100 Good Guys Giving Circle Closes in on $250,000 Given

In November 2023, a few guys met at a brewery in the Grand Central District and gave away $10,000 in about two hours. Three years and ten events later, 100 Good Guys – St. Pete has deployed $205,000 into local nonprofits and expects to reach $250,000 by the end of 2026.

The model is intentionally ordinary. More than 100 members each put in $100 a quarter. Three local nonprofits get a few minutes to make their case, and the members vote. The chosen nonprofit walks out with up to $10,000. But the others don’t leave empty-handed, as the remaining donations are distributed to the other two organizations. No overhead, no admin, no galas.

The group’s Q3 Impact Awards return to Bayboro Brewing Co. on Tuesday, September 15, where CASA, Infinite Potential Learning Academy, and Madi’s Movement will pitch for the quarter’s award. It’s the second-to-last event of a year that has already sent awards to Quis for Life and Hero To A Child, along with additional support for Wheels of Success, the Jackson Copeland Foundation, Tampa Bay Watch, and The Poynter Institute.

100 Good Guys was founded in 2023 by Joseph Papich, who picked up the idea from Local Women of Impact and did some arithmetic on where the model could go. “Doing the math, I was amazed that a group of ‘friends’ has the potential to donate over $1,000,000 in 10 years, and what that means in terms of impact to our community,” Papich says.

Both chapters belong to the 100 Who Care Alliance, a network of more than 700 giving circles worldwide.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Traditional fundraising has a cost problem. Galas need ballrooms, caterers, auction managers and a committee that meets for six months. 100 Good Guys needs a brewery, a microphone and two hours.

 “The best part of any gala is the moment right before the ask, when someone tells you about a life that changed. We built the whole night around that,” Papich says. “Three nonprofits, a few minutes each, and a room that decides together. You see exactly where your hundred dollars goes, and you see it that night.”

The $100 entry point matters too. It puts meaningful philanthropy within reach of people who will never have a building named after them. Members can subscribe quarterly, cancel anytime, proxy a vote if they can’t attend, or bring a guest. New and referring members get their first drink covered on Sept. 15.

For the nonprofits, the pitch is fast and high-stakes. Only registered 501(c)(3)s serving the local community with at least a year of operating history are eligible; a selection committee scores applicants and invites three to the stage. 

That last figure came from a night worth watching. On Giving Tuesday 2025, 100 Good Guys joined Local Women of Impact to deploy $50,000 across three organizations in a single evening.

They’re doing it again. The St. Pete Big Give returns Tuesday, Dec. 1, at a downtown St. Petersburg venue to be announced soon. New members can get in on the fun at the September 15 event.