Wendy H. Steele

Activist, Business leader, Change Agent, Consultant, Entrepreneur, Finance professional, Inventor, Philanthropist, Social entrepreneur

Recognized by Forbes in 2021 as one of 50 women over 50 who are leading the world in impact, Wendy H. Steele is the Founder of Impact100, a grassroots global movement in women’s philanthropy. Since its inception in 2001, Impact100 chapters have invested more than $140 million in local nonprofits across more than 70 cities and four countries. Steele understands the impact of generosity and has been encouraging philanthropy for most of her adult life and has given two TEDx talks on the subject. The first, in 2014, is titled The Impact of Generosity, and more recently, Wendy’s 2023 TEDx talk is called Harnessing the Power of Generosity. Steele’s work in philanthropy is noted in several books including, The Transformative Power of Women’s Philanthropy; Women, Wealth and Giving; Women’s Giving Circles; and The Right Sisters – Modern Women Inventors. She has been honored with many awards for her philanthropic work including a Distinguished Honoree of the 2020 Jones Prize and the prestigious Jefferson Award for Public Service, which is considered the Nobel Prize for community service. Beyond Impact100, Wendy is a bestselling author of Invitation to Impact: Lighting the Path to Community Transformation. Steele inspires through her personal story along with her journey to launch a lead a global movement in women’s philanthropy, she provides inspiration to increase your impact through generosity and community service. The importance of giving back with the intent to leave the world better than she found it was instilled in her from a young age, leading her to see that each of us has something important to give. She observes that there are two kinds of people: those who see the problems in the world and realize they can be a part of the solution and those who still need to be invited to the party. She has volunteered on several boards including Goodwill Industries of Northwest Michigan, New Creation Cupcakes, Northwest Michigan College Foundation, Leadership Lunch Club Advisory Board, and TEDx Traverse City Advisory Board. She and her husband, Rick, credit Impact100 for rekindling a lost connection that resulted in their 2005 wedding. Wendy is most at home on the beach or out on the water with her husband and their five children.

Harnessing the power of generosity. Encouraging all people to give. Growing the Impact100 movement. Transformational grant-making through crowd-funded philanthropy.

Generosity makes a HUGE Impact. On the giver. On the receiver. On the world. When everybody gives, the world benefits.

Community Service, Generosity, Giving Back, Giving Circles, Multi-Generational Philanthropy, Philanthropy, Volunteer Engagement, Women's Giving