Professional Development

16 Nov Circles of an Inbetweener by Maryam Gilmore, JD

Posted at 09:22h in Competency Seven, Maryam Gilmore, Professional Development, Professionalism

I recently attended my first-ever Grant Professionals Association (GPA) national conference – virtually, at that (because, you know, the pandemic). It was three days of absorbing information, dialoguing with colleagues, and notating my personal takeaways. I’m what I’d call, an inbetweener in the grant profession; I’m on the cusp of entering the mid-career mark but not quite there yet years-wise. I went into this conference with excitement and hope and left with certain unanticipated lessons learned. During the opening session, our emcee (Jess Pettitt) encouraged conference attendees to record our ‘circles.’ Although she gave a definition, I took this to basically mean, review our session notes and reflect on lessons learned at the end of each day, and circle the ones that personally resonated the most. I made countless observations and learned a ton, but here’s a snippet of what spoke loudest to me.

04 Nov Oh, The Places You’ll Go (And Have Been)! By: Tracey Diefenbach, GPC

Posted at 08:08h in Competency Seven, Inspiration, Professional Development, Tracey Diefenbach

I always think of the last quarter of the year as the “learning season” when I attend the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) National Conference and begin thinking about the year past and ahead. This is not an easy process for me. As a grants professional, it is so easy to get bogged down in the daily grind, but this season really forces me and gives me permission to think about my own learning and goals. It reminds me of the Dr. Suess book Oh, The Places You’ll Go. A friend gave me this to me when I graduated college with my bachelor’s degree. At the young age of 20, I could not even begin to imagine where I would go. Some 20 years later, after working as an in-house grant professional and now working in a consultant role, I am using this learning season in 2020 to really reflect on where I have been and where I will still go. There are so many different paths in the grant professional’s work. This just one example – my journey.

21 Sep GPC and Youth Development – What’s Youth Got to Do with It? by Tracey Diefenbach, GPC

Posted at 21:19h in Professional Development, Program Design, Program Development, Tracey Diefenbach

As a grant professional and GPC holder who has spent the majority of my career in youth development, I cannot help but consider how earning my GPC has shaped my ability to impact this sector. Sure, having a GPC raises ethical standards and increases knowledge and skill sets in key areas like research, project design, and writing to improve quality and efficiency, but what about a deeper level of impact? I truly believe having a GPC can significantly advance a grant professional’s ability to drive meaningful change, not only within their organizations but also within their broader sector. I have experienced this firsthand in my work with youth-serving organizations.

22 Nov Fear of the GPC Exam by Thomas Assel, GPC

Posted at 21:29h in GPC Credential, Inspiration, Professional Development, Thomas Assel, GPC

The GPC exam. Is it really that scary? I mean, what’s there to fear? Sure, it costs about $500, and you might fail, which would be a hit to the wallet as well as the ego. And all that time you spent preparing will have...

17 Jun Deciding Between Grant Writing Companies?

Posted at 21:37h in GPC Credential, Organizational Readiness, Professional Development

Deciding Between Grant Writing Companies? Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Having GPCs on Staff Hiring a grant writing company to support your organization with its grant applications and management is a cost- and resource-efficient way to improve your funding chances. It also takes the burden of work...

22 Oct Why Does Having a GPC (Grant Professional Certification) Matter? By Kari Cronbaugh-Auld, MSW, GPC

Posted at 21:53h in GPC Credential, Inspiration, Professional Development

Anyone who has written or read a grant knows you must be able to put your ideas into writing in a way that makes sense, is grammatically correct, and answers the questions the funders want to know. Ideally, after reading your proposal, the funder will...

15 Apr Preparing Your District to Become a 21st Century Community Learning Centers Funded Partner by Julie Alsup, GPC

Posted at 21:55h in Childcare, Federal Grants, Julie Alsup, GPC, K-12 Education, Professional Development, Program Design, Research, Youth Development

Is your school district or youth-serving organization looking to launch or expand an afterschool program? If so, the U.S. Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant opportunity may be a fit for you. These grants are federal dollars passed through the states to...