want support with.

The Impact100 Wakatipu Grants Committee then whittles applicants down to a final five charities, before supporters vote on this year’s recipients at a Gala Awards event in October, where the finalists present their planned projects and the impact they hope to make in the community.

Expressions of interest applications are available at impact100wakatipu.org and close at 5pm on 21st June.

Impact100 Wakatipu is an initiative of the Wakatipu Community Foundation.