By Lindsay Rosenberger
High Point University Sophomore
and Impact Austin Marketing Committee Intern
At Impact Austin, we believe in nurturing the potential of young women, providing them with the tools they need to become the confident, capable leaders of tomorrow. With that ethic in mind, our Girls Giving Grants (g3) program has a mission to transform young women into lifelong philanthropists and a vision to empower them to impact communities in need. As g3 members, girls in grades 8-12 undertake a thoughtful grantmaking process that culminates in an annual award to a Central Texas nonprofit serving youth. See their community impact here.
What attracts young women to g3?
What knowledge and skills will members gain?
Awareness of community needs - g3 members engage with their local community and learn about its pressing issues. Careful consideration of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are part of g3 discussions and work.
"Each year we are able to fulfill important community needs, all while promoting and teaching philanthropy to our members." Vera Powell, Past President
Grantmaking skills - Every year g3 selects one organization to receive their grant funding. To that end, application review training is provided every year. Members are exposed to local nonprofits as they review grant applications. They learn about organizational budgets, consider nonprofit programs, and evaluate a grant's potential impact.
Leadership opportunities - Members of g3 may pursue a variety of elected leadership positions, most of which build upon previous g3 experience. Positions include: President, Vice President, Secretary, Membership Chair, Education Chair, Media Coordinator, and leadership of the ARCs (Application Review Committees). Job descriptions and training are provided for these roles, and each year a leadership team retreat is held.
"g3 enables members to become involved in leadership in different capacities, simply based on what each member is comfortable with." Aurna Mukherjee, 2023-2024 President
Public speaking and presentation skills - Each ARC will advocate to the broader g3 membership for semi-finalist applicants for that year's grant. ARC members create power point presentations as part of their advocacy. Public speaking training is offered.
"Each meeting in my first year taught me something new through the variety of trainings and gave me the opportunity to increase my leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills in my Application Review Committee. Four years later, I can confidently say that g3 has been the most rewarding experience of high school." Akshara Anand, Past President
Building connections - g3 girls can grow their professional network by speaking with nonprofit representatives and Impact Austin members. Being in g3 also allows girls to grow their success by exposure to other motivated members.
Community service hours - Members may be eligible to earn up to 20 hours of community service, pending acceptance by their individual schools.
Engagement with Girls Giving Grants values
○ Compassion ○ Integrity ○ Community ○ Generosity ○ Passion ○ Empowerment
Read more about g3 values here.
Lifelong philanthropic impact - g3 members develop empathy and a deep understanding of the impact they can have on the lives of others. Past leaders offered their related perspectives:
Founding g3 member Claire Powers: "It is critical to get the younger generation involved in philanthropy, as it becomes a catalyst in the lives of these young women."
Kelsey Randle Haley, Class of 2011: "g3 allowed me to take a deeper look at how I engage with my community and how I choose to live my life."
Madalyn Marabella, Class of 2016: "g3 helped me view service as a part of life, rather than just an extracurricular activity."
Ava Motes, President 2020-2021: "g3 provides a space for girls of various ages, perspectives, and backgrounds to unite in pursuit of a better world."
Lilah O'Brien, President 2021-2022: "Going forward, I'll take the messages I've learned from g3 about leadership, about friendship, and about how to impact the area where I live."
Aurna Mukherjee, President 2023-2024: “Membership in g3 has made me aware of the range of needs in the community, from beds for foster kids to therapy sessions for survivors of trauma. Having this understanding built me into someone that genuinely cares about helping others in the community, which is my understanding of philanthropy.”
Want to know more?
Learn more about Girls Giving Grants here. Read how to join g3, explore the 2023-2024 syllabus, and check out the member manual and parental permissions packet here. See g3's grant impacts here.
