As of March 2019
100+ Women Northumberland was established in April 2016 and is a member of the international 100 Who Care Alliance. Our goal is to bring together women to leverage small, individual donations into larger, collective grants to invest in Northumberland-based charities.
While all chapters operate by the same basic principles, our local chapter has adopted some of our own guidelines based on membership feedback, which is collected through an annual survey at the end of the giving year (December). Chapter guidelines are reviewed and updated before the start of the next giving (calendar) year.
If you have any questions about our chapter guidelines please email the Coordinating Committee at 100womennorthumberland@gmail.com.
Chapter Management
A volunteer Coordinating Committee organizes 100+ Women Northumberland. The committee is compromised of a Chair, Registrars, Treasurer, Meetings Coordinator, Nominations Coordinator, Membership Coordinator and Marketing Coordinator. The chapter is sponsored by Local Food for Local Good, which also administers 100 Guys Giver 110% Northumberland, 100 Women Who Care Brighton and 100 Kids Who Care Northumberland.
Organizations Eligible for Nomination
In order to be considered at a meeting, the organization must provide direct services or programs in Northumberland County and it must be a registered charitable organization with a Charitable Registration Number (CRN). National organizations are eligible as long as they are operating a charitable program or service that directly benefits people living in Northumberland. A specific project, program, appeal or equipment associated with a registered charity that serves Northumberland County is eligible for nomination. Selected charities will be asked to present to members to report on how the collective grant was spent.
Donation Processing
Members’ donations are 100% tax deductible. Cheques are to be written directly to Local Food for Local Good, earmarked 100 Women Northumberland. Local Food for Local Good (the coordinating charity) disperses the combined total of members’ contributions in the form of a grant to the selected charities. One tax receipt will be issued to the member for the full amount of her annual donation in December of each year.
Nomination and Presentation Details
A member who has signed the Membership Commitment Form and who is current with her donations may submit a Charity Nomination Form.
A Charity Nomination Form must be completed online or through email in advance of the upcoming meeting. All nominations are reviewed to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria.
A member can only have one nomination form in the hat at a time. She can change her nomination at any time; however, once the nomination has been drawn it cannot be changed before her presentation. Should her nomination be successful she can submit another Charity Nomination Form.
Nominations are put into the hat for a random draw at each meeting. At random, three organizations will be selected from the hat. These three organizations will be up for vote at the following meeting. The nominated charities will be profiled on the 100 Women Northumberland’s webpage and Facebook so that members can learn more about them or make an informed vote should they not be available to attend the next meeting (members can vote by proxy). At the next meeting, the nominating members will be asked to make a short 5-minute presentation as to why the organization they are nominating should receive the donation and then spend 5 minutes answering questions.
The member who nominated the charity or a representative from the charity must make the presentation. If the member is unable to make the presentation she can appoint another member in good standing to present on her behalf.
All presentations are to be made verbally. No props or visual aids are allowed.
If a member is not available for the next meeting at the time of the draw then it is deferred to the next meeting and another nomination form will be drawn. If the member does not attend the meeting or does not delegate the presentation to another member it will not be considered for a grant at its scheduled meeting and it will be put back it into the hat.
A specific program, project, special appeal or equipment purchase under the umbrella of a Northumberland charity can be nominated.
The organizations not selected for a grant will be put back into the hat but they will skip one nomination cycle to ensure a variety in the presentations. For example, Charity A, B and C are drawn at the March meeting for the June grant. At the June meeting Charity A, B and C are presented. Charity C receives the most votes and is awarded the June grant. Charity A and B go back in the hat for the September draw (they skip one cycle).
A charity nomination remains in the hat until it a) receives a grant, b) is withdrawn by the member who nominated it, or c) the member is not in good standing with her donations.
A successful organization that is awarded an undesignated grant (a general request presented by the nominating member) is not eligible for future consideration for 2 years but the nominating member may submit the name of another organization.
A successful program or project request that is awarded a designated grant is not eligible for 2 years but the operating charity can be nominated again for a different program or project.
Breaking a Tied Vote
In the event of a tie (where nominations receive the same amount of votes), the membership will vote to either (1) randomly select one of the tied organizations by draw; or (2) divide the group donation equally between the tied organizations.
Donation Fulfillment
Donations are tracked and counted so that members are credited for their contributions and remain eligible for submitting charities and voting at meetings. In order for a member to vote or nominate at meetings her donation of $50 must be made. Members are asked to honour their gift commitment even if they are not able to attend one of the meetings as the amount of the charity’s grant is forecasted based on membership commitment.
A member’s annual donation pledge takes effect the moment she registers or renews her support with the group.
Administration
100 Women Northumberland is a grassroots-giving group organized and operated by volunteers. However, the group does incur some costs (website hosting, printing, marketing, paper, ink, stamps and issuing tax receipts). Currently, the Chair covers these expenses with her own funds as a donation to the group. Our meeting spaces are graciously donated. Food and drinks are at the expense of the members.
100 Women Who Care Northumberland 