Tag Archive for: donate

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

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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 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 other GPF donors and me and make a gift to support the GPF 2018 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

 

 

The GPF Every Chapter Challenge

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Why you should give…

One thing I have learned about grant writing – there is always something new to learn. The world of grant writing is not a place that we want to walk alone. From government grants to corporations to foundations, developing a grant proposal can be complicated, labor-intensive and full of twists and turns. It can also be a lonely profession. I need other grant professionals to network with and learn from.

Unfortunately, many of us don’t always have the financial means to afford the learning experiences and networking that is so important to developing our grant skills. The Grant Professionals Foundation was formed specifically to provide opportunities for GPA members who need the additional resources to pursue professional development, the GPC credential or simply to pay membership dues.

The annual Every Chapter Challenge plays a big part in making that happen. GPF is calling on all GPA chapters across the country to step up and support the campaign. Our challenge goal for each chapter is $250. Many chapters are also competing to become this year’s Star Chapter, a distinction awarded to the chapter which gives the most to the campaign.

Funds raised by the campaign will be used to award scholarships for the GPA Conference, the GPCTM Credentialing Program, GPA Membership and Regional Conference Sponsorships. Chapters have the distinct opportunity to invest in growing the grant profession and helping their fellow grant writers improve their skills.

But it’s not just about growing the profession and individual grant professionals. It is also about the critical work that the agencies, organizations, and institutions would not be able to do without their grant writers in the trenches, sweating over deadlines, trying to make sense of the latest curveball thrown in an application. Every time we help another grant writer become better at their profession, we are also helping the myriad of nonprofits that can do good works because of the expertise of their grant writers.

I’ve had the opportunity to review applications for the GPA Conference Scholarships. The scholarships have been awarded every year since 2007 by the Grant Professionals Foundation. One common bond between all the applicants was a sincere desire to get better at their job.

One particular applicant put it this way, “It is easy to get bogged down in our day to day reporting and sustainability sections, which leaves little mental room for growth and new ways of thinking. However, putting away my computer and research for four days so I can focus on thinking about the grant process and the grant world will, I hope, open me up for Aha! moments and fresh perspectives.”

Reading those applications reinforced my commitment to the important work of the Grant Professionals Foundation. We hope every GPA chapter will join us in raising the funds that directly support individual grant professionals, the grant profession and most of all, the nonprofits that are positively impacting lives every day throughout our nation and the world.

Susan Caldwell, Co-Chair
Every Chapter Challenge

One at a Time

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BMike Chamberlainy Mike Chamberlain, CEO, Grant Professionals Association

Ten years ago this month, I made the decision to start on a journey. A journey to better health and well-being. The first thing I did was schedule a physical exam with my Family Doctor, something I had not done on my own in my adult life. I met with my Family Doctor and after the poking, prodding, measurements and battery of questions, she said, “You know you really should lose some weight.” I replied, “Yes, but I really do not know where to start.” That is when the real journey started. She provided me with a diet plan and a guide to better eating, and told me it was important to watch portion size. I started slowly, first by changing lunch, then breakfast, and really watching portions at dinner. I added in a dose of daily exercise to build muscle and improve my health.

Over the next 12 months, I began losing weight and getting healthier every day. I had co-workers, friends and family ask me about my secret for making the change. My simple answer was “Diet and exercise”, which was often met with disappointment. However, one thing I learned during this journey was the importance of taking small simple steps and building on each success. For me, it was watching the scale go down one pound at a time and tightening my belt one notch at a time, that encouraged me to continue. Ten years later, I am happy to report that I lost the weight and have kept it off.

This journey taught me the importance of starting with small steps, being persistent and knowing that in the long run, it is through these efforts that you can reach your goals.

The Grant Professionals Foundation works to fund professionalism in the grants field through its many efforts. One of those efforts is Giving Well which is the opportunity to make a difference one small gift at a time. By giving as little as $10 per month, you can start to make an impact. I know this as a current contributor through Giving Well. I have seen the impact it has in providing scholarships for grant professionals to attend conferences, participate in local chapters, and contribute to the grants profession. I know mine is a small contribution that added with other small contributions over time can make a significant impact in the grants profession. I invite you to join me on this journey by taking a first small step and start Giving Well today.