Photography by Steve Buchanan
When Heather DeBuse originally moved to Annapolis in 2001, she immersed herself in community service by joining Junior League of Annapolis. After living in Pensacola, Florida, for three years when her husband, Mark, was stationed there in the Navy, she returned to Annapolis in 2015 and was excited about pursuing other volunteer opportunities in the community. She had developed an interest in volunteering at a young age and wanted to continue to dedicate her time to significant causes.
One nonprofit organization that was especially meaningful to DeBuse when she lived in Florida was Impact100. She had been involved in Impact100 Pensacola Bay Area and was inspired by its mission and its transformational impact on the community. So she wanted to join the organization in Maryland, but she faced one major obstacle. Impact100 didn’t have a chapter in Annapolis. DeBuse was not discouraged by this setback; rather, she viewed it as an opportunity. She decided to unite with a group of like-minded women and create a chapter. After an extensive, time-consuming process, Impact100 Greater Chesapeake, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was officially launched in 2017.
“I saw a need for a chapter in Annapolis,” says DeBuse, founding president and president emeritus of Impact100 Greater Chesapeake. “We can do so much more working collectively than we can individually. Nonprofits are essentially the backbone of the community. Impact100 allows us to make a huge impact on nonprofits and the community as a whole.”
Impact100 Greater Chesapeake, which is the only chapter located in Maryland, is an all-volunteer women’s philanthropic community whose mission is “[to improve] lives in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, by collectively funding transformational grants to local nonprofit organizations.”
Inspired by Wendy Steele, who founded Impact100 in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2001, Impact100 currently has 51 chapters in the United States and 10 chapters overseas. A new model of philanthropy, the organization operates on a simple concept: to recruit 100 women to donate $1,000 each to fund a grant, which is awarded to a local nonprofit organization.
Every year, members of Impact100 Greater Chesapeake each donate $1,000 toward an annual grant across five focus areas: arts and culture, education, environment, family, and health and wellness. The goal is to recruit 100 or more members. The process of selecting the winner is extremely rigorous and vetted. Eligible nonprofit organizations attend Request for Application (RFA) workshops and submit a grant application. The members then evaluate the applications, perform interviews, and conduct site visits in an effort to select the strongest applicant. Finalists from each focus area present their projects at the annual meeting, and members vote to select the overall winner.
“Without Heather, Impact100 Greater Chesapeake wouldn’t exist,” says Elizabeth Robb Janney, an Impact100 Greater Chesapeake board member. “She brought the idea, the awareness, the structure, and the organization as a whole to Anne Arundel County. Heather cares deeply about her community, and her passion is contagious. She is a leader, and when she comes to you with an idea, like creating Impact100 Greater Chesapeake, you can’t help but be inspired and committed to her vision. Heather is not only the founder, but she continues to play an integral role by being a board member, a sounding board, and the woman you call when you need help.”
Although DeBuse founded Impact100 Greater Chesapeake and has served as the president since its inception, she recently made the decision to step down from the position. She is still actively involved, but she felt that it was important to infuse new energy into the organization. Michele Burns assumed the role of president in 2022, and DeBuse believes that she is an asset to the organization.
“We have assembled an amazing team, and everyone plays a role,” DeBuse says. “Our dynamic board of directors and our passionate members include women from all backgrounds. They can devote as much—or as little—time as they want and can participate in activities that interest them the most—whether it’s conducting site visits or simply voting at the annual meeting. That’s the beauty of the organization.”
A fourth grade teacher at Indian Creek School, DeBuse and her husband live in Annapolis. In addition to Junior League of Annapolis, she also volunteers as a coach for Girls on the Run and as a mentor for Charting Careers.
“Being part of Impact100 Greater Chesapeake is such a rewarding experience,” DeBuse says. “The organization offers so many benefits—a concept that I refer to as ‘the impact of Impact.’ It’s not just about awarding the annual grant. Our members learn so much about the nonprofits in our area, and we help them become stronger, which also strengthens our community. It’s truly transformational.”
For more information about Impact100 Greater Chesapeake, visit impact100greaterchesapeake.org.
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