100+ Women Who Care common questions.

How long has this organization been in Colorado Springs?

100+ Women Who Care Colorado Springs chapter is relatively new. The chapter was founded in May 2012. Founding members include: Jackie Gunn, Mari Sinton-Martinez, Besty Sobral, and Kirsten Hillstrom. Two of the four founders are still active members after ten years.

Which organizations can be sponsored / nominated?

In order to be considered at a meeting, the organization must be located/operate within the Colorado Springs area, and in El Paso County. It must be a non-profit organization recognized as a 501(c)(3) that serves El Paso County. If it is NOT, the presenter must advise the members of that information. The Non Profit needs to be recognized and/or listed as a member of GuideStar in order to be eligible to receive our collective donations.

For members who nominate a non-profit, we recommend using this PRESENTATION FACT SHEET to prepare and gather appropriate information.

How is the charity that receives the donation chosen?

A member who has signed the commitment form can put the name of a local organization into the box for a random drawing. The organizers of the meeting will collect names of organizations from Members as they arrive. Please note, members are not required to submit the name of a local organization, though it is encouraged. Three organizations will be selected at random (by drawing). The members who submitted the names which are drawn will be asked to give a short 5-minute presentation explaining why their chosen non-profit should receive the donation. A 5-minute Q&A will follow each presentation.

After all three non-profits have been presented, members will cast written votes. The charity with the most votes receives that quarter’s donations.

What is a 501(c)(3)?

A 501(c)(3) status is given as follows: “exemptions apply to corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, educational purposes, to foster national or international amateur sport competition, promote the arts, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals.” Additionally, for the purposes of 100+ Women Who Care, all groups up for consideration must be local. For more information regarding 501(c)(3) organizations, please visit the IRS website.

What if I can not attend a meeting?

As part of your membership, we ask that members honor their quarterly giving whether they are present or not. If a member is unable to attend a meeting:

• She can sign up on GRAPEVINE and make recurring quarterly donations for as long as she is a member of 100+ Women Who Care Colorado Springs.
• Members unable to attend a meeting may NOT vote by proxy.
• A member can send in a check with a trusted friend to the meeting. (do not fill out the “Payable to:” section). The friend will write in the name of the receiving charity and give it to the organizers. The friend may NOT vote on behalf of the absent member. We will only count the votes of members who are present.
• We ask that non-attending members visit our website, Facebook ,Instagram page, or contact one of the organizers to find out which charity was selected. The member is expected to send a check, payable to the receiving charity. We will send the check on to the appropriate charity. Please send checks to: 100 WWCCS, c/o Sharon Sperry 2823 N CHELTON ROAD. CSCO 80909-1008

Who can nominate and vote for a non-profit?

**Only members who have signed a COMMITMENT FORM or signed up with GRAPEVINE and are current on their contributions may nominate a charity for consideration or vote. Remember, we only count votes from those members who are PRESENT at the quarterly meeting. However, even if a member is unable to attend, they agree to submit their quarterly donations.

What if I don’t like or support the charity that was chosen through the membership vote?

In order for this simple and powerful system to work, we need to work together – collectively. We consider it a privilege and honor to come together in unity and support each other. As part of your membership, you agree to submit quarterly donations regardless of the selected charity.

Can I just send in the donation to the selected charity myself? Why do you have to send it on my behalf?

No. We ask that you not send the check directly. The goal of 100+ Women Who Care is to make a large donation on behalf of the whole group. We want to be able to support this endeavor and give $10,000 or more at a time to make a large impact in our community. Additionally, we need to track donations coming through our members. We use this information to track member activity and have accurate numbers about the impact we are having on the community. Lastly, we have a sponsor that matches donations up to $5000.

How long do the meetings last?

The actual process of nominating, presenting, and voting is short. Generally lasting no longer than 45 minutes. However, we offer a social time before the meeting for members to get to know each other, answer questions about 100WWC, and thank those of you who want to serve the community. Also, we encourage members to stay and enjoy dinner afterward for more social interaction time.

Is my contribution tax deductible? How do I get my tax forms?

Yes, your contribution is tax deductible since we only select Organizations that meet our requirements for a 501(c)(3). Please write your checks directly to the receiving charity. Do NOT write checks to 100 Women Who Care. Your canceled check serves as your tax receipt. If you use GRAPEVINE to manage your donations, you will receive a quarterly statement for tax purposes.

PLEASE NOTE: Charitable organizations selected to receive funds are NOT permitted to solicit you for further contributions. If this occurs, the offending organization forfeits its opportunity for any future consideration.

I would like to bring a non-member friend to one of the meetings.

Absolutely! We would love to have her. However, in order to nominate or vote, all guests must become a member to be eligible to nominate and/or vote. Please contact our advisory board at sharon@100wwccs.com for more information or if you have questions.