Inspiration

28 Jul

Posted at 18:00h in About AGS, Competency Seven, Inspiration, Megan Campbell, Professional Development, Professionalism
When the email from the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) came at the beginning of 2024 congratulating me on twenty years of membership, I called one of my fellow Gen-X colleagues and joked, “I don't know whether to feel exuberant about a career milestone or join the AARP.” In many ways, 2004 doesn’t feel so very long ago. In other ways, twenty years feels like two hundred. Since 2004, I’ve experienced learning to balance marriage, motherhood, graduate school (twice, because I’m a glutton for punishment), and countless career ups and downs. I’ve been part of creative teams, navigated ever-changing technology, learned valuable leadership skills, and taken professional paths that “2004 me” would never have imagined. I’ve witnessed civic unrest, a new age of social activism, and survived a global pandemic. And I’ve seen the nonprofit sector and philanthropy step up and evolve to continue to meet the community's needs.

03 Jul

Posted at 10:42h in Grants in Action, Inspiration, Success Stories
  The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Division of Health Care Finance (KDHE-DHCF), has successfully secured a $2,5 million grant from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the implementation of School-Based Services (SBS) under KanCare. This grant will enhance the infrastructure necessary to support state and local education agencies (LEAs) in reaching all eligible Medicaid-enrolled children.

16 Jan

Posted at 18:00h in Grants in Action, Inspiration, Success Stories
KidsTLC recently received a $59,617 grant from the Alcohol Tax Fund to support their residential drug and alcohol program. KidsTLC's residential drug and alcohol program addresses the pervasive issues of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders in adolescents by providing comprehensive, integrated treatment, preventing the dire consequences of substance misuse, and promoting positive social outcomes.

26 May

Posted at 18:23h in Competency One, Federal Grants, Funding Opportunities, Government Grants, Inspiration, Kellie Brunguard, Program Design

This Memorial Day, we recognize the sacrifice those who serve our country have made; through their time, families, and, ultimately, their lives. Assel Grant Services recognizes and pays gratitude to those who have served our country and takes this time to acknowledge the history, a...

23 Jan

Posted at 19:46h in Case Statements, Competency Four, Inspiration, Kellie Brunguard, Narrative, Strategy, Writing
Did you wake up with a foreboding sense of deja vu? Like you've written the exact same narrative over and over again? There are not too many occasions when I can relate to Bill Murray waking up and reliving the same day, except when I find myself reworking the same narrative for another application. You know the feeling – when you have tried and true narrative pieces that perfectly depict the history, need, and program design that makes you feel like you are stuck on repeat? So, what can you do when the programs aren’t changing, but you need to breathe some life into the writing? Here are some tips to refresh your writing and wake up feeling rejuvenated for a busy grant season!

07 Jan

Posted at 20:29h in Competency Three, Inspiration, Kellie Brunguard, Professionalism, Program Design, Program Development, Strategy
What about January makes us habitually declare resolutions that will result in a new and improved version of ourselves? It could be that following a season of holiday parties and socks filled with candy, we need a hard reset. Or the accountability en-mass as like-minded individuals dredge out of their homes to the gym. Research shows goal-setters have a higher success rate when starting the commitment to pursue a goal after a temporal landmark (e.g., a new week, month, birthday, or holiday); this is called the “fresh start effect.” This phenomenon of New Year’s resolutions is more common in the United States. A poll conducted for the last three years reports that 44% of U.S. participants set a new goal, while only 12-18% of Swedish residents make a resolution.

11 Dec

Posted at 19:29h in Competency Eight, Competency Five, Competency Seven, Funder Relations, Grant Calendar, Grants Management, Inspiration, Kellie Brunguard, Professional Development, Strategy
This time of year starts to get a little strange between projects wrapping up for the year, the time change I still have not adjusted to, and differing work schedules for holiday plans and using up vacation time. While some like to bank their paid time off to have a full holiday break (which is fully respectable), I like to use this quieter time to work on projects that get pushed to the side during busy seasons. Here are some ways I like to use downtime to my advantage.

15 Nov

Posted at 21:49h in Community, Competency Three, Competency Two, Inspiration, Relationships, Roxanne Jensen, ED. SPEC.
With Thanksgiving just over a week away, I find myself taking a few minutes to reflect on the nonprofits that provide services to those individuals in our community who need support. These organizations have diligently served our community through challenging times, some for many years. Their steadfast service and that of their talented staff, uplift our communities. While there are so many amazing organizations I could highlight, I am especially grateful for the following organizations…

25 Oct

Posted at 19:49h in Competency Seven, Inspiration, Julie Assel, GPC, Professional Development, Professionalism
When I was a kid, I loved Halloween. I loved dressing up and pretending to be someone else - someone that was better, stronger, and more capable than I felt I would ever be. Fast forward through the decades and I recognize there are times when I want to pretend to be someone else - someone who is better, stronger, and more capable than I sometimes feel. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized what I was feeling was imposter syndrome. During my tenure with the Grant Professionals Certification Institute board of directors, I started to see that many grant professionals feel the same way.