Grant Professionals Association

Grant Professionals Association The Grant Professionals Association is a nonprofit membership association. GPA does not write grants.

The Grant Professionals Association, a nonprofit membership association, builds and supports an international community of grant professionals committed to serving the greater public good by practicing the highest ethical and professional standards. GPA members come from every state in the Union (and beyond) and represent every level and every sector of the grants field. GPA provides professional development, networking and membership benefits.

Integrating Technology Purchases into Healthcare Grant ProposalsNovember 12, 2026 | 1:00 PM CSTAmber WalkerThis webinar ...
06/08/2026

Integrating Technology Purchases into Healthcare Grant Proposals

November 12, 2026 | 1:00 PM CST

Amber Walker

This webinar is intended to elaborate on commonly used technologies in healthcare and hospital space. It is intended to help the average grant writer better understand the basics of technology in healthcare and how it can be integrated into grant fundable projects.

Staying up to date and knowledgeable about current funding opportunities, the needs of your communities, and the needs and capacity of your organization are just a few of the things grant writers must master. Healthcare grant writers are also increasingly tasked with familiarizing themselves with new and innovative technology being utilized by the healthcare workforce.

Often times technology, especially in healthcare, is a means to an end. A pilar in which effective healthcare delivery would not be possible without. This presentation will explore how most grant funders are not interested in funding “products” but are much more interested in the projects and community outcomes that rely on those products.

The webinar will focus on identifying the differences between commonly used technology in healthcare. The training will also discuss four to six Use Case/Grant Funded Projects supporting the following. (AI Notes/Clinical Decision/Telehealth/Cyber Security/Innovative Technology/Remote Wearables)

Real-world examples and templates will be provided to help participants craft compelling, compliant, and competitive proposals that leverage technology to enhance care delivery and health equity.

https://grantschool.grantprofessionals.org/courses/144681

Grant Application Horror Stories - Tales from the ScriptOctober 22, 2026 | 1:00 PM CDTAmy Shankland, GPCAvoid common, fr...
06/08/2026

Grant Application Horror Stories - Tales from the Script

October 22, 2026 | 1:00 PM CDT

Amy Shankland, GPC

Avoid common, frightening, panic-inducing situations involved in creating and submitting grant proposals! Attendees will hear the presenter’s true “horror stories” and learn how to prevent them thanks to practical, simple steps that save time (and screams.)

Finally, we’ll open up the floor for attendees to share their own horror stories and lessons learned.

Don’t be scared – hear these “tales from the script” and be ready to share your own heart-stopping stories.

https://grantschool.grantprofessionals.org/courses/144578

GPA Collaborative Discussion: Leading from the Middle - Advocacy & Cultivation StrategiesOctober 8, 2026 | 1:00 PM CDTAm...
06/08/2026

GPA Collaborative Discussion:

Leading from the Middle - Advocacy & Cultivation Strategies

October 8, 2026 | 1:00 PM CDT

Amanda Day, GPC
Kimberly Hays De Muga, GPC

Too often, grant professionals find themselves shoved in a cubicle, forgotten by bosses and boards, until it’s time to figure out funding during a crisis. Ask most colleagues what grant pros spend our days doing, and they will tell you we write. And sure, we do a lot of writing. But we do so much more than that.

Successful grant professionals:

Match funding opportunities to community needs
Are skilled at prospect research
Find data and stories in support of our cause for funding
Build a program from scratch (when there are no program directors experienced in program development)
Create goals and objectives
Build logic models
Collect documentation
Build budgets
Submit reports
Track the spending
Understand funding regulations – even as they change
AND SO MUCH MORE

Whether you write one grant a year or more than 100, you are responsible for funding the good works of your organization and the community you serve. We are leaders within our organizations, communities, and profession. We speak out against inequities in the funding realm.

And yet, so often, grant professionals are not afforded a seat at the leadership table. We often do this work alone, rather than with a team. Many times, budgets are set by the powers that be without any input on what is feasible in the grant-seeking world. We are not asked for our opinion on organizational values, program priorities, and other related matters. But that’s not how it should be.

In this Collaborative Discussion, we will talk about how to establish yourself as a leader in the role as grant professional, learning to advocate for yourself and those you serve.

Together, we will discuss communication strategies and other methods to help grant professionals lead from the middle. Through group discussion, we can learn what has worked for others, allowing us to implement new tools at our own agencies.

https://grantschool.grantprofessionals.org/courses/142526

Train-the-Trainer Series: Embracing a Wider AudienceOctober 5, 2026 | 1:00 PM CDTJess Pettitt, M.Ed., MBA, CSPKnowing ou...
06/08/2026

Train-the-Trainer Series:

Embracing a Wider Audience

October 5, 2026 | 1:00 PM CDT

Jess Pettitt, M.Ed., MBA, CSP

Knowing ourselves is to know who and how we are in the world. When training others, seeking funding, or reviewing applications, our own experiences could have a positive or negative impact on what we perceive. Let’s spend some time remembering who we are!

1) Start with personal reflection on each participant’s own definition of responsibility and agency. Not everyone is the same and working across these differences really matter.
2) Identify what feels safe, comfortable, risky, and scary.
3) Acknowledging the impact of positive and negative bias on target audience.
4) Reviewing language that may limit your reach intentionally and unintentionally.
5) Building the habit of repeating this reflection process.

https://grantschool.grantprofessionals.org/courses/198557

What has Changed - A Three-Year Study of the Use of AI in the Grant ProfessionSeptember 24, 2026 | 1:00 PM CDTCyndi MacK...
06/08/2026

What has Changed - A Three-Year Study of the Use of AI in the Grant Profession

September 24, 2026 | 1:00 PM CDT

Cyndi MacKenzie, GPC

Since 2024, Cyndi has authored and analyzed the only AI‑focused survey designed specifically for grant professionals. This session presents the newest findings from that ongoing research, offering a clear picture of how the field’s use of — and comfort with — large language models (LLMs) has evolved as new tools emerge tailored to grant development, prospect research, and nonprofit operations.

Participants will explore year‑over‑year trends in adoption, perceived risks, ethical considerations, and practical applications of AI in grant work. The session will also examine how the rapid expansion of grant‑specific AI platforms is reshaping expectations for efficiency, accuracy, and professional standards.

https://grantschool.grantprofessionals.org/courses/144387

GPA Benefit Marketplace Webinar: Grant Professionals Association Member Health Coverage OverviewGPA Members & Non-Member...
06/08/2026

GPA Benefit Marketplace Webinar:

Grant Professionals Association Member Health Coverage Overview

GPA Members & Non-Members: Free

September 14, 2026 | 1:00 PM CDT

Tim McNichols

An educational webinar in which we will review the basics of Grant Professionals Member Health Coverage Program offered to all members through the partnership with AJ Gallagher. The Gallagher team will present a complete overview of this program and discuss how members can access these affordable coverage options that include Medicare/Medicare Advantage, major medical coverage, and health coverage options for business owners and their employees along with a full suite of other health coverage solutions.

https://grantschool.grantprofessionals.org/courses/186970

Inside the Reviewer's Mind: What Grant Reviewers Really Look ForAugust 27, 2026 | 1:00 PM CDTStephanie Schweitzer Dixon,...
06/08/2026

Inside the Reviewer's Mind: What Grant Reviewers Really Look For

August 27, 2026 | 1:00 PM CDT

Stephanie Schweitzer Dixon, M.S., GPC

This interactive session will help participants understand how grant reviewers evaluate applications and what separates high-scoring proposals from those that are declined. Through a structured PowerPoint presentation, the facilitator, who is a professional peer reviewer, will walk participants through the typical grant review process, common scoring criteria, and the key elements reviewers look for when assessing need, project design, budget alignment, and organizational capacity.

Participants will examine real-world insights from a reviewer’s perspective and learn practical strategies to align their proposals with funder expectations. A guided group discussion will allow attendees to reflect on common grant writing challenges, share experiences, and apply reviewer-focused thinking to their own proposals. By the end of the session, participants will have a clearer understanding of how grant applications are evaluated and how to strengthen their proposals to be more competitive.

https://grantschool.grantprofessionals.org/courses/146229

Train-the-Trainer Series: Presenting with Props - Using Visual Aids to Reinforce Learning and Increase EngagementAugust ...
06/08/2026

Train-the-Trainer Series:

Presenting with Props - Using Visual Aids to Reinforce Learning and Increase Engagement

August 3, 2026 | 11:00 AM CDT

Quinn Conyers

Grant professionals frequently serve as trainers, facilitators, and presenters, yet the content they deliver can often feel technical, hard to execute or difficult for audiences to retain.

Presenting with Props is an interactive train-the-trainer session that equips attendees with practical strategies for using props, visual aids, and audience engagement tools to create presentations that are more interactive, memorable, and message-driven across in-person and virtual environments.

During this session, Quinn Conyers will teach her TNT Framework, a practical approach trainers can use to visually bring their message to life. Using live examples, demonstration, and participant engagement, attendees will learn how to use tangible props, intentional wording, and visual emphasis to reinforce key points, support comprehension, and improve message retention.

Learning objectives will be met through a mix of training, demonstration, audience interaction, and hands-on application.

Attendees will leave with practical techniques they can use right away to strengthen delivery, reduce content overload, and create more engaging learning experiences without adding unnecessary fluff, redundancy, or overwhelm.

https://grantschool.grantprofessionals.org/courses/148108

Servant & Transformational Leadership - Empowering Teams for Resilient Grant CultureAugust 13, 2026 | 1:00 PM CDTDr. Bra...
06/08/2026

Servant & Transformational Leadership - Empowering Teams for Resilient Grant Culture

August 13, 2026 | 1:00 PM CDT

Dr. Brandi Rae Hicks

This one-hour interactive webinar equips grant professionals with practical leadership strategies to build resilient, high-performing grant teams. Grounded in servant and transformational leadership principles, participants will learn how to foster trust, strengthen collaboration, and create a culture of shared accountability during high-pressure funding cycles.

Participants will meet the learning objectives through guided reflection, leadership self-assessments, and facilitated exercises that model real-world team dynamics. Attendees will engage in structured activities to practice trust-based delegation, feedback techniques, and team communication strategies that can be immediately applied in their organizations.

Actionable solutions include conducting leadership self-assessments, implementing trust-based delegation and feedback practices, facilitating team reflection conversations, and co-creating a “resilience charter” to support collective ownership and performance. The session also introduces tools to improve communication, enhance psychological safety, and sustain team morale across departments.

Participants will leave with a ready-to-use leadership toolkit designed to strengthen internal culture, improve grant outcomes, and support long-term organizational resilience.

https://grantschool.grantprofessionals.org/courses/166002

While Congress was still fighting over this year's FY 2026 budget, particularly Homeland Security and the government shu...
06/08/2026

While Congress was still fighting over this year's FY 2026 budget, particularly Homeland Security and the government shutdown, the President released his proposed FY 2027 budget on April 3 for Congress to review.

Join Karen Norris, June 23, 2026, Tue 1:00 PM CDT for GPA Webinar: President's Proposed FY 2027 Budget and Impact to Grants to learn what this means for you.

https://grantschool.grantprofessionals.org/courses/218388

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10540 Marty Street, Suite 115
Overland Park, KS
66212

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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