#GPAConf17 -- It's almost here!

Starting Wednesday afternoon (November 8, 2017) the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) will host the BEST professional development opportunity for grant writers, grant managers, and anyone who has anything to do with grants! And yes, I will be there.  

I attended by first GPA conference in 2005 in Scottsdale, Arizona. In all honesty, when I attended the conference in 2005, I was thinking about transitioning into a new field. I was burnt out on everything grants...from researching, to writing, to managing. I was really feeling done. Then, I attended the conference and I found MY PEOPLE! They were everywhere and so incredibly accessible. I found people who did what I did! Best of all, I found they were willing to share what they knew.  

Now, 12 years later, I'm getting ready to travel to San Diego to attend the conference, make a presentation (or two), and serve grant professionals as a member of the National Board of Directors for GPA. Best of all, I get to see people I know call friends (that I don't get to see that often). I also get to meet new people, teach a class with my friend and colleague Cheryl Kester, and continue to be impressed by my colleagues (who know so much). Along the way, I'll find funny stories to share (ask me about how the Uniform Guidance got blessed by the Pope), new ideas that will make me think about articles to write, and find a renewed sense of energy. If you can't be there, I will be tweeting using #GPAConf17 and sharing funny and interesting things as I learn them.

Take my advice, if you have anything to do with grants, YOU need to be part of GPA and YOU need to make plans to attend #GPAConf18 (which will be in Chicago). If you're at the #GPAConf17 and we haven't met yet, please find me and say hi!