Tag Archive for: Scholarship Essay

GPA 2020 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay, by Sara Wagner

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Arizona Founding Chapter Jerry Dillehay Scholarship

I was honored to receive a scholarship to attend the annual GPA conference. Since it was my sixth conference, I was fully aware of its value. When I became a GPA member in 2012, my employer always sent me (being a county employee, I attended three conferences this way, focusing upon all-things-government); then, in 2016, I ventured out on my own as a consultant. I didn’t attend that transitional year but returned (paying my own way) the next two years. I again missed the conference in 2019 and felt it was time to reconnect.

While I was initially apprehensive about a virtual conference, I was pleasantly surprised! There were countless silver linings to this format, the best being that we no longer had to agonize over which breakout sessions to attend (since one can now participate in ALL of them!). Having access to every session (including handouts, in context) for an entire year is an incredible bonus. I was impressed by how smoothly things went. Meaningful interpersonal connections were also a highlight­­. In these ways, the format alone (it was my first virtual conference) taught me a lot.

Making these kinds of opportunities available to grant professionals from all walks of life (including income brackets) is a wonderful thing to do. The scholarship’s value is hard to quantify. Interacting with peers helps one to affirm what s/he already knows, as well as points to skills one can work on. This particular conference left me eager to continue refining my craft––underscoring the importance of networking. Colleagues I met in sessions/exhibit breaks/lunches reached out on LinkedIn, too. GPA conferences connect us to those who not only understand us, but lift us up and energize us to continue on this path.

The biggest conference takeaway for me was to “only do what you love” (said so genuinely in a session I attended). Seeing the enthusiasm of other consultants spilling over made we wonder why I wasn’t as effusive as they were…soon afterward, I asked myself what my favorite part of my own work is. I wanted to weave more fun into grant projects.

I reflected upon aspects of my consulting practice I could let go of, what I could breathe life into, and how I could more clearly connect my passion with my work. I wanted to be more like these peers I so admired. With this newfound clarity, I was amazed by how easy it was to sit down one morning and succinctly convey (on my website) what I offer, and why (I’m still riding this wave, in creating new/improved materials for new clients, and so much more!).

Most importantly, the 2020 conference has inspired me to give back. I began spearheading the establishment of a new GPA chapter, one that will connect a rural/frontier half of my state with these vital resources that we have all found so valuable. In January 2021, I began serving as the Governance Committee Chair. Neither of these roles was even on my radar a year ago! Something clicked for me at our recent GPA conference, wherein I had a new desire to contribute to my current field (professionally, I tended to volunteer within my original realm of public health). Now I am seeing GPA––those who run it, those who belong to it, and especially those we have the potential to reach––with new eyes.

The generosity of those who contributed to my conference scholarship makes me want to do my part, to ensure we continue building this reliable, altruistic community. So THANK YOU––I really appreciated that scholarship, made possible by the Grant Professionals Foundation, Arizona Founding Chapter, and untold others. I am excited to see what manifests, as I continue sharing what I learned. As a result of attending the recent conference, I feel more confident asserting myself as a quasi-expert, after sharpening my skills amidst women and men who are truly committed to a standard of excellence that none of us could achieve alone.

More information about Conference Scholarships, including application dates and eligibility criteria, is available here.

GPA 2020 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay, by Lynda Weigel-Firor

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Arizona Southern Chapter Conference Scholarship

When I found out the 2020 GPA Annual Conference was going to be held virtually, I was thrilled because it would possibly give me the opportunity to participate for the first time. However, funds were an issue as I work less than part-time as an independent grant-writer and consultant to care for my special needs’ daughter. I am so grateful to GPA for selecting me to receive a conference scholarship that allowed me the opportunity to hone my skills and learn from other grant professionals.

Working as an independent contractor can be very isolating and I often feel like I am working in a vacuum. It does not allow the opportunity to easily confer with colleagues. I have three main clients who, while they have different missions and needs, are sometimes eligible for the same funding opportunity. It is a challenge at times to write creatively for each when answering the same questions three times over. I registered for the conference with the expectation that I would gain fresh perspective, renewed insight, and practical skills that I could use immediately to help my clients realize their grant goals. I also longed for an influx of energy from others who understand the challenges of being a grant professional.

However, could this all happen in a virtual conference? Could GPA, or any organization for that matter, possibly pull off an interesting, interactive conference that would keep one engaged for not one, but three days? I am a veteran of other conferences including the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the YWCA Leadership Conference, and several conferences hosted by the University of Arizona, and have come to anticipate a level of excitement, engagement, and networking that I thought could only happen on site.

Well, all I can say is congratulations to GPA for hosting an extremely well-run, interesting, thought provoking conference that provided ample opportunity for attendees to network. And if that were not enough to celebrate, attendees also received a swag bag that contained a door hanger that says “Amazing Grant Professional at Work: Please do not Disturb (cool, right?)  and the most amazing caramels I have ever had in my life. Thank you for introducing me to Bequet Caramels!

Each morning attendees were greeted by opening remarks from Jess Pettitt. If you do not know who this ball of energy is, do yourself a favor and look her up. She clearly did her homework to understand her audience and was delightful while also delivering poignant and relevant messages.

 For me, one of the most difficult conference tasks is to create a personal agenda when there are too many interesting sessions to choose from. As a seasoned professional with 25 years of experience, I was a bit apprehensive at first that the sessions would overwhelmingly be geared towards those who are new to grant writing or have just a few years under their belt. However, the conference offered an ample selection of sessions for those more advanced in their careers. I was humbled by how much I gained from these sessions. The level of expertise and excellence of the presenters was impressive, and I walked away with new strategies confident that I had learned from the best of the best.

As an added, and surprising bonus, was the selection of sessions that were for the early and mid-career professionals that caught my interest. For example, I sat in on Make it “Worth 1000 Words”: Maximizing Effectiveness of your Graphics and Tables which was geared for those early in their career. Knowing that I have a deficit in this area I added this to my agenda.

Amanda Paveglio took participants step by step through the process of creating graphics and tables that were interesting to read and relevant for the information being relayed. Many participants learned for the first time, including me, how to attach or link them to online applications and other hacks that while simple enough to execute could take some time to figure out on your own. While Amanda did an amazing job with her presentation, participants would need time to practice the techniques taught. GPA in their wisdom has allowed access to all the presentations for a full year after the conference. Thank you, GPA, for that added benefit. It is like winning the grant lottery!

Having a year of access to the presentations also alleviated some of the pressure of choosing which sessions to attend knowing that I could view what I missed later. It also allows, as I alluded to previously, the opportunity to watch some of the sessions over again.

Another excellent presentation was Marginalized Communities Need Data Too: How to Get it? What to do When You Don’t Have It? by Michelle Molina and K. Scott Nelson. I confess I am not an enthusiastic researcher, due in part to many of the challenges that Michelle and K. Scott brought up in their presentation, such as finding data that you know would support your case but is simply not available or is difficult to find. I was so impressed with this presentation that as a board member of the Southern Arizona GPA Chapter I hired them to present to our membership a month later.

When I wrote my scholarship application, I mentioned specifically that I hoped there would be a session on answering the sustainability question.  Grants4Good provided an excellent session that addressed this sticky question. Content provided a fresh perspective on how to break down this question by defining it and de-constructing it and was a great reminder about the importance of being clear and concise in your answer. To me, this provided some excellent materials that will help me with clients who have a hard time articulating a good answer to this question.

Each day there were lunch break-out sessions on different topics. This allowed the opportunity to network informally while discussing topics that were of mutual interest.

In every aspect of the conference, it was evident that GPA was meticulous in their planning and selected topics that were relevant for the times. COVID has changed the landscape of the grant world and attention was paid to this topic.

Every one of the professionals I encountered during the conference were gracious in sharing their ideas and were willing to help others. The congeniality and energy were just what was needed during these unprecedented times when we are so isolated from each other.

Thank you again for the opportunity to participate. I deeply appreciate GPA staff and board and the care they took in creating this conference.

More information about Conference Scholarships, including application dates and eligibility criteria, is available here.

GPA 2020 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay, by Molly Peterson

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Arizona Founding Chapter Jerry Dillehay Scholarship

In our lives, we all experience numerous firsts. Our first steps, first kiss, first job, first time eating (and possibly abhorring) sushi. Some we reflect on for years to come, and some pass the very moment with little significance, never stamping our memory with the lasting mark of a new experience. I have had a number of the latter. Though, November 4th was a momentous beginning. Not only for our country as we began our journey through an unprecedented election process, but for my career. This year, I attended my first Grant Professionals Conference.

I first entered the grant writing industry because of a sincere fascination with grant writers as people. The wide range of expertise, personal history, and passion in the grants industry inspires me to appreciate the various colors of grant writers that paint different strengths, united towards a shared goal of kindling positive change. The richness of depth in the grant industry represents one of the most stirring reasons why my first Grant Professionals Conference provided lasting value to me.

At Prevent Child Abuse Arizona, I am the only individual with grant writing expertise. When I first began with the organization at the ripe age of 22, my assignment as an AmeriCorps Volunteer in Service to America included transferring grant writing from the professional hands of a contracted grant writer into the shaking yet willing hands of a new college graduate. In undertaking this responsibility, I virtually attended many webinars since workshops were not readily available in my rural corner of Arizona (insert my well-versed needs assessment for rural Arizona). These virtual webinars did not instill the same feeling of community as I had hoped. Where were the captivating individuals who inspired me to join them in a career of grant writing?

I often felt alone as I pioneered a grant process that was foreign to both my team and me. Before the Grant Professional Conference, I struggled to feel confident and resilient in the COVID urgency and new remote working environments. Shortly after the beginning of the state-mandated quarantine, I was on the precipice of my largest grant request yet: $1,192,655.00. To prepare the grant application for this federal RFGA, I was responsible for managing input from four other program staff and organization leaders in the new virtual realm. I scheduled twice-weekly meetings with the program manager to stay on track and communicate progress, but I still felt alone tackling such a massive grant. Though, that feeling would not compare to the loneliness I felt when I received news from the grantor. The grantor funded the project, though they had significantly fewer funds to distribute; thus, they cut funding for my application’s less justified areas. The program manager was devastated (rightly so, as she cares passionately about the cause she serves) and channeled her disappointment towards me. Working alone in my home, I struggled to manage my frustration as I contemplated how weeks of unseen hard work made me vulnerable to blame from my colleague.

Entering the Grant Professionals Conference only a couple of months later, I felt misunderstood, underappreciated, and alone. In the first half-day of the conference, I was overwhelmed by the opposite: understanding, appreciativeness, and community. I did not realize how alone I was until the recent Grant Professional Conference illuminated a crowd of comrades gathered within reach of my self-contained isolation. In workshops and discussions, grant peers described the veil between grant writers and program managers. How often, program managers and staff misunderstand the role of the grant writer. Who has been asked to write a grant for a vaguely conceptualized program, thus necessitating that the grant writer also generate the program and evaluation plans? Who has written for fourteen hours straight, unbeknownst to their team members? In openly answering these questions, my heart signed in relief: these are my people.

The daily and casual lunch meetings became one of my favorite ways to connect with “my people.” I connected more personally with other attendees outside of the formal constructs of workshops. Honestly, I was not sure that these sorts of opportunities would be available at a virtual conference. It was here that I shared some of my struggles concerning grant management. Several experienced grant writers shared what I needed most: empathy. Of course, they offered their advice, but they also provided their understanding and reaffirmed my value as a grant writer. When I first began my role, my organization wanted to bring grant writing in-house but did not realize what it took to do that. I had to convince the program managers that I was worth their time when discussing program details for the application. Thus, I created a Grant Procedures Manual that outlined each individuals’ roles, communication preferences, and expectations. I hosted several organization-wide meetings to build buy-in and understanding. Though, I often found myself sacrificing my own needs to ensure that the program manager would provide what I needed: “You need a 48-hour editing window to review the grant? Oh, and you, too? Sure, I can do that.” I found myself sacrificing a substantial chunk of the grant window to provide each of the three editors with a 48-hour window to edit before submission. The grant was entirely out of my hands for six days before the deadline. When I shared this with my lunch group, several grant writers provided their recommendations and contact information and assured me that I could reach out any time.

They also encouraged me to attend a specific workshop: Tips for Surviving a Group Grants Process by Andrea Hoffman. Hoffman’s workshop was my favorite of the entire conference. She spoke to individuals like me: grant managers who balance many other roles within an organization. I felt seen amidst a sea of experienced grant consultants. I had to stand while I watched because I was so excited listening to Andrea’s solutions for managing a team grant process. I only wish I had attended her session sooner to spare my mistakes.

While mistakes are critical to the learning process, so is community. In my young years as a grant writer, I boast a youthful enthusiasm for the field. I love writing grants. Each application feels like a puzzle. I often feel daunted when the pieces spill out of the box, but each click of a piece feeds my motivation to track down the next piece of missing information. I have channeled that energy in moving forward, even if I have stumbled along the way. I have pulled myself out of the trenches and tried again. But the Grant Professionals Conference showed me that there are hands to help me up and point me in another direction that I had not considered. I will continue to stumble, but I have faith in knowing I am at least headed in the most efficient direction to help me reach my goals. The Grant Professionals Conference provides a golden path that does not necessarily help us reach our goals more easily but more quickly. I have full faith in knowing that, despite networking amongst those who could be considered competitors, the entire Grant Professionals Conference wants you to succeed.

The Grant Professionals Conference was my foray into the greater Grant Professionals Association. I found the Grant Professionals Conference while looking for opportunities to learn a more holistic approach to grant management, but I found I appreciated the community even more. Now, I am a few months into participating in my local Arizona Founding Chapter, and I am helping bring a new chapter, the Northern Arizona Chapter, into existence. Within these smaller groups, I feel the same understanding, empathy, and support as I felt at the conference. Now, I do not feel so alone. November 4th has become sentimental to me for many reasons, which will motivate me to return year after year. I hope to continue to forge bonds that will help to forge my career, also. Someday, years from now, I hope to return to the Grant Professionals Conference and find an opportunity to help a green new grant writer like I was in 2020.

Thank you, Grant Professionals Association, for helping lift me out of the darkness of solidarity. You provided the warmth and hope that I so desperately needed while navigating the challenges of 2020. You restored my confidence in myself and my future. By helping me, you have also ignited a spark for me to give back to my grant writing community. You have stamped my memory deeply, for which I will refer back to with admiration throughout my career. Thank you.

More information about Conference Scholarships, including application dates and eligibility criteria, is available here.

GPA 2020 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay, by Jennifer Deering

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Arkansas Chapter Conference Scholarship

In late February 2020, I went into my bank to discuss opening a business account for my freshly minted consulting firm of one employee (me). When I was called into the customer-service representative’s office, I remember we almost shook hands. We joked about the novel coronavirus and how that exchange of germs might not be such a good idea.

The rep explained he needed a copy of my letter of determination and the operating agreement. As a former grant writer, I knew exactly what he was talking about and promised to bring those documents in the next day, wanting to head out to the Arkansas river for a hike on an unusually warm and bright winter afternoon. The next morning, I saw a message from the bank in my e-mail, not something that happens very often. I immediately opened it and read that, due to concerns around COVID-19, the lobby would be closed for all business until further notice. I guess the rep and I were almost literally whistling past the graveyard when we greeted each other jokingly.

I’ve been working on grants from application to closeout since 2009 when I was the assistant director of the University of Central Arkansas’s (UCA) Writing Center. Most of these were small grants to support guest speakers from other, more famous, writing centers around the country. In 2012, I was recruited by the director of UCA’s Sponsored Programs to become the grant writer for the university. I loved the work as much as I loved teaching because I could see my position gave me the opportunity to change the world, to make it a better place for others whether through an NIH grant I was editing or an NEA grant I was writing as a co-PI. After I sold a house in another state, I had quite a bit of savings built up, and I realized that this might be a chance to go it alone, an opportunity that would allow me to work toward funding of projects I was really invested in. Having taught a graduate-level grant writing class in a community and economic development program, I was interested in working with nonprofits and municipalities to improve the quality of life for underserved populations. When I saw the chance to work for myself, I took it!

My operating agreement is quite clear: any income I receive as a grants consultant must first go into a business account. I can then pay myself out of the account. So now what was I to do? I had money saved from the sale of the house, so I knew I could get by for a little while, but not forever. My GPA membership was coming due, and I knew I wanted to attend the annual conference. As reasonable as these costs are, I didn’t see how I would be able to make money to offset them. So I applied for the scholarships available through the Grant Professionals Foundation. Fortunately, I won both the membership and the conference scholarships, which tided me over until my bank pivoted to a new reality where I managed to open my business account from the comfort of my own vehicle. With that, I was able to start doing business.

I wasn’t too concerned with the shift from in-person to online sessions, for the grant writing classes I taught in two different graduate-level programs for five years were completely virtual. I adjusted easily to the new format. In fact, since I’m not able to be in two places at once, I was relieved not to have to choose one session over another: I could go back and listen to the recordings of those sessions I missed and have been since November.

I mentioned in my applications that if I won the scholarships, I could promise a high return on investment for the Grant Professionals Association, the Arkansas Chapter, and the communities I serve. By attending the conference, I can honestly say I have returned the favor of the scholarship many times over. For one, I am the vice president of the Arkansas Chapter of GPA. As a member of our Communications and Membership Committee, I have managed to pull together a communications plan, schedule, and set of procedures for all the channels of communication we have at our disposal, reviving dormant Facebook and Twitter accounts.

I could go into detail about the various tips and tricks, references to OMB guidance I was unaware of, or the growth mindsets I established through different kinds of sessions. But I think the main takeaway for me is the re-affirmation that I am a professional: I know what I’m doing, I’m successful at my vocation, and my instincts will guide me in the right direction. I could also provide several examples of how this has played out since the end of the conference. I’ll leave you with one.

I had my first consultation with a potential client in the nonprofit world a few weeks ago. I have a list of questions I send in advance to keep the initial discussion on track and ensure both parties have the information they need. As the conversation unfolded, I began to feel something wasn’t quite right. The client had worked with a previous grant professional (not a member of GPA) who had, he was confident, ensured he was grant-ready. Except he kept mentioning “articles of incorporation.” I was honest with him: “I’m not quite sure what you mean by that term.” Because I had attended several sessions devoted to working with nonprofits and starting one’s own consulting agency, I knew the minute I saw the letter of determination that someone had made a mistake. As far as the IRS was concerned, his nonprofit was an S-corporation. I dug a little deeper to discover that it was listed with the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office as a domestic nonprofit corporation…not a 501(c)(3). I shared the bad news and suggested he work with a tax attorney to dissolve both the S-corporation and the domestic nonprofit corporation and start afresh pursuing the 501(c)(3) status that would ensure his organization can apply for federal, state, foundation, and corporate grants.

My instincts are based on other people’s experiences. When someone at a conference shares a story, whether the outcome was positive or negative, I remember. I could read about tax code and nonprofit status for years; I would still find it difficult to apply in the real world. But when someone tells a story about how they almost submitted a grant for a nonprofit that was not in good standing with the IRS, I remember to check Guidestar before proceeding. Such was the case with this potential client.

When I first started thinking about opening my own consulting firm, I had hoped to work with institutions of higher education and municipalities since that’s where my experience is. What I’ve found is that I need to build up a reputation (another benefit of attending the annual conference) and subcontract until Grantfully Yours has name recognition. I also discovered there are a lot of struggling nonprofits in need of my expertise. As I work with each one, I notice they hang too much hope on grants to help with operating expenses. Several sessions I attended at the 2020 annual conference were focused on fundraising and development. Operating expenses aren’t usually eligible for grant funding. Because of what I learned at the conference, I’m able to advise these nonprofits on fund and friend raising and developing donations to pay for budget items ineligible for grant funding.

I am very thankful to the Grant Professionals Foundation for providing support for me to attend the conference. It boosted my self-esteem and helped me connect with others in the profession both during networking lunches and on LinkedIn. As a gesture of my thanks, I volunteered to moderate a session at the conference and hope to join the Grant Professionals Foundation board to help carry out the work you do to lift others. I am grateful to have attended the conference and to the individuals and organizations who donate for the cause.

More information about Conference Scholarships, including application dates and eligibility criteria, is available here.

GPA 2020 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay, by Georgia Carvalho

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New England Chapter Chuck Howard Scholarship

Thanks to the scholarship I received from GPA, I was able to attend the Grant’s Professional Association’s Annual Conference in November 2020.  At a time when travel and professional development budgets were being cut, not only at my institution, I was extremely grateful for the opportunity I was granted.

My sincere thank you goes to the Grants Professional Foundation and others who worked tirelessly to raise funds for the scholarships. The scholarships that allowed many Grants Professionals to attend the first fully virtual GPA Conference.  The Conference program was engaging and offered so many opportunities for grants professionals to learn and grow as professionals.

This was my first time attending the GPA conference. Previously, I had focused on attending conferences aimed at grants and resource development professionals who work in community colleges, both through the now extinct Council for Resource Development and more recently through CASE.  Attending the GPA conference it became clear that the Grants Professional Association’s (GPA) National Conference serves a much wider and varied audience and addresses a great variety of interesting topics.  In addition to great sessions and opportunities to network and meet new colleagues, it was great seeing the camaraderie that exists in the community. People were very welcoming and helpful, collaborative and quite supportive of each other.

The conference content was balanced and offered both pre-awards and post-award professionals attending timely and interesting sessions. All the sessions and discussions I attended were excellent, with very professional presentations and solid content.  I learned much about various types of logic models, different approaches to program evaluation, budget strategies and formats, sub recipient monitoring and compliance, calculating return on investment and organizational tips for tracking pre-awards activities.  Many of the handouts from sessions were extremely helpful, and I have already had the opportunity to use one of the sample logic models as a base for a logic model required by a recent federal proposal submission.

I was also able to connect with colleagues from my chapter and region, and that is always a pleasant experience.  It is wonderful to see thoughtful and supportive colleagues interacting with each other and sharing experiences. I found the breakout and lunch sessions very informative and a great opportunity to connect with other grant professionals from around the country. During these times of social distancing and work from home, that felt like a real treat.

Although I am a seasoned mid-career professional, with over 20 years of experience related to grants, attending the GPA conference was a great opportunity to brush up on some skills and to enhance professional knowledge in new areas, especially in post-award administration, an area where I still have much to learn.

In short, I took away several lessons and was impressed at how the GPA conference was run.  I am sincerely grateful for the scholarship and the opportunity to join this virtual community of grants professionals. The small community college where I work is also very grateful that I had this opportunity and that what I learned will have a positive impact for the institution and the students.  I am looking forward to joining the GPA conference in person in the future.  Thank you so much for the scholarship and the opportunity.

More information about Conference Scholarships, including application dates and eligibility criteria, is available here.

GPA 2020 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay, by Anna Bilyeu

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Grant Professionals Foundation Scholarship

When I realized that the Grant Professionals Association Annual Conference scheduled for November 2020 was going to be virtual instead of in beautiful Denver, CO, I was disappointed. Like so many other events of the year, it was something to look forward to, a highlight for me professionally. This was to be my first GPA conference. As someone who has worked as a grant writer for less than three years, I value learning from those who have more experience. A national conference with other professionals who are drawn to and enjoy this work was just what I needed, at the right time, and I was understandably bummed it would be on my computer screen instead of in-person.

I shouldn’t have worried about the event being virtual, however, because GPA knocked it out of the park! The conference was entertaining, engaging, and informative, and I was grateful for the chance to attend as a Grant Professionals Foundation Conference Scholar. I challenged myself and re-framed how I felt about the online format; Added flexibility, the ability to keep my camera off if needed, and the sessions being recorded and accessible for a full year were all part of the positives for me.

The conference website was easy to navigate and opened early enough to leave plenty of time for making my personal agenda for each day. With so many great presentations to choose from, I needed that extra time to decide! The ability to see who else was registered and poke around at sponsor exhibits was also very helpful and made the conference time go smoothly. I really appreciated being able to network with colleagues and plan meetings on my own schedule.

Jess Pettitt, Keynote Speaker & Master of Ceremonies, was hilarious and did a great job kicking things off and injecting humor into the start of every day. Her advice regarding how to get the most of out the conference was essential, and her comedy stylings were much needed during what could have otherwise been a very stressful week.

My favorite sessions:

  • One of the first sessions I spotted and immediately registered for was “Marginalized Communities Need Data Too: How to Get it? What to do When You Don’t Have It?” with K. Scott Nelson, GPC and Michelle Molina. Several of my clients work with marginalized communities and lack of data has always been an issue. I appreciated the engaging presentation and both presenters’ thoughtful replies to questions, I left the session with several helpful resources and ideas.
  • “All You Need to Know About the GPC and More!” with Julie Assel, GPC, and David Lindeman, GPC, CFRE was perfectly timed for me, as I will be eligible for the GPC exam in 2021. Many of my questions were answered, I was relieved that the process isn’t nearly as intimidating as I expected!
  • I also appreciated “A MUST Do: Be a Grant Reviewer!” with Dr. Ericka Harney, GPC, CFRE, CAE, CVA. This is a topic I had been considering but didn’t know much about until the session. 
  • “You are Not Alone. Burnout is Real, Relevant, and Recoverable” with Trish Bachman, GPC, Bethany Planton, GPC, and Johna Rodgers, GPC was so well done, I am sure I am not the only attendee who felt it was a highlight! This topic is important, especially as we continue to experience new stressors in our daily lives. Recognizing when burnout is happening and finding a good balance is essential. It’s nice to know that there are grant writers studying this phenomenon.

Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this conference run smoothly, your time and effort did not go unnoticed. We all know it’s not easy to make virtual conferences work, or feel like an in-person gathering, but GPA, you did an amazing job in 2020! I look forward to the day that we are able to gather in person again, but I know that no matter how future GPA events are held, they will always be a great experience.

More information about Conference Scholarships, including application dates and eligibility criteria, is available here.

GPA 2020 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay, by Bethany Watson

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Grant Professionals Foundation Scholarship

While this year has presented its fair share of challenges, one particular highlight was my attendance at the 2020 GPA National Conference. Like most members of the nonprofit sector, the past few months have forced me to be flexible, resilient, and almost completely alter my original grants pipeline I had developed back in September of 2019. Working in the world of hunger relief, we have certainly experienced an unprecedented increase in local food insecurity rates, with the state of Indiana being no exception. Consequently, my organization has been busier than even trying to make our food output meeting the growing need in our service area. With all of this going on at the same time, it was such a gift to spend three days this past November learning from fellow grant professionals, growing in my field, and gathering best practices that I can use to help improve my own work for years to come.

I originally became involved with my local GPA chapter back in 2018 when I began my first position as a grant professional. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know my fellow colleagues and talking about the things that only a grant writer would understand. I am sure I speak for a lot of people when I say that most of my friends and family are not familiar with the minutia that comes with writing/managing a grant department. After attending monthly meetings on a regular basis, I became the board member in charge of programming for the Indiana Chapter starting in January of 2020. At the time, we had no idea how drastically we would have to switch up our schedule of events to provide more virtual opportunities, but it has been a great experience nonetheless. Not only have I been able to participate in professional development sessions, but I have also been able to connect to a wide network of brilliant leaders throughout the nonprofit sector. Maintaining such a great experience just throughout the state level, I knew I would benefit from connecting with fantastic professionals dedicated to their craft across the entire country. It came as no surprise, but I experienced that same level of connection with the national conference this year.

I was a little skeptical about how the switch to a virtual model would affect our ability to network with other colleagues, particularly since this would be my first time attending the conference. While I certainly missed connecting with people in person (not to mention traveling to Denver for a mini-getaway), I thought the Pathable platform was an excellent method for inspiring togetherness even when we were not in the same room. It was even more accessible for those that are typically unable to travel but could attend a conference from the comfort of their own living room! I was able to interact with several online text threads, contribute to chat messages, and even participate in one on one meetings with fellow attendees I met throughout various other sessions. I loved the ability to earn points and track your progress along with the contest leadership board – a healthy level of competition is always an inspiring motivator! Because we were able to view where each grant professional worked, I reached out to several food bank colleagues to hear about their experience writing grants in the realm of charitable hunger relief. I am not often able to connect with other members in the food bank industry, especially those whose roles parallel my own. While I loved hearing and learning about the work of grant professionals in other businesses like arts organizations, advocacy groups, etc., I thoroughly enjoyed getting to hear from colleagues that experience similar challenges and expectations as I do (a little commiseration is always welcome). I have even been able to host virtual meetings with colleagues over the past few weeks since the conference has ended. With this being my first time attending, I can only imagine how many connections I will continue to make each year.

The congeniality and overall amiable quality of the conference was heightened by the model leadership exemplified by Mike Chamberlain, Amanda Day, and of course the witty, motivational style of Jess Pettitt. Their level of care toward the conference and GPA members was evident in their professionality and poise as they kicked off every morning with a healthy dose of optimism. While we were unable to share a meal together in person, I appreciate the availability of virtual lunch break assemblies, with topics ranging from the wide variety of interests displayed by attendees. I myself enjoyed conversations had while participating in the Human Services and Grant Management breakrooms. One could also tell the conference was planned by people who truly understood the needs of those that work in the grant profession, because all of the sessions provided extremely relevant topics to a wide variety of different organizations and a range of experiences from early career members all the way to professionals who have been working with grants for decades. I found myself having a difficult time deciding which ones to pick at certain points during the week, which is why I plan on checking out session recordings while they are still available!

In my field, I particularly enjoy topics surrounding data collection and usage. My own organization is currently in the process of trying to collect more client-centric data, ensuring we utilize this information to inform our programming and best serve the people that need it most. In the past, we typically have concentrated on the number of pounds distributed and individuals served. However, as we focus more on nutrition and the effect of healthy foods on chronic conditions related to hunger, we are intent on measuring factors related to a client’s understanding of a balanced diet, the number of clients experiencing heart disease, hypertension, or diabetes, and access to the nearest healthy food retailer. Since hunger disproportionately affects disadvantaged populations like rural communities, seniors, and People of Color (POC), we are increasingly interested in collecting data relevant to these demographics. As such, I attended quite a few sessions regarding data and evaluation, gleaning valuable information that I can use to help my organization cater to the specific needs of the clients we serve.

We are also embarking on a campaign over the next several years, so I was grateful for sessions related to this topic – especially considering how new I still am to the field. Another relevant subject to my work includes integrating a grants team strategy into organizational goals. In early 2019, we launched a 5-year strategic plan intended to outline our role in closing the meal gap for central and southern Indiana while convening with local social service organizations to develop holistic solutions for Hoosiers living in poverty. I was grateful to attend session relevant to strategic plans, which will help me strengthen our grant team’s role over the next few years in accomplishing long-term objectives. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed every session I attended, having put a lot of thought into the ones I would most enjoy in a live setting. I am also grateful for the continued professional development I will receive as I watch other sessions I was unable to observe during the conference.

I am so incredibly grateful to the Grant Professionals Foundation for providing me with a scholarship to attend my very first conference. Without this funding, I would most likely not have been able to join, thereby missing out on a great community and a wealth of knowledge. Every colleague I had spoken to prior to the conference that had attended in previous years spoke quite highly of this resource and attested to its positive effect on long-term professional outcomes. I can assuredly say that my experience lived up to the high expectations established by my peers. My organization has quite a few large-scale projects coming up over the next few years, requiring an increasingly sophisticated and capable advancement team needed to raise funds for these plans. With the tools and best practices learned throughout the course of this conference, I feel more confident as a grant writer and fundraiser in my ability to effectively communicate our case for support, utilize data to highlight the need for our services, and help establish strategic solutions that truly cater to the people we serve. Thank you to GPF as well as everyone involved in planning the 2020 GPA National Conference for an experience that I will remember throughout my entire career.

More information about Conference Scholarships, including application dates and eligibility criteria, is available here.

GPA 2020 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay, by Alexandra Rudolph

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Grant Professionals Foundation Scholarship

What can be said about the value of the Grants Professional Association’s Annual Conference and the Grant Professional Foundation’s Conference Scholarship to a grant professional?

More than can be surmised in fifteen hundred words. However, defining the undefinable with efficiency and brevity is what we do best as grants professionals! Right?!

I wish to first extend my immense gratitude to the Grants Professional Foundation (GPF). This year, due to the impact of COVID 19, I would have been financially unable to attend the GPA Conference. Thanks to the generous opportunity provided by GPF, I was able to attend the full virtual conference. This conference is an incredible and unmissable event for a grant professional. The tremendous altruism of the grant community and GPF are well represented in this scholarship program. Through these scholarships individual grant professionals like myself, as well as organizations, can advance their knowledge and skill set.

To the Grant Professionals Foundation and the Grant Professionals Association, I extend my heartfelt and sincere thanks.

Why the GPA conference and this scholarship are so important to the grant community at large is clear.

The Grants Professional Association’s (GPA) National Conference is more than workshops and networking. It is a community. Gathered once a year are the best and most knowledgeable professionals in the grant business. They are also the most welcoming and supportive network of people you could hope to join. I have never felt more at home then when I am at a GPA conference (well except for when I am at Disneyland!)

GPA and its affiliated organizations, like GPF, advocate for excellence. They promote ethical practices, support for their members, and help the membership achieve individual success. GPA’s leadership leads by example, upholding the values they espouse. I have interacted with Mike Chamberlain, Kelli Romero, and Barb Boggs on many occasions. Each interaction was professional, friendly, and clearly fueled by a desire to assist their membership. I cannot say enough wonderful things about how immensely helpful GPA staff are. Whether it is clarifying an ethical concern or just fielding general questions about conference registration, the GPA staff are quick to reply and thorough in their response.

As a grant professional at the start of my career, GPA is the best investment I have made towards my future. In a field that requires continued education, GPA provides me with the tools needed to take my grants career in the direction that best suits me. It was through the conference that I was introduced to the Grant Professionals Certification Institute (GPCI). GPCI and the Grant Professional Certification (GPC) are an excellent way to strengthen your knowledge and advance your career. Having an GPC is my next goal as a grant pro. A GPC gives consultants, like me, a way to better showcase our talents and promote ourselves to potential clients. Being afforded this opportunity is truly an amazing thing. Often a grant professionals’ expertise is not fully understood or appreciated. A GPA membership and a GPC give grant professionals an extra layer of support and validation. This is vitally important during those times when a client or organization needs additional guidance or leadership. In those times a grant professional may not be fully appreciated, or their input dismissed. The backing of GPA and a GPC can assist with this, giving strength to the grant pro when they need it most.

Another wonderful aspect of the conference is the networking opportunities. I have attended three GPA Conferences since joining in 2018, two of them have been virtual. During my first conference I signed up for the mentor program. My GPA mentor has been both friend and advisor in the years since. Through my advisor I have met a network of amazing colleagues. Each of whom has shared their time, experience, and expertise with warmth and generosity. At this year’s conference I introduced myself in a lunch session rather meekly, downplaying my role and skill set. My mentor and others in the chat (one of whom was Johna Rogers the VP of GPA’s Board of Directors!) immediately rallied to boost my confidence and help me realize the value of my work. As the session went on, they did the same for others, supporting, and galvanizing each individual with their encouragement. To see how quickly GPA’s membership and leaders rallied to support their members was inspiring. In a year where it seems impossible to stay positive, they were, and freely bestowed that positivity on others! It was also amazing to see that this was possible through a virtual format. That is how genuine each of these amazing individuals and their sentiments were.

Even with the virtual nature of this year’s conference, I was able to make real connections. In previous years there was only a small representation of grant professionals from Northern Arizona, where I work. This year, perhaps because of the virtual nature of the conference, there was a large turnout of grant pros from my neck of the woods. A few were even from my city! It was encouraging to see other professionals from my local area. So, encouraging in fact that at the time of writing this essay a meeting is set to discuss the potential of a Northern Arizona GPA Chapter!

The breakout and lunch sessions were also wonderful. In breakout sessions, each conversation I had was meaningful. It was wonderful to connect with so many other grant professionals. I gained a wealth of new insight into grant work and my colleagues. It was wonderful to share this experience with others in a way that felt natural and intuitive. The breakout sessions were run so smoothly. They were a wonderful way to overcome the limitations of social distancing and to achieve what is best about the conference, building a grant professional family!

At every conference I have taken away lessons I have been able to apply to my work. From federal grant compliance to improving your writing, GPA’s presenters share their skills and advice with the intention to make the grant world better. In my short time as a grant professional I have come across my share of challenges. At each hurdle I have been able to call on something I learned from my GPA Conference experience. The seminars I attended were creative and insightful. Whether the topic was advancing my career or addressing gaps in my skill set, each seminar provided me with something beneficial. For example, Amanda Day’s presentation about Elizabeth Holmes was particularly illuminating. It was an excellent case study in what not to do while running a nonprofit. As someone who is still just starting out (or feels like they are) it was a great introduction to some of the red flags a grants consultant may encounter with potential clients.

This year’s conference left me feeling more confident in my abilities. I felt the skills I already had were strengthened while I grew and gained additional skills. The new skills I acquired this year are already being put to good use with my current work as a subcontractor. When I began working as a grant consultant, I had a very specialized niche, museums. While I worked on a wide variety of grant types (federal, state, local, and foundation) and a wide number of projects, I only truly wrote on one hyper-specific subject matter. When I began to branch out and seek subcontracting opportunities and new clients, I soon realized my specialization may have been limiting my potential.

This conference I focused on attending seminars that would broaden my skill set and help me become a more versatile writer and consultant. This is also why I decided to take on subcontracting work, to apprentice, if you will, under more experienced grant professionals.

While museums are still my foremost passion, it became undeniably obvious that I needed to broaden my expertise to accommodate a larger range of clients more effectively.

Grants and organizations like GPA have a far greater impact that many understand. When a GPA member attends a conference, they take their knowledge and skill back to their communities. This knowledge and these skills are then employed by the grant professional for the good of their community. My goal to broaden my knowledge base was also partially spurred by this realization.

I have become aware that there is a lack of support for schools, non-profits, and youth-based organizations where I live. In a city with a high population of retirees, there are many who argue that organizations and programs that do not directly benefit that population are not worth supporting. Many organizations rely heavily on grants to survive. I hope that in the near future what I have gained from GPA can be instituted in my community.

By supporting me with a GPF scholarship, GPA has not only helped me, but helped my local community.

So, what is the value of the GPA National Conference? In short, it is invaluable.

You cannot put a dollar amount on what can be gained from the conference, or a GPA membership. What you take away from being a part of this community is so individualized and long lasting that in the end you feel you owe GPA!

More information about Conference Scholarships, including application dates and eligibility criteria, is available here.

GPA 2019 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay, by Michael Hertlein

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OR/SW Washington Chapter Michael Wells Scholarship

Not just another cup of coffee.

This was my first GPA annual conference. I had both high expectations for the conference, and at the same time no idea what to expect. Would the lectures really teach me something? Would the networking times really produce anything? Would this be “just another conference” or would I walk away with real-world skills and connections I didn’t have before?

The conference started off positively with Vu-Le giving the opening Keynote Presentation. He managed to summarize many aspects of what it’s like to be a non-profit professional, while challenging us in the non-profit sector to pursue even more collaboration, rather than see other non-profit entities as your competitors. He did so with a dash of humor which kept everyone smiling throughout his presentation.

Then the breakout sessions started. Three days of teaching on a wide variety of topics. Since I am a grant writer by profession I mostly attended classes that would improve my everyday writing, with one or two on career advancement to help me plan for the future. Thus far in my career I have only written grants to private foundations, and as of yet have never written a federal proposal. I of course have heard about federal proposals, how they can be much bigger to write, but also how your clients can potentially receive a lot more money from a federal proposal. Naturally I was interested in an opportunity to win my clients much larger checks, however had very little real knowledge what it takes to write a winning federal grant.

Over the course of these three days I was able to gain incredible insight into the writing and review process of preparing a federal grant, as well as the grant management necessary after a federal grant has been won. This came in the form of formal lectures on federal grant writing and management, as well as sitting down with grant writers who write exclusively federal grants for their city or university.  

Next, I focused on preparing for the GPC exam since receiving the GPC credential is one of my career goals. I had a very similar experience of following formal lectures on reasons to consider the GPC, exam requirements, etc. I also had the opportunity to sit down with a number of GPC’s and hear why they pursued that credential as well as how that credential has affected their career as a non-profit professional. I was also somewhat worried about the logistics of actually taking the exam, however the friendly people of the Grant Professional Certification Institute (GPCI) helped me problem solve a solution that would work for my specific situation.

Finally, I followed a number of sessions specifically on grant writing. During these sessions, I received many simple yet powerful tips and tricks to make the whole grant writing process easier. One powerful example was the importance of clarity. The goal is not to “dumb down” your writing, but make it simple and easy to read. The presenter likened it to trying to open the packaging of a new product. You can eventually get it open, but with difficult packaging you will struggle, possibly even become frustrated. When you make your writing simple and easy to understand you have a better chance the reader will understand it right away, perhaps even enjoy reading your grant. Which will ultimately improve your grant’s chances of being funded.

Throughout the conference there was time to sit down with private and federal grant writers, grant managers, non-profit management software development professionals, and even funders who attended the conference to talk about issues, gain understanding of the other person’s “side of the coin”, and ultimately build connections that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. I have attended a number of online grant writing workshops via my computer in my office, and I intend to do so again in the future. However, the opportunities to network and learn from other professionals with a totally different experience of the non-profit landscape was very enlightening and educational for me. I plan to use all I have learned during this conference and very much look forward to the next conference in Denver, Colorado. Hope to see you there!  

Scholarship applications for the GPA 2020 Annual Conference will open soon. More information is available here.

GPA 2019 Annual Conference Scholarship Essay, by Lisa King

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Grant Professionals Foundation Scholarship

It’s my favorite event of the year – the annual Grant Professionals Association (GPA) Conference. I have been to two previous conferences, but this year I was fortunate enough to be selected as a Grant Professionals Foundation Scholar. This year was also particularly special for me because I earned my Grant Professionals Certification (GPC) in April.

Washington, DC was a dream setting. Coming from Southern California, the cool air and autumn-colored trees set a refreshing tone to be around my grant peers and learn from the experts in the field. Each year I like to choose one to two areas where I feel I need growth and attend the appropriate breakout sessions. My focus was on evaluation and federal funding because the organization I work for, the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE), was recently awarded a Perkins grant and it had been a long time since OCDE had received federal funding.The conference gave me the perfect opportunity to brush up my skills.

The first two sessions I attended were fantastic! I kicked off my morning with A Better (or Just More Fun) Way to Logic Model. The session was hosted by Erin Holbrook from Via Evaluation. Erin was engaging and allowed time for hands-on implementation on how to create a logic model. One of the biggest takeaways was the “If —>Then” logic. It was stated that the Inputs, Activities, and Outputs are the “If” and the Outcomes and Impact are the “Then”. For example, “IF you do x and y, THEN it should equal z.” This logic ultimately shows change over time.

The next session I attended was, Federal Grant Post Award Considerations for Grant Writers. This was hosted by Scott S. Sheffler in partnership with Feldesman + Tucker + Leifer + Fidell, LLP. For those with federal funding or considering federal funding, this session was informative! It was stated in the very beginning that, “Federal grants do not give you money, you are entering into an agreement.” Word to the wise, look at the three “Certains”: 1) certain activities (scope of work); 2) certain time periods (project and budget period); and 3) certain costs (necessary and reasonable). Make sure what you are agreeing to is beneficial to your organization and the beneficiaries of the funding/program. I could have listened to Scott present for hours. The knowledge gained in this session was worth the cost of the conference!

The rest of my days were great and connections I made/make are priceless. I am grateful for this opportunity and look forward to attending more GPA conferences in the future.

Scholarship applications for the GPA 2020 Annual Conference will open soon. More information is available here.