News from the Grant Professionals Foundations

Fresh Start for a New Year

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By Teri Blandon, Vice President for Development at PAI – Champions of Global Reproductive Rights

GPF Marketing Committee Member

 

It is the end of December, and I have just finished my first week at a new job after four years at my previous employer. Six months ago when I volunteered to write this blog, a new adventure wasn’t even on my radar screen. Life has a way of throwing opportunities at you when you least expect them.

 

With this experience occurring at the end of the calendar year, I have been thinking a lot lately about changes. Changes can be planned or unplanned, good or bad, professional or personal, etc. But sometimes we need to be purposeful in making changes to keep growing and developing as grant professionals. So here are some ideas for big and small changes to jumpstart your 2016.

 

Do something else.

Do you believe in your organization’s mission? Do you believe in the ability of its leaders to fulfill the mission? Are you happy in your job? If your answers to any of these are “no,” then you might want to think about changing jobs. A good way to start is by paying attention to open positions posted on the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) Job Center.

 

Broaden your perspective.

As grant professionals, we can often feel isolated. I work in the Washington, DC metro area, home to hundreds of grant specialists, and even I can feel alone at times. If you’re feeling this way, definitely consider attending the 2016 Grant Professionals Association conference in Atlanta, where you will meet hundreds of other people who speak the grants language fluently. If cost is an issue, apply for a scholarship through the Grant Professionals Foundation (GPF). But don’t just attend – participate! Apply to be a presenter, volunteer to help out with registration or a session, or lend a hand at the GPF silent auction.

Can’t make it to Atlanta? See if there is a GPA chapter close to you. Chapters organize events and social opportunities throughout the year. Not only can you network and learn new skills, but you can also volunteer and serve in leadership positions.

 

Expand your network.

If you can’t attend the national conference and there are no GPA chapters close to you, you can still get involved and meet people by volunteering throughout the year. All of the various committees work remotely, so you can participate in meetings from the comfort of your office or home! For GPA, check out the volunteer page on the GPA website (you must be a member to access it) and contact Barb Boggs, Volunteer Relations Manager, at barb@grantprofessionals.org for more information. Also, the Foundation has a sign-up page on its website with information on volunteering for a committee or applying to run for the National Board. Likewise, the Grant Professionals Certification Institute (GPCI) has various roles for volunteers; contact info@grantcredential.org to find out more.

 

Change your knowledge base.

Do you have your GPC yet? If not, commit to working on it this year. If you think it has no value to you because you’ve been in the field for a long time, I politely and emphatically disagree. I was a grizzled grants veteran of 15+ years when I decided to apply and sit for the exam. For me, the value was two-fold: recognition of my expertise and an opportunity to learn about areas of professional practice in which I didn’t have as much experience. I used the literature review provided on the GPCI website to identify resources for brushing up on my weak areas. All in all, the process of preparing for the exam made me a much stronger grant professional. And don’t forget that the Foundation offers scholarships to help with the cost of applying and sitting for the GPC exam.

If you already have your GPC, continuing education is crucial, not just for maintaining your GPC but also to keep your skills sharp. In addition to sessions offered through the GPA chapters and at the GPA Annual Conference, there are over 70 on-demand webinars provided through GPA, and more live webinars to come in 2016. The webinars provide GPC Continuing Education Units (CEUs), and many are also eligible for Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) CEUs. Both the live and on-demand webinars are free for GPA members.

 

Give back.

When I attended my first GPA conference (Boston, 2004), I felt like I had found a home. I had spent years of attending conferences that were somewhat helpful but didn’t completely address the challenges and questions that I had as someone who focused on grants. In GPA, then in the Foundation and GPCI, I found my professional family – people who understood exactly what I was talking about. The bonding was immediate, and I left Boston with a renewed sense of purpose. For the first time, I realized that I could make a career out of focusing on grants.

I want to give that experience for other people as well. That’s why I donate to the Grant Professional Foundation. I invite you to join me and help our community of dedicated professionals to grow and flourish.

 

 

Best Learning Opportunity, Ever: GPA National Conference

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By Ashlee Lambert, Development Specialist at Caritas Family Solutions

St. Louis Chapter Scholar

 

The day I received the news that I was a recipient of the St. Louis Chapter – Grant Professionals Association Scholarship, to attend the 2015 GPA National conference, the excitement began! I was excited to gain knowledge from the best in our profession and to network with grant professionals from all levels, from all special interest groups, and from all over the United States. When the conference arrived, I was able to do just that.

 

The first day, I met colleagues from Alaska to Hawaii, to California and New York! The most interesting thing about meeting others from all over the country was that we were experiencing the same difficulties and trying to overcome the same obstacles. We were all trying to do more with less, to solicit funds from foundations that receive hundreds of proposals, to educate program staff on the importance of grants, reporting, and ethics, and to meet deadlines and word count restrictions. Networking allowed me not to feel alone in a profession that is not always understood.

 

The sessions provided some of the most useful knowledge of any workshop I have attended thus far! My favorite was “Answering the Sustainability Question.” It was the favorite of many—several of us even sat on the floor to be able to hear the insightful advice on what sustainability really means to funders!

 

During the SIG sessions I was able to network with other grant professionals in my field and also within my target location. I gained new foundation targets for funding our programs and capital campaign. Without the SIGs I would have never had the opportunity to meet these colleagues.

 

In addition, I volunteered at the Grants Professionals Foundation Silent Auction two different times during the conference. The time volunteering allowed for me to network once again with other grant professionals. It also afforded me the opportunity to see how other organizations create their silent auctions. Much like other grant professionals, I wear many hats in my position and organize my agency’s special events and auctions. Anytime I can learn new tricks of the trade—it’s a great day!

 

The 2015 GPA conference was an amazing learning and networking experience! The conference left me feeling motivated, energized, and understood, and it was fun! We all shared many smiles and laughs, and by the end of the conference it was like we were all old friends. I would encourage any and all grant professionals to attend the 2016 GPA conference in Atlanta!

 

Professional Development That Never Disappoints!

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By Marissa Cassellius, Grants Manager for Youth on Their Own

Susan Kemp Memorial Scholar

 

It’s been a month since I prepared myself for the 17th Annual GPA Conference. Packing those cold weather clothes that have been stuffed in the back of my closest for years (I hail from Wisconsin, but have become a winter wimp since moving to Tucson). Sorting through the conference workshop schedule with multiple highlighters on hand, color coding my top picks. Preparing myself for three full days of learning, networking, more learning, and more networking.

 

This is both my third year in the grants profession and the third GPA conference I have attended. Let me tell you, the conference NEVER disappoints! Despite the ever growing attendance each year, it’s remarkable how many familiar faces I saw strolling through the halls of the Hyatt Regency. But for every recognized face, there are dozens of new faces eager to meet you— to learn about your organization, to comprehend the needs of your clients, to hear why you do what you do, to just say hello.

 

That’s the thing about GPA—everyone is so warm and welcoming. Whether you are brand new to the field or have been a part of the GPA family for years, there is a place for you. There were no “silly questions” in any of the presentations I attended. In fact, I found that many of the questions I had brewing in my mind happened to have been asked by someone else before I got my hand up!

 

One key takeaway for me this year was the well-known notion that success in grants is based on relationships, relationships, relationships. This entails developing relationships with funders prior to proposal submission, as well as after, even if you don’t get the grant that time around. However, what really stuck with me at this year’s conference is how this also pertains to relationships among potential partners for collaboration.

 

Being a young grant writer for a medium-sized nonprofit exploring the possibility of applying for federal funds, I have come to understand how important this truly is. In conversations with other conference attendees on the topic of relationships, we discussed how funders can tell when collaboration seems rushed on paper. While this seems obvious, endless deadlines often get in the middle of imperative (and ongoing) tasks such as this. It is important to begin building those relationships now, before the RFP is out, to avoid this common pitfall.

 

It’s the little tips and tricks such this, heard during workshops, at the lunch table, or among the halls between sessions, that reinforce why I am a part of GPA and attend the annual conferences. How often do you get to immerse yourself for three days among passionate professionals from a variety of tenures and career tracks? The conference scholarship was such a blessing and I am grateful for being able to attend yet again!

 

 

December 2015 GPF News

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Thanks for meeting us in St. Louis!

What a fantastic conference the Grant Professionals Association held in St. Louis last month! Thanks to Kelli and Barb and all of GPA’s volunteers for pulling it together. We’re already looking forward to seeing everyone in Atlanta in 2016!

And, thank you to everyone who supported the Grant Professionals Foundation. The 2015 Silent Auction was a smashing success. You invested $6,569.21 to support grant professionals with scholarships in 2016. These funds will help more scholars attend their first conference, sit for the GPC, and remain or become members of the GPA and our chapters. Thank you! 

 

GPCI Announces 2015 GPC Exam Scholarships

The Grant Professionals Certification Institute (GPCI) is pleased to announce the 2015 GPC Exam Scholarship Recipients. Congratulations to all!

  • Lauren Collens, Albany, NY
  • Michael Gresek, Tamarac, FL
  • Linda Maddox, Atlanta, GA
  • Lindsy Halleckson, Minneapolis, MN
  • Bethany Turner, Prestonsburg, KY

 

Grant Expectations:

2015 Scholarship Awardees Share Their Insights                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Everyone at the Grant Professionals Foundation is grateful for the generous donors that help us achieve our mission to advance the grant profession by providing funding for scholarships. This month, Grant Expectations highlights the insights and thanks of three 2015 scholarship winners.

Looking Forward to GPA Annual Conference 2016

By Fielding Jezreel St. Louis Chapter Conference Scholarship Recipient

Fielding shares her conference takeaways and encourages 2016 presenters to engage attendees with tools that help us all “dive deep” into topics that matter to grant professionals everywhere. Click here to read more.

My Top 10 #GPAConf15 Insights

By Dr. Judy Riffle, Pam Van Pelt Memorial Conference Scholarship Recipient

Judy, a first-time attendee, writes about ethics, networking, and human libraries in her thank you blog. Read the details here.

An Award that was Really Rewarding!

By DeaRonda Harrison, GPF Conference Scholar 2015 – Peach State Scholarship

DeaRonda shares the impact “Gateway to Success” had on her, from consultant know-how to prepping for the GPC. Learn about her takeaways here.

 

Get Ready for the GPC Exam with CharityChannel’s New Book

Calling all GPA members! Save 25% and get free shipping when you order a copy of Prepare for the GPC Exam: Earn Your Grant Professional Certified Credential. If you’re thinking about taking the GPC exam, authors Pauline Annarino, Danny W. Blitch II, Kimberly Hays de Muga, and Leslie Mitchell have written an informative guide that will help you prepare! And, when you order, the GPF will receive 20% to support our work. Enter gpc-prep-preorder to receive the discount. Click here now to take advantage of this great offer (expires 12/18/15)!

 

We’ve Got a New Look

GPF is excited to share that our website redesign is done. If we do say so ourselves, it looks great! Please check it out and let us know what you think!

 

Share Your Love for the Grants Profession with a Gift to the GPF Today

It’s time for end-of-year giving. We invite you to show your love and support for the grant profession by supporting the I Heart Grant Professionals campaign.

With a donation of just $10 a month, you can help provide meaningful education and networking opportunities for grant professionals across the country. Your gift supports scholarships for GPA memberships, GPA national conference registrations, and the GPC exam that help to advance the profession—your profession.

Make an online donation to show your support of a grant professional or all grant professionals. You can do good deeds, change the world one grant at a time, show your passion for our profession, and celebrate your colleagues.

Click here to learn more about the I Heart Grant Professionals campaign and how to donate.

GPF accepts PayPal, credit/debit cards, and most other forms of payment. Join your colleagues! Use the notes section to show your support for one or all grant professionals. Show some love!

Looking Forward to GPA Annual Conference 2016

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By Fielding Jezreel, Recipient of a 2015 St. Louis Chapter Conference Scholarship

I should start by saying that the GPA Annual Conference left me rejuvenated and excited to return to work with new contacts across the nation and with a long list of to-dos: demo grant management software systems so I can recommend one to my organization, reach out to those new contacts on LinkedIn and by email, get more involved with the local GPA Chapter, and come up with a 12-month plan for pursuing my GPC.

And as I reflect on the overall conference experience, I’m glad I made time to attend and am grateful for the scholarship I received and the donors that made conference scholarships possible.

One of the last sessions I attended surprised me—the session was not at all what I thought it would be, but like most sessions, there was at least one thing to take home to improve my work. The session covered about a dozen tools, each of which could be integrated into my work but for which I would need to do some significant reading to understand and effectively implement.

Working for a young nonprofit with rapidly evolving strategies and big aspirations means I spend more than my fair share of time anguishing over rushed planning processes and last minute programmatic changes. As the organization grows, focuses, and devotes more time to planning, evaluating, and improving processes, the tools discussed during the Saturday session will contribute to those endeavors.

In the meantime, I have a list of tools that I can begin to explore. Relatedly, I have a challenge to presenters of the GPA Conference 2016, pick your favorite tool or method and dive deep. Show participants how you use a tool or method. Engage participants in an activity that you use in developing some aspect of your grants program or process, be that in a leadership capacity, in the production of proposal components, or in the guidance of your professional direction.

On Thursday of the conference, I attended Beckie Murdock’s “Mapping Concepts for Grant Proposals.” She walked a crowded room through a mind mapping exercise that she uses with community groups to bring a diverse set of community stakeholders to the table to discuss a problem and corresponding solutions. Assigned to work in groups on a particular challenge, Beckie engaged us in “doing” instead of spending her hour and fifteen “telling.” Beckie showed us how we could use mind mapping to guide the production of a grant proposal that reflects the needs of a group and streamlines the implementation process post-award. The delivery of the materials made this session the most memorable of the conference for me.

In case you are thinking about presenting in 2016, I’ll close by offering up a number of tools and strategies that I’d love to dive deep into at the GPA Annual Conference 2016: SWOT analyses, GIVES strategies for Fundraising, Porter’s Generic Strategies, crafting values statements, Return on Investment evaluations, Sustainability Matrices, Hedgehog Concepts, Gantt Charts, Strategic Planning Cycles, and Strategy Screens.

See you in Atlanta!

My Top 10 #GPAConf15 Insights

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By Dr. Judy Riffle, Pam Van Pelt Memorial Conference Scholarship Recipient

Santa Cruz Grants & Consulting, LLC

 

Thanks to the Grant Professionals Foundation and generous peers, I was a first timer this year at the annual GPA conference. This experience led to so many ideas about diversifying my consultant offerings, and reinforced my love of the grants world. As a former educator and administrator, I never wanted to feel I was an expert in any area. When I feel there is nothing left to learn or a different way to view something, it will definitely be time to crawl under a rock. Every moment of the conference provided something worthwhile to my career and future.
Grant professional rock stars are just real people like us and have so much to offer. The #HumanLibrary at the conference was a great way to get one on one mentoring. GPA, please bring it back in 2016!

The ethical arena of grants has SO many gray areas. Make it a habit to regularly review and reflect on the GPA Code of Ethics: http://bit.ly/1gqrkDO. Go over it with clients and people in the nonprofit world. Incorporate it into your grant related presentations and workshops. #JustGoogleGPACodeofEthics

Networking, networking, networking. I met so many social media friends in the flesh, made great new friends, and discovered how willing grant pros are to share their expertise and tips. #grantchat

Don’t underestimate the #power of partnerships and mentoring. Dr. Beverly Browning and Kimberly Richardson made it clear how even an informal mentoring relationship started at a GPA annual conference can lead to new endeavors, introductions, and much needed advice. Instead of swimming in isolation as the intense work of grant writing often involves, branch out and collaborate. Nonprofits should form more partnerships as well in order to succeed in the crowded landscape of fundraising. Win more grants by remembering this!

You don’t have to write in a strict Ph.D. style to get articles accepted into GPA publications. Plus GPA will support you along the way! Newsletter submissions can turn into strategy papers, journal articles, books, or future presentations/workshops. #GPANewslettersStrategyPapersJournal

Present at #GPAConf16 in Atlanta and get a significant registration discount. Feel the fear and do it anyway!

The Chapter Leadership Pre-Conference workshop provided useful tips for recruiting, retaining, and making members want to volunteer such as Claim to Fame announcements, hot buttons, and using exciting themes for chapter meetings. #LearnHelpMeet

I learned about excellent digital #productivity tools to check out such as Nozbe, Evernote, Hootsuite, Harvest, Time Master, TimeClock Pro, FreshBooks, Foundation Center maps, Google Scholar, and Natural Reader (text to speech). For example, put an RFP into Natural Reader to listen to while exercising or gardening instead of reading it and trying to stay awake!

Grant Pros are some of the most giving people on earth. We should all feel free to share our knowledge, expertise, and referrals to others in our profession. For instance, international grant writers provided me with tons of tips for my daughter’s new nonprofit, ‎Obwaagazi Children’s Foundation, in Uganda. #It’sNotAboutTheCompetition

Peter F. Drucker: “When you find a unique opportunity to make a real difference, you focus on it and constantly reassess results.” The conference revitalized me to hone my craft and to focus on careful reflection in all areas. #LifeLongLearning

In closing, I cannot wait until #GPAConf16 in the wonderful city of Atlanta. A year seems such a long time to wait………are we there yet?

 

 

An Award that was Really Rewarding!

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By DeaRonda Harrison, MBA – Consultant, June First Firm LLC

GPF Conference Scholar 2015 – Peach State Scholarship

 

The GPA Annual conference is always the highlight of my grant year. The conference kicked off with a hit linking up Special Interest Groups! I always look forward to the SIG session and the Consultants SIG did not disappoint. Those in the group were open and honest in telling us what to do and what not to do. There were members with over 20, 30, and even 40 years of experience in the room and I absorbed it all. The key takeaway for me, partner with others in your field in order to expand your services to help more people. I truly believe in partnerships and this solidified that belief for me.

 

I enjoyed learning about the benefits of earning GPC and pursuing writing in the GPA newsletter, which later could become a contribution to the GPA Journal. What I loved most was learning from other seasoned grant professionals’ experience to avoid difficulties in my own practice. I saw that the role of mentorship highlights that it is really about relationship building and being more than a mentor—being a giver, being an inspiration. I enjoyed networking with like-minded professionals, because unless you do it you don’t understand this work. The GPA conference encouraged me to keep moving forward and taught me who to call when it is time for me to partner with another professional.

 

Tinsear Forrest kept it real in the “Are you Grant Ready,” session and Amanda Day whipped me into shape by putting the GPC on my radar. Heather Stombaugh taught me that I’m not a magician even though my clients may feel this way. And Kimberly Hays de Muga and others showed me that even I could put an article in the newsletter that could be the start of an eventual scholarly article in the GPA journal.

 

I’m glad I was there and didn’t miss this year. As this year’s theme states, “Gateway to Grant Success,” this conference continues to help me achieve success as a grant professional.

 

Giving Thanks for the GPA, GPCI, and GPF

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Giving Thanks for the GPA, GPF, and GPCI

By Pamela Sophiajohn, CFRE

 

Are you a heart-centered grant professional?

In Grant Writing Revealed, author Jana Jane Hexter defines heart-centered grant development as when are our technical skills and spiritual beliefs are married as we pursue personal, organizational, and community growth. Based on 10 core concepts, heart-centered grant development is a holistic way of approaching all grant-related activities that allow us to have a deeper connection to our work and the meaning behind it.

 

The concept of integrating our work and spiritual life is not a new one. But it is totally refreshing to me to have a book that so beautifully weaves together the humanity and spiritually of the grant profession. And as a result, I found myself being exceptionally thankful for Jana as well as the many other GPA members who have enriched my life with their work.

 

I don’t know who was the first person to envision a membership association or foundation for grant professionals. I also don’t know the many people who pioneered the incredible standards of excellence behind the grant professional certification process. But I do know that my life is so much richer because of the dynamic work of GPA, GPF, and GPCI – three sister organizations who collectively impact thousands of lives each year through award-winning grants written by GPA members!

 

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am taking the liberty to start this list of reasons about why I am thankful for GPA, GPF, and GPCI. And you are warmly invited to continue to add to the list in the comments below, and spread the good cheer!

 

  1. I am thankful to have experienced GPA colleagues who generously share their grant experience with me when questions arise.
  2. My heart is thankful for all the benefits of GPA membership.
  3. I have great thanksgiving for the standards set in GPA’s Code of Ethics, which have helped me to navigate challenging employee and client relationships.
  4. I welcome the insightful conversations we can have – in sessions and in hallways, at lunch and out on the town – with our fellow GPA members.
  5. I treasure the opportunities the GPA, GPCI, and GPF afford me as I grow as a person and a professional.

 

What are you thankful for?
P.S. If you, too, are grateful for GPA, GPF, and GPCI, please consider making a gift to the Grant Professionals Foundation. As a member of the GPF Board, I know firsthand that your gift will help us to empower grant professionals – new and old – in their ability to strengthen the impact of the nonprofit sector. GPF may be small in resources, but we are big in vision. And with your support, we will grow our foundation’s capacity to strengthen the work of grant professionals who make the world a better place, one grant at a time.

 

What the GPA is All About-Thanking the Miracle Makers

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Lisa Sihvonen-Binder & Heather Stombaugh, GPC, CFRE

As we get ready for the 15th annual Grant Professionals Association conference, we can’t help but think of all the amazing people who support the grant profession every day. From the GPF’s donors, founders, and volunteers to the Grant Professionals Association staff, volunteers and members, each one of them strives to strengthen and support the jobs we do to make a difference in the world.

So, this month we’ve dedicated the Grant Expectations blog to thanking our miracle workers.

Thank you, Barb Boggs and Kelli Romero. Your tireless dedication helps build an amazing grant professionals conference where we can learn, share, network, have fun, and meet new friends. Your daily work keeps the GPA website up-to-date and chock-full of resources and information for more than 2,000 members. You field our questions, process our memberships, manage the GPA bookstore, and provide support to the GPA board of directors and volunteers. Your pleasant demeanors and positive attitudes make you both a joy to work with. Thank you for being YOU!

Thank you, Dr. Bev Browning. Your support of the GPF and your passion for the grant profession continues to inspire us all. Each year you challenge others to match your support of the Susan Kemp GPA Conference Scholarship Fund so new grant professionals have the chance to take part meaningful professional development at the GPA conference. Thank you for making newcomers feel welcome. Thank you for giving experienced pros fantastic advice. And thank you for being a model “professional” in all ways!

Thank you, to the anonymous major donor and Oregon/SW Washington Chapter of the GPA who established the Chuck Howard Legacy Scholarship and Endowment Fund in memory of Dr. Chuck L. Howard. Scholarships support registration and lodging at the national conference. Our donors – named and anonymous – are the backbone of our mission and the source of our greatest strength. Thank you for supporting grant professionals who can’t afford to attend the conference.

Thank you, to the Nevada Chapter of the GPA for establishing the Pam Vanpelt Memorial Scholarship to remember an active member and friend. Scholarships support GPA membership fees.

Thank you, to the scores of donors who give to the GPF every year to ensure grant pGPF-scholarship-compare-2013-to-2014ros have access to GPA membership, the national conference, and the GPC exam. Without you, there would be no Grant Professionals Foundation. Without you, 15 grant professionals wouldn’t be able to attend the conference this year. You, dear donors, make the GPA not just a professional membership organization but truly a community of supportive peers.

Each year the number of scholars supported by the GPF grows, as does our donor base (see the chart below). We see already that 2015 is poised to be the best year ever, thanks to miracle workers like you.

Thank you for helping help us all change the world, one grant at a time.

 

October 8 GPF News

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October 8, 2015

2015 Silent Auction: Eat! Play! Live!
Are you getting excited for the GPA conference in St. Louis?
We are too and we have lots of fun stuff to inspire you at the GPF Silent Auction!
Here are just a few of the great items we have up for bid this year!
We also have “places to play” trips to Las Vegas, New York, North Carolina, Branson (MO), Playa Del Carmen, and even Santorini Greece!
Beyond that we have items to help you “live well” including baskets of essential oils, jewelry of many styles, photography, tickets to sporting events, art museum memberships, golf foursomes at exclusive clubs, and specialty wines and craft brews.
We’ll even help you hone your craft with books, conference registrations, subscription services, and GPC exam fees.
How will you “Eat! Play! Live!” your way through the GPF Silent Auction? Be sure to visit and like the GPF Facebook page to see more information about the GPF Silent Auction items.
Get Certified! Take the GPC Exam
Show the world you know grants inside and out by getting the GPC credential.

The GPC Exam is designed for grant “generalists” who are experienced and understand the fundamentals of grants and grant writing. As the GPCI website states, “Successful candidates will require minimum knowledge and skills related to all aspects of grant development and management, including but not limited to such areas as grant preproduction, grant construction, public sector funding, private sector funding, ethics and grant accountability.”

The Exam was designed within National Commission of Certifying Agencies guidelines and has been psychometrically proven to be valid and reliable.
For more information on eligibility, how to apply, and to learn more reasons to get certified, visit the GPCI’s website today.

 

Grant Expectations
Thanking the Miracle Workers
by Heather Stombaugh, MBA, CFRE, GPC and Lisa M. Sihvonen-Binder, MS NMP
 
In the October Grant Expectations blog, Heather Stombaugh and Lisa M. Sihvonen-Binder speak for us all as they thank the miracle workers who support and strengthen the grant profession. From the GPF’s donors, founders, and volunteers to the Grant Professionals Association staff, volunteers and members, each one of them strives to help us do the best we can to make a difference in the world.
Our Mission
The Grant Professionals Foundation touches the lives of people in our communities by ensuring that resources are available to train, credential and advocate for those grant professionals serving not-for-profit organizations who secure the funding necessary to serve the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors. We support the education that provides knowledge to grant professionals, the advocacy that gives them greater access to funding, and the credentialing that establishes and promotes excellence in the field. Our partners are the Grant Professionals Association which educates and advocates for grant professionals, along with the Grant Professionals Certification Institute which defines the benchmark standards of the grant profession through credentialing.
 
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Phone: 913.788.3000 | Fax: 913.788.3398
Email: info@grantprofessionalsfoundation.org