Scholarship recipient essays

GPA 2021 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay by Melissa Cammack

/by

I had the opportunity to attend the 2021 Annual Conference of the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) in November of this year through a scholarship I received from the Grant Professionals Foundation (GPF). The GPA conference not only renewed my passion for storytelling (aka grant writing) but also opened my eyes to a network of similarly driven professionals dedicated to supporting great causes across the United States.

I have worked in the grants field for over 14 years–most of this time has been at the local and state government level. Although I have written and managed numerous grants, they have primarily been to support the programs and services I directly oversaw at the time. As a result, I was already familiar with the funding organizations including their interests, grantmaking process and application requirements. I am now almost two years into a position with a non-profit where I support the funding needs of a wide range of hospital programs and services. While I am embedded in a department, I am not directly involved in the management or day-to-day activities of the work. The conference sessions on prospect research were invaluable to me for this reason. I learned critical skills and specific resources that are now integrated into my daily and weekly routine. Sessions on writing needs assessments and developing logic models are just as critical to future success as are learning about new funding opportunities early on and building relationships.

In addition to skill building sessions, I attended several related to personal development and burnout. Anyone who has ever written a grant knows just how much work is involved. The highs of receiving a “congratulations” are so high and the lows of “thank you, but…” can be downright devastating–not just to the grant writer’s ego but to the program and staff it was written to support. Networking opportunities, sessions related to grant strategy and self-awareness, and the overall sense of belonging to a tribe for the greater good helped to re-energize my focus. I am excited to participate in future GPA offerings and learn more about the Grant Professionals Certification over the coming year.

Finally, GPA did a great job recruiting speakers and organizing the conference for both in-person and online attendance. Although I participated virtually, it was one of the rare instances where I felt like I was participating in something and not just on the side looking in. Mike Chamberlain and Jess Pettitt were witty, engaging and funny from the moment they logged onto the computer for the online kickoff to their presence on the stage at the livestreamed closing session. GPF and GPA staff checked in frequently and made sure virtual attendance was never a hindrance. I am so appreciative of GPF for this opportunity. Thank you!

GPA 2021 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay by Miranda Herbert Morris

/by

This was my first GPA conference and the first public conference I attended in over two years thanks to COVID. Initially, I was a little nervous to join the convention in person due to the pandemic, but GPA (and the Hyatt Hotel) took all the right precautions to ensure everyone’s safety. These safety protocols eased my anxiety greatly and I honestly didn’t fret about COVID once while at the convention.  

It was an absolute JOY to be around so many like-minded professionals and I felt welcomed and included from the minute I arrived. As someone who sometimes struggles with social anxiety, I really enjoyed the casualness of the entire conference. I didn’t feel pressured to be “on” all the time; it allowed me to relax and absorb the information presented. I had some lovely chats during the luncheon meet-n-greets, so I hope GPA continues that format next year.  I found the workshops to be very helpful and the selection of workshops was extensive, with offerings from beginners to advanced. It was challenging to decide which sessions to attend each day, which is a great problem to have! I was very grateful to learn that all sessions were being recorded and that we could access them for up to one year after the event.  GPA hosted a hybrid workshop this year, which gave more people the chance to participate in the conference; another format I hope they continue in years to come.

Overall, I gained new and valuable skills from the workshops, but it was the opportunity to talk with others in my field (in person) that was truly the most rewarding take-away from the convention. I brought back a ton of new information to share with my team, as well as new friends to reach out to for grant-related support. I absolutely would not have had this opportunity without support from the Grant Professionals Foundation Conference Scholarship.

Value of attending and what it meant to me:

My story is probably like most that apply for the scholarship. I decided to apply, because I really wanted to attend the convention and my organization wasn’t budgeting for in-person conferences this year due to COVID. However, after receiving the scholarship, my organization chose to match the award by covering the rest of my travel expenses. I was overjoyed! That gift was a true surprise and only happened because supervisors saw my personal effort to advance my professional development by applying to the scholarship. Receiving the scholarship meant that my organization saw my determination to further my career and understood how important conference attendance meant to me. For the first time, I felt like a true grant professional and not a novice working in the field. The value I gained from conference attendance cannot be measured. The scholarship, the conference, my organization seeing me as an “expert” in my field, have all boosted my professional and personal confidence. This is the true gift. I am eager to continue this journey for many years to come.  

Impact of scholarship:

The impact of this experience has been huge. Receiving the scholarship meant I now had the opportunity to learn from like-minded professionals and form relationships with new mentors for future support. The experience gave opportunity to reflect on what I truly wanted out of my grant career. I found it exhilarating and encouraging to be part of a cohort of professionals, all driven by the same goal and objectives. Being able to join that cohort, confirmed my passion make a difference in my community through grantsmanship. I’ve recently increased participation in my local GPA chapter by taking on the position of Scholarship Committee Chair; a position they offered me after being awarded the GPF Conference Scholarship. It’s an honor to be asked to sit on the board for our local chapter and I’m eager to help others apply for this opportunity next year.

I am forever grateful to GPA, GPF, and our Southeast Texas GPA Chapter for walking alongside me as a new grant professional. I am entering the next phase of my professional life and it all began with the GPF Conference Scholarship.

GPA 2021 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay by Elizabeth Wilkinson

/by

I was delighted to receive the Arizona Founding Chapter Jerry Dillehay Conference Scholarship. Thank you to the Grant Professionals Foundation and my beloved Arizona Founding Chapter! I have been a GPA member for nearly 15 years, and I have attended many GPA conferences. The 2021 Seattle conference was especially sweet after the long isolation of the pandemic.

During the pandemic, I transitioned into consulting, and while it is gratifying, working alone can be isolating. Getting together with like-minded grant professionals was a wonderful treat. My focus in attending this conference was to learn about consulting best practices and build a personal network of independent consultants to draw upon for advice when issues arise. I also wanted to learn about consulting services other than grant writing to broaden my service to the community.

Here is a sampling of the workshops I attended:

  •  Mindset, Hiring and Mentorship – Insights and Tools for Scaling Your Consulting Business

This panel of presenters discussed their experiences scaling up their businesses.  They talked about the importance of focusing on a niche that highlights your expertise and passion. This focus will help you to find your ideal client and focus on the exact kind of work you’re most interested in doing.

  • Taking the Plunge ~ Transitioning from Grant Writer to Consultant

This session spoke to me as a new consultant. Scot Scala, GPC, discussed his experience starting a consulting business and offered tips to new consultants. He suggested that we each think about our strengths and only do what we love. The idea of only taking on projects and clients that resonate with you was eye-opening for me. We don’t have to chase the money; we need to be clear about our values and stay true to them.

  • Lead or Follow: The Delicate Dance Between Consultant and Client

Lisa McAloney and Lisa Stofan, GPC, discussed the importance of ensuring that you are a good match with your client. The fit could be based on mission, organizational structure, personality, skill, or goals—this idea built upon my previous learnings about doing what you love. If your skillset or personality fits the client, you will likely be more successful.

The theme of abundance – that there is enough work for everyone – was apparent in many of the workshops I attended. It was a wonderful message for me to hear since I am new to consulting. I am more determined than ever to follow this advice and only work with clients that are a good fit for me.

It was nice to see so many grant professionals in person again. I loved the option of having both virtual and in-person workshops. It never fails; there are always two workshops that I want to attend scheduled simultaneously, so it’s nice to be able to access the recordings at home.

Thank you to everyone that made this scholarship available to me!

GPA 2021 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay by Jacqui Ragin

/by

First I would like to thank my local Nevada chapter for allowing me to attend the GPA conference, through their scholarship program. This was my first time attending a GPA conference and I was extremely excited as I mentally prepared to attend this event in person. I had never been to Seattle and the conference agenda and location made it very appealing.  Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control, I was unable to travel to Seattle. I say that to say, I did have to mentally regroup and adjust my expectations for online attendance and participation. I had momentary flashbacks to my days as a college student taking classes online, which by the way I hated and did when absolutely necessary. I am definitely more of an in person attendee for events in general.

As many of you know, attending sessions for hours online has its pros and cons.  So I will start with the cons and will end with the good stuff. The biggest hurdle was technology, some issues were in my control and others not so much. All scholars were required to assist with the auction, however due to some tech problems we were unable to do so. We did get to meet to take a virtual photo of the group. One session that I wanted to watch after the conference ended jumped from slide 15 to 75, cutting out a significant chunk of the presentation. Additionally during the presentation we could not hear the question/s being asked, the presenter forgot people were online at times. The other downside of my experience was just not being a part of the group’s shared experience. Attending online for me is a solo event and there are certain things you miss by not being there live

Overall, I must say my experience was mostly positive. On the upside, I received my care pack, which was a great surprise. I was able to listen to sessions in the comfort of my home and truly focus on what was being presented. There were sessions that had some fantastic speakers, shout out to the mom and son duo Karen Cassidy and Andrew Goewert. Their Saturday presentation was packed with useful and practical information.  I really enjoyed their session. Another great feature of online and recordings is that you can go back and watch what you missed. I am still making my way through and catching up, but I hope to get to all the presentations I wanted to see but I missed.

Happy holidays!

Jacqui

GPA 2021 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay by Cynthia Wasco

/by

Receiving The Dr. Bev Browning/Dr. Bernard Turner African American Conference Scholarship from the Grant Professional Association Foundation to attend the 2021 Annual Conference (virtual), was an amazing experience! Without this scholarship, I would have not been able to attend due to cost. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow with my fellow grant professionals. Thank you for a seamless virtual conference experience. 

I recently received my CFRE in October and was ready to attend a national conference to absorb even more from my sector. There were so many inciteful workshops that I either attended in real-time or saved to watch later. One of the workshops I truly appreciated was the, How’d You Find That Funder? workshop. Excellent tricks to thinking outside the box in search of new grant opportunities. Although the information was not new to me, The Perfect Marriage: Grants & Marketing, is a workshop that should be offered year over year. Social media is still a newer form of marketing for many professionals yet has been around now for quite some time. I have always been fascinated by how to make social media work to the nonprofit’s advantage, especially in advocacy work, and feel our nonprofit field, does not put enough time to truly understand its power. This was an excellent workshop of beginner information on how to get set up on social media and I would love to see a follow-up on now that you are set up, how to make it work for you! 


One of my favorite workshops was the personal development workshop called, Women in Leadership: Using Your Innate Abilities & Tendencies to Influence Change. I found this workshop to be perfect timing! It spoke about “Be Leader vs. Do Leader” and how some people are a leader by title and others are the “go-to” person by staff and are natural leaders by example.  This workshop resonated the most with me because, throughout my career, I have always felt like a “behind the scenes” leader; someone other staff members came to for advice or direction, without an official leadership title. It was inspiring and left me with tips and tricks to take into my day-to-day work. 

GPA 2021 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay by Lauren Welch

/by
Grant Professionals Foundation Scholar

This was the first year I have attended the Grant Professionals Association conference and is also my first year as a GPA local and national member. I have attended several professional conferences in the past.

I appreciated that there were options for people to go virtually and go in person. I am spending the Thanksgiving week to go back through and watch classes and download handouts for those online sessions I wanted to see – but there were several ones to go to in person and online, and I knew I could go back and watch online after the fact.

I volunteered at the GPF silent auction table. It was nice to get to know the team, their goals and how grant professionals could support the work the team does, which was nice to understand. Our San Diego Chapter of GPA was also able to get together for dinner Thursday night and most of us had never met in person.

I believe some of the best experiences at the conference was the time networking with others during sessions and during meal times, getting to hear that you are not alone, other people go through the same struggles and how they address some of those needs.

I suggested in the after conference survey, it might be a really great idea to get groups of people together by the type of work they do – like a DOJ networking group, USDA grants etc. – not a workshop, but a time to network and share with each other.  The support from others is invaluable.

The biggest challenge in any conference is how to take all the information in to use it in your work. I find it challenging because work still has to be done, grants still have to be written while you also go to a conference all day and learn new tools – it is very overwhelming. There is really no fix for this or way to make it not so overwhelming. How do you ever get to the work, changing things or utilizing resources to do a better job at your job?

One of my favorite workshops was on the Lean Six Sigma process for grants. This is an incredible idea for our team at my place of employment and would really be beneficial but I have the same concern as others – everyone at everyone’s place of employment is so overwhelmed with their current workload, a new process is something else to learn and no one has the time for that. Regardless of the fact that it would support, make things easier and allow for increased effectiveness, now, there is no time to learn something new. This was the thought of many things learned at the conference, how do you get your team on board to implement something new? I also know this is not specific to my organization, but similar to everyone.

One reason I applied for a scholarship was, especially during the time of COVID, that funds are so limited to ask for professional development funds at this time. Regardless of COVID, I felt the conference cost was expensive. If not for the scholarship, I would have been looking at around $2,000 for costs for the conference, which is hard to ask for. In the future, if the cost stays the same, I might look at a virtual option instead – which I hope will continue to be an option even when COVID is over.