GPA Shines Online
Written by: Ruth Famojuro
Management Concepts was pleased to attend and exhibit at the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) annual conference Nov 4-6, 2020. Like so many other conferences this year, it was held in the state of PZ (Pathable/Zoom). Despite the physical distance and digital format, GPA’s unique personality continued to welcome and assist newcomers to the group and brainstorm with colleagues over grant challenges. By combining lighthearted appearances by the very entertaining emcee Jess Pettitt, who injected her own brand of humor into conference announcements, and appearances by URL the Squirrel, along with virtual lunch table discussions and excellent presentations, GPA continued its tradition of fun, educational experiences.
GPA serves grant writers, managers, and funders, from private foundation funding to massive federal grant applicants and pass-through entities. Conference sessions for those working in the federal grants space included:
- Federal Grants: What am I agreeing to? The Myriad Policy Obligations that Attach to Grant Funding
- Building a Centralized Grants Office that Fits Your Organization
- Finding and Securing Funding for Health Care Projects
- Grant Funding for Public Safety Technologies in 2021
- Planning for the Year Ahead! Insights on the 2021 US Education Department Budget and Other Federal K-12 Grants
- A Must Do: Be a Grant Reviewer!
- Federal Grant Readiness: A Case Study
- Managing a Grant with Confidence, Compliance, and Capacity
- Ten Tips for Improving Your Federal Proposal to Peer Reviewers
- Organization and Documentation Strategies for Successful Federal Grant Applications
- The Feds Want People Like You! Use Your Expertise and Become a Grant Peer Reviewer
I was able to attend some, but not all, of these sessions. Fortunately, they are recorded for attendees to revisit throughout the coming year. But I must say, the virtual lunch discussions were my favorite part of the online conference due to the informal discussions amongst colleagues that occurred there and the level to which it reminded me of an in-person GPA conference.
We also enjoyed the conversations we had with GPA members at our virtual booth and were excited to share information about our newest grants courses and updates, including Federal Grants Update.
We’re looking forward to seeing all of our grants friends in Seattle in 2021. Until then, visit our partnership page to learn about our ongoing activities with GPA.
