News from the Grant Professionals Foundations

ANNOUNCEMENT: Scholarship Recipients 2017

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The Grant Professionals Foundation is delighted to announce the winners of the 2017 Scholarships.

  • Jane Arney – Georgia Peach Scholarship
  • Nancy Battersby – St. Louis Chapter Scholarship
  • Gabriele Beck – Greg Bair Memorial Scholarship
  • Jackie Beyer – Tracey Potter Doe Memorial Scholarship
  • Leanne Cardwell – Arizona Founding Chapter Scholarship
  • Holly Craw – Arizona Founding Chapter Scholarship
  • Konstandina Dulu – Becki Shawver Memorial Scholarship
  • Jana Gowan – Nora Stombaugh Memorial Scholarship
  • TJ Hansell – Arizona Founding Chapter Scholarship
  • Eileen Harris – GPF Scholarship
  • Laura Horochowski – Arizona Founding Chapter Scholarship (AZ Resident)
  • Fielding Jezreel – St. Louis Chapter Scholarship
  • Josh Martin – GPF Scholarship
  • Kristin Pazulski – GPF Scholarship
  • Lauren Petersen – Pamela Van Pelt Memorial Scholarship
  • Amy Shankland – Susan Kemp Memorial Scholarship
  • Shriya Sooya – GPF Scholarship
  • Wendy Strain – Chuck Howard Scholarship

Thank you donors and friends of GPF. Please share the wonderful news! If you know any of the recipients, Congratulate them on their achievement.

For more details. Contact us: info@grantprofessionalsfoundation.org

Every Chapter Challenge 2017

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PRESS RELEASE

Every Chapter Challenge Initiative 2017 (ECC2017)

The Board of Directors of the Grant Professionals Foundation announces the kickoff of a 2017 fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $11,000 to support education and training for grant professionals. The Every Chapter Challenge supports national conference attendance, membership in the Grant Professionals Association (GPA), exam fees for the Grant Professional Certified (GPC) credential and sponsorships for GPA regional conferences.

The Foundation challenges each of GPA’s 50 local chapters to raise $250 for scholarships, and recognizes the highest performing chapter as its Star Chapter at the annual GPA National Conference, held this year in San Diego on November 8-11.

The Every Chapter Challenge is a national campaign to raise funds for the Grant Professionals Foundation. The “Challenge” is participation by 100% of GPA’s 50 local chapters located in 34 states. The Board is challenging all chapters to join forces to enhance the GPA membership experience by strengthening non-profits and advancing the grants profession. Proceeds from the Challenge will be used to provide enhanced professional development experiences through GPA membership scholarships and GPA Chapter dues support.

Participating GPA Chapters are eligible to be named as the Foundation’s Star Chapter by raising the most funds nationwide, and will be named to the Foundation’s Shooting Star Club by meeting or exceeding the 2017 donation goal established by the Foundation Board of Directors. The Star Chapter and Shooting Star Club chapters will be recognized at the GPA Annual Conference, on the Foundation’s website and in marketing materials such as the Foundation newsletter and annual report.

The Foundation has awarded national conference and credential exam scholarships to over 100 worthy recipients over the past nine years. Other Foundation projects include fundraising education, regional conference sponsorships and chapter capacity building. Visit us online https://grantprofessionalsfoundation.org for more information about the Grant Professionals Foundation, the scholarship program or to make a donation.

For Immediate Release Contact:

Kristi Crawford, Co-Chair
kristi.Crawford@sanfordhealth.org

Susan Caldwell, Co-Chair
susancaldwell1962@gmail.com

Need a reason to make a gift to support the grant profession?

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Need a reason to make a gift to support the grant profession?

Here’s one that impacts you in a direct and personal way.

 

When most of us joined GPA, we weren’t thinking about advancing the profession. We were focused on our own development as grant writers by taking advantage of the many educational opportunities and benefits of networking with other grant writers.

But there’s another side to being part of GPA.

It gives us the ability to positively impact the entire profession by helping ensure that other grant writers are successful. In the end, we all benefit because the better we are at our jobs, the more the grant writing profession grows in credibility and stature.

I give to several nonprofits throughout the year but the gift I make every month to the Grant Professionals Foundation (GPF) is about me and my future.

I know those funds are being used to pay for GPA memberships, national conference scholarships and increasing the number of members who are Grant Professional Certified. Scholarships go to members who don’t have the financial means to become a member or take advantage of GPA educational and career advancement opportunities.

I benefit and GPA benefits because all these individuals will improve their skills and win more money for their nonprofits.

Please join me and other GPF donors and make a gift to support the GPF 2017 fundraising campaign. Make a one-time gift or spread it out over the entire year. Over the coming months and at the national conference, you will learn more about how your gift impacted the careers and lives of other grant writers.

Giving to support GPF scholarships is one way to influence how well all grant writers do their jobs and ultimately how our profession is perceived. Make a gift today!

 

Susan Caldwell, CFRE

GPF Board of Directors

 

Silent Auction 2017

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2017 Silent Auction Information
November will soon be upon us, and the Silent Auction Committee is soliciting donations for our main annual fundraiser at the GPA annual conference in San Diego. We are asking GPA chapters, companies, and individuals to consider donating items, preferably worth $100.00 or more. However, gift cards of lesser denominations or less expensive items will be accepted and appreciated. This is a great way for you to support your fellow grant professionals by providing scholarships for GPCI exams, GPA memberships, and conference attendance.

So far we have a South African safari, a handblown glass bowl, a Magic Johnson autographed jersey, gift bags/baskets with assorted items, an annual GPA membership, a 2018 GPA annual conference package, and a Captain America shield. Please consider donating an item representing your state, gift cards, books, jewelry, or any other items that busy grant professionals would appreciate.

GPF Regional Conference Sponsorship Winners!

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GPF Announces Winners! The following GPA chapters won $500 Regional Conference Sponsorships.
  • Ohio Grant Professionals Association Chapter
  • Massachusetts Grant Professionals Association Chapter
  • St. Louis Grant Professionals Association Chapter
  • Georgia Grant Professionals Association Chapter
  • National Capital Area Grant Professionals Association Chapter

We are proud of the amazing work done by all of the local GPA Chapters to advance the grant profession. It is our pleasure to support them and sponsor four Regional Conference Sponsorships for 2017.

 

A Little Snow Didn’t Stop This Test Taker

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By Dale Braden, GPC; Gethsemane Grant Consulting Service and Oregon Health & Science University

2016 GPC Scholar

A short version of my background…I’ve worked at Oregon Health & Science University a total of 20 years. Over the last 11 years, I have helped a total of 63 investigators process over 300 different grant applications. I’ve processed small foundation applications to multi-project federal NIH P01 applications. I manage the entire grant process…I read and interpret the RFA, let investigators know the submission timeline, what sections are needed for the application, help prepare the budget, assemble the entire application, route for institutional approvals and ensure the application is complete and submitted on time. Until a year ago, I also managed the post-award processes including financial projections for funded projects.

My goal is to start a part-time consulting service for now eventually growing to full-time consulting. I have been a GPA member since May 2015. I attended the national conference in St. Louis in November 2015 and went to the session explaining about the GPC. I learned that the GPC is a valuable credential for an independent consultant.

It seemed like studying for the exam was the next step to take after the conference. I spent most of 2016 preparing to take the exam. It made sense to me to study for the exam. I enrolled in the “Blueprints for the GPC” course through SmartEGrants. Some of the material was review; some of the material was new to me. For me, the time spent studying was valuable.

I learned about the scholarship opportunity from the GPA website and was excited to apply. I was very happy and honored to be selected to receive the scholarship. The scholarship added inspiration for me to study and pass the exam.

It has been many years since I have taken any kind of exam so I was pretty nervous about it. The day before I was scheduled to take the exam, Portland was shut down by snow! The Portland State University testing center was closed. The day of the exam, it was not snowing, but the roads were still bad. The news said there were no closures though which was a relief. I made it in to the testing center without any incident.

I felt like the multiple-choice section went pretty well. I was nervous about the written section. The applications I process are for medical research. I’m not a scientist and lack the knowledge to help write the grants. The class I took included a practice writing prompt, and I received excellent feedback on my practice attempt. When I finally sat down and read the exam writing prompt, initially, I didn’t really understand the scenario I was presented. I had a fleeting thought that I should just skip the written part!! I think it was brief anxiety induced writer’s block! I was determined to pass and knew that I had to complete the writing section in order to pass. So, I pressed on.

I was relieved to have the exam in my past instead of my future. The next day, the testing center was closed again due to snow!! During the month before I received the notification that I had passed, I waivered back and forth between thinking I should start preparing to retake the written part to having confidence that I had done well enough to pass. I was elated when I read the email and found out I had passed!

Passing the exam has given me renewed confidence I can become a successful grant consultant. My current next step is taking the SmartEGrants “Grant Consulting Essentials” course. The class is providing information, inspiration and resources to help me figure out how to transition into grant consulting.

One of the opportunities I’m considering pursing is to find a consultant who is willing to sub-contract with other consultants. I believe the credential will be valuable in helping other consultants and potential clients know that I am a skilled and qualified grant professional. I believe the GPC will be instrumental in helping me reach my goal of becoming a successful grant consultant. I am grateful for the scholarship which afforded me the opportunity to take the exam.

A Conference for My Career Path

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By Rachel Smoka-Richardson, MFA, CFRE; Senior Development Officer, Institutional Giving at Minnesota Public Radio

2016 Conference Scholar

Graduating from college with a double major of theater and English, I knew two things – that I wanted to write for a living and that I needed to work in the arts. But although I love performing and writing, I also enjoy critical analysis, and started looking for a career that provided that balance.

Grant writing seemed to be a perfect meld of creative and analytical thinking, and over the past 16 years I’ve been lucky and grateful to work for two large theaters and a public radio station. I use my talents and passions to support organizations I truly believe in. And I get to write and solve problems every day.

Last summer I attended a marketing and development conference for public media, and I was disappointed that most of the fundraising sessions were geared towards membership and individual giving. I was hungry for professional development in my own field, and it seems most grant writing classes are aimed at beginners.

The conference had just concluded, and I was in my hotel room waiting to go to dinner, when I received an email that I had been selected for a 2016 GPA Conference scholarship. I was both shocked and delighted. My frustration for the just-concluded conference quickly turned to excitement for the upcoming conference aimed specifically for my career path.

In true grant writer fashion, I submitted a federal grant application about 30 minutes prior to my ride to the airport. The two weeks prior to the conference had been a frenzy of meetings, draft approvals, and budgeting – with little sleep. But it was wonderful to meet new friends who understood exactly what I had been going through.

My favorite part of the conference was the very first session when we broke into our special interest groups. I met so many arts and cultural grant writers in a short amount of time, and since the session took place so early in the conference, I could connect with my peers in every session and at dinner.

Overall the conference was outstanding, filled with excellent breakout sessions, incredibly smart and talented people, and delicious food. I went back to Minnesota with new ideas and a fresh outlook. Thank you so much to GPA and the foundation for offering this experience – and for making grant writing a priority.

 

Not a Popularity Contest: Winning Tips for GPF Scholarship Applications

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By Judy Riffle, Ed.D. – GPF Board Member and Marketing Committee Chair

I received a Pam Van Pelt Memorial Conference Scholarship from GPF in 2015, and felt honored and privileged to attend my first annual GPA conference in St. Louis. As soon as I met the people behind GPF, I felt an instant, warm welcome instead of a closed group, clique-type attitude. That is why I’m surprised when people tell me they won’t apply for a GPF scholarship because only certain popular people will receive one or that they’ve tried so many times they’ve given up. We ARE grant professionals—why in the world would we let that stop us? I can assure you—it is not a popularity contest. I give back to GPF willingly as a scholarship recipient, because I believe in our cause, and because I am part of a fantastic, dedicated, fair group of grant professionals.

On May 1, 2017, we will open our GPA conference scholarship applications to coincide with the annual conference registration opening date. The annual GPA conference will be in San Diego November 8-11, 2017. Mark your calendar, and be sure to apply for one of our scholarships. The following tips from GPF Board Members, the GPF Scholarship Committee, and #grantchat participants apply to all our scholarship opportunities.

Adhere to the GPA Code of Ethics.

We are looking for details on the applicant’s professional background in the #grants field.

Micki Vandeloo, GPC, GPF Scholarship Committee Chair: Keep an eye out for applications and due dates. Read the application questions carefully before answering.

Heather Stombaugh, GPC, GPF Board Chair: What are you doing for GPA or GPF now (serving local chapter as officer or committee member, writing GPA News articles, serving on a national committee or Board, mentoring a new grant pro, etc.)? What will you give back to the profession after receiving a scholarship?

The two biggest application mistakes are a lack of editing and failing to produce a compelling need statement. Use your grant skills! Watch grammar, spelling, & proof your work. A strong need or argument is not because you or your organization cannot pay for it (not because you need the money). Put your personal reflections into the narrative, and make the need logical.

You are a grant professional—write the scholarship application like you would a grant application and put your passion, creativity, storytelling, and editing skills into it. It’s free money, people!

Bethany Turner, GPC: Be sure to really describe your “why.” Why are YOU in the #grantprofession? Why do you do what you do?

Fear may be the biggest barrier to people applying for our scholarships. You don’t need to be a GPC to apply. GPF is not a clique, and the application process is not a popularity contest. Applications are reviewed fairly on their merit and to the degree questions are answered thoroughly and compellingly. It’s not about who you know; many GPF scholarships have been awarded to strangers by the Scholarship Committee and GPF Board. Case in point-me. Feel the fear and do it anyway!

Note: In 2017, we will

  • Award 18 scholarships (directly from GPF)
  • Administer 7 national scholarships (“endowed”)
  • Administer 15 scholarships (through GPA Chapters)
  • Award approximately 4 regional sponsorships

Total = 44

 

A Very Fortunate Series of Events

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By Liz Ratchford; Keystone College, Director of Grants
2016 Susan Kemp Conference Scholarship Recipient

Like many of my fellow grant professionals, I did not start off my career in the grant world. I don’t think any of us when asked as a child what we wanted to be when we grew up answered: “grant professional!” But through what I consider a very fortunate series of events, I was asked by the small community I live in, with my husband and two daughters, if I could write a grant to help rebuild a park that had been destroyed by a winter flood. I had some experience as a technical writer before becoming a stay-at-home mom so I thought sure, I would like to help rebuild the park where my children play.

So now 21 years later, I am honored to work in this profession that is responsible for so many great projects and programs coming to fruition through the work we do every day. That park grant and the completion of the project to rebuild that park led to me becoming a full-time grant professional for a government organization.

I am now at a nonprofit, private college in the northeastern tier of Pennsylvania. Keystone College is a small, rural college, in the heart of the Endless Mountains region. I love the work I do, I love that every day I learn something new, I tackle a new challenge, and I get to work with professionals that have a passion for the work we can do together.

Being the director of grants at an educational institution afforded me the opportunity to become a member of the Grant Professionals Association. The college believes in education and life-long learning, so even though financial resources are limited, our president believed it was important for me to be a member of this professional organization.

The college faculty, staff, and administration are committed to educating our students and keeping the cost of a post-secondary education affordable for the students we serve. This vision is something I truly believe in and so I work to obtain grant funding to serve our students, staff, and faculty. I am so fortunate to have found that I have skills and talents that allow me to be a successful grant professional.

My next goal after becoming a member of the GPA was to attend an annual conference and improve my professional skill set (because we are always about articulating our goals and objectives). Since the college’s resources are limited I decided I would apply for a Grant Professionals Foundation (GPF) Conference Scholarship.

I submitted the scholarship request and hoped I had made a convincing argument for my need and my institution’s need for the support. I was so honored to receive the Susan B. Kemp Scholarship.

I had a wonderful experience at the conference in Atlanta! The networking, educational sessions, workshops, grant vendors, and especially volunteering at the auction were professionally enriching experiences.

I came back to Keystone energized and ready to take on any new grant challenge that came my way to serve the college and our students! My attendance at the conference was only possible because of the GPF scholarship. For the first time in my grant career I was in a room of professionals that understood the joys, challenges, and disappointments we encounter as part of our work. It was a pleasure to spend a few days with you in Atlanta, and I hope to see you all again very soon.

Leap of Faith

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By Amy Knudsen, MA, GPC; Planned Parenthood of the Heartland

2016 GPC Scholar

During my senior year in college, I assisted in writing my first federal grant for an education program I developed while working at a homeless shelter. I could not have predicted that experience would have led me to where I am today, with 25 years of grants writing and 10 years of grants management behind me. I am grateful grant writing gives me an opportunity to use my knowledge and skills to contribute to organizations I am passionate about and to the wider community. As my career progressed, I have long wanted to become more involved with the local grants community. I am fortunate to have found a home with GPA, which provides me opportunities to network with other grant professionals and engage in active learning with chapter meetings, webinars and conferences. Most importantly, I love connecting with people who understand jokes about logic models and character limits and supports grants as a profession.

In addition to networking, joining GPA was also the kick I needed to sit for the GPCI exam. Despite being out of school for MANY years and swearing off exams for the rest of my life, I wanted to take the exam to show my dedication to my profession AND for validation of my chosen profession. However, I kept putting it off until the time was right. After joining GPA two years ago and with the encouragement of my peers, I took the leap of faith last year and decided to apply for a scholarship for the exam. To my surprise, my application was approved. I submitted my packet in September and there was no more procrastination. I took the exam in January 2017 and am happy to report that as of February 1, 2017, I am now a certified grant professional.

I am ready for the next chapter in my professional career and am grateful to GPA for the opportunity to provide a standard of excellence for the grant profession.