Grant Professionals of Lower Hudson
GPLH Co-President Alison Paul will be teaching a virtual course this fall through Westchester Community College: “Grant Writing Basics for NonProfit Organizations” will be offered via ZOOM from 6-9 pm on four Thursdays: October 7, 14, 21 and 28.
Class Description
Learn how nonprofits raise funds, including the importance of grants. Gain knowledge and skills to develop effective foundation proposals. Topics include how to find grant prospects; the elements of a strong proposal; how to write a clear and compelling requests and the basics of budgets.
The class is interactive with assignments culminating in completing a short proposal. There will be writing activities and interactive breakout groups, as well as a detailed PowerPoint presentation filled with guidance, useful information, and many examples of proposals and budgets. Designed for those who want to hone their grant writing skills or learn more about the field.
Registration Information
Click here to view the WCC course catalog, then:
Register Online: Go to www.sunywcc.edu/mywcc. Click on “Class Search-Continuing Ed." then type CE-GRANT 2000 into the search box
Register by Phone: Call 914-606-6830, press #1.
About the Instructor
Alison Paul launched her grant strategy and grant writing business in 2008. Inspired to help clients fulfill their important missions, she has written grants for the arts, advocacy, children, the environment, human services, social justice, and other causes. Her work includes grant writing, prospect research, assessing grant readiness, editing, and mentoring grant writers.
Alison has also assisted organizations with strategic planning, creating fundraising plans and writing cases of support. She has presented grant-writing workshops and moderated panels for several organizations in Westchester. She is co-president of Grants Professionals of Lower Hudson (GPLH) and was previously President of the Association of Development Officers (ADO).
In fall 2021, Alison was appointed CEO of Destination College, which helps under-resourced high school students achieve academic success, obtain admission to and persist in college. She was a grant writer for 10 years at the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns, raising over $12 million. As Executive Director of the Pelham Art Center she was involved in all aspects of fundraising and management. She worked previously as Director of Education at the South Street Seaport Museum and The Hudson River Museum.
In spring 2021, GPLH distributed two surveys to grant writers and consultants to get an accurate sense of compensation. These salary surveys guide potential employers about a fair rate of pay for grant professionals in our area.
GPLH 2021 Salary Survey Results.pdf
Grant Professionals of Lower Hudson is conducting a salary survey and needs your help. GPLH uses the information from our salary surveys to advise potential employers about a fair rate of pay for grant professionals in our area.
There is one survey for grant writers who work for an organization, and one for grant writing consultants. The surveys are anonymous and only 10 questions - approximately 3 minutes to complete. Your input is critical.
Please use the links below to complete one of the two surveys:
Grant writer at an organization survey
Grant writing consultant survey
We appreciate receiving your responses as soon as possible.
If you would like to contact the survey master, contact Lydia Howie at howiemarketing1@gmail.com.
The GPLH Board of Directors is a talented, dedicated group of professionals who volunteer their time to ensure that GPLH is a vibrant and effective organization that brings benefits and enrichment to our members.
We are proud to announce our 2021 GPLH Board of Directors:
Starting with our Executive Committee, all of whom are returning Board members:
This year, we are excited to announce we have been able to expand our Board, thanks to the following individuals who have agreed to serve for the first time in 2021:
We are also grateful to the following returning Board members:
Learn more about our Board members here.
There’s always room for more talented and dedicated people! If you have interest in learning more about serving on the GPLH Board, or if you’d like to volunteer your time and talents in any way, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more, send an email to info.gplh@gmail.com.
Grant Professionals of Lower Hudson is hosting ZOOM workshops to discuss the mechanics and actual writing of the Impact100 Westchester Letter of Inquiry application. The LOI's are due 1/15/21.
GPLH is providing these sessions as a free community service to Westchester County nonprofits. Part of our mission is to help increase the likelihood of grants being funded. These sessions are being held independently of Impact100 Westchester.
The sessions are not “mandatory,” and participation will not influence Impact100 Westchester’s review of your application. However, over the past few years, many organizations whose grant writers or other staff members participated in one of the support sessions ended up as semifinalists and finalists.
The sessions will be led by Joanne Stewart, Owner/President of goodworks Advisory Group, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in Grant Writing, Marketing and Communications, and Board Development for nonprofit organizations. Joanne is currently GPLH Secretary, and is also a GPLH founding Board Member and Past President.
SESSION DATES*
(*One session per participant please)
Grant Professionals of Lower Hudson (GPLH) members have been providing critical support for nonprofits in their struggles to acquire essential funding throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Through GPLH, members have also donated their services to help the nonprofit community identify and respond to an array of new COVID related opportunities.
“Members of GPLH quickly rose to the occasion to navigate new applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and to determine which CARES Act Programs were right for specific agencies. They also took up the task to try to close shortfalls that occurred when special event fundraisers (which many agencies rely upon for a significant amount of their overall fundraising revenue) had to be put on hold,” said GPLH Co-President Lisa Keogh. “We have heard from many GPLH members that the revenue secured through grant channels helped to keep the doors open at many local non-profit agencies.”
GPLH Co-president Nancy Keane pointed out that many charitable foundations in the region also provided extra support for financially challenged nonprofits: "The financial sustainability of the Hudson Valley non-profit sector is more critical than ever and we are fortunate to have a supportive network of foundation and corporate funders.” She added: “Amid a flurry of COVID related relief funding with short turnaround times, GPLH members were quick to lend a hand to secure funding for numerous trusted frontline community organizations hardest hit by the pandemic.”
GPLH members have been integrally involved with seeking COVID funds for nonprofits throughout the lower Hudson Valley in a number of different ways, including:
Collectively, GPLH members have raised millions for our agencies. Some successes include:
GPLH’s members also provided essential support for nonprofits in other regions, including Connecticut. GPLH member Terri Eberle Katz reports that her Connecticut based agency "successfully secured COVID-19 response grants from six community foundations in Western and Central Connecticut and several corporate funders. These grants are helping to ensure that a children's behavioral health nonprofit can provide secure, confidential telehealth therapy and other supports to kids and teens in this area who are struggling without the structure of school, sports and other extracurricular activities."
As an organization, GPLH quickly responded to the pandemic to assist members and their organizations. Over recent months, GPLH has:
In addition, GPLH member Choice Words LLC partnered with the Ulster County Economic Development Office to host a free webinar on grant writing and research for nearly 60 nonprofit organizations.
GPLH Board Member Alison Paul will be teaching a virtual course on Grant Writing Basics this fall through Westchester Community College.
The class is for those new to grant writing or those who want to hone their skills. Topics include grant prospect research, the basic components of a well-crafted grant, many helpful hints and do’s and don'ts, plus tips on how to jump start a grant writing career.
The class will meet from 6-9 pm on four Wednesdays this October: 10/7, 10/14, 10/121 and 10/28.
Details can be found in the fall 2020 WCC Workforce Development & Community Education catalogue. The course title is Grant Writing Basics, CE-GRANT 2000. It is listed in the catalog on page 3.
For more information about the course, contact Alison Paul at apaulconsultant@gmail.com.
We are proud to announce our 2020 GPLH Board of Directors. Starting with our Executive Committee:
Returning for a second year as Co-President is Lisa Keogh, a founding Board member of GPLH. Joining her as our other Co-President is Nancy Keane, a GPLH member since 2017 and a Board member since 2018. Filling the Vice President role is Alison Paul, who is also serving as Program Co-Chair. Alison first joined the Board in 2018. Returning as Secretary is Joanne Stewart, who is also a GPLH Founding Board Member and Past President. Stepping in as Treasurer, in her first year on the Board, is Deborah Brown.
Also new to the Board are Emily Cantres Marshall, Program Co-Chair; and Steve Densmore, Public Relations Chair.
Returning Board members are: Barbara Cervoni, Website Chair, who joined the Board last year; Terri Eberle Katz, Intern Program Chair since 2019 and now also Social Media Chair; Lydia Howie, our Founding President and Immediate Past President, serving this year as Member Services Chair; and Carol Nordgren, Job Bank Chair, a Board member since 2017.
Many thanks to this year’s outgoing Board members who generously gave their time and talents while they served on the Board: Christine Chenevey, Charlisa Garg and Fiona Matthew.
The Association of Development Officers has graciously agreed to offer discounted tickets to GPLH members for their Annual Philanthropy Awards Breakfast, which will be held on March 4, 2020 at Tappan Hill in Tarrytown.
Join us as we salute the 2020 Philanthropy Award honorees, recognize their efforts to make our community a better place and celebrate their extraordinary contributions.
The 2020 Honorees are:
Ticket Discount
GPLH members have been offered tickets at the special ADO rate of $75 This is a $25 savings on the non-profit rate and a $50 savings on the business rate.
To receive this discount:
There will be a GPLH table at the breakfast. To be seated at our table, include a note with your RSVP card. If purchasing tickets online, add your request to the “Company” field of the online form. Please also send an email to info@gplh.com so we can be sure you’re added to our table.
The Grant Professionals Certification Institute (GPCI) presented Lydia Howie, Founding President of the Grant Professionals of Lower Hudson (GPLH), with its 2019 Pauline G. Annarino Award, the grant writing industry’s highest national honor for impact on the grant writing industry and profession.
The award was presented on November 8, 2019 in Washington, DC, at the national Grant Professional Association’s annual conference attended by 880 attendees.
Ms. Howie was recognized for founding the Grant Professionals of Lower Hudson in 2008 (an organization that has grown to 234 members and “friends”) and for her many other contributions to the grant writing industry, including: regularly guest speaking on grant writing both locally and nationally; authoring numerous industry articles; encouragning and supporting more than 10 individuals who have become grant writers or consultants; promoting and assisting three others to obtain their Grant Profession Certification (GPC); and fielding hundreds of calls from nonprofit agencies, grant writers, and individuals considering a grant writing career.
Through the Grant Professionals of Lower Hudson, Ms. Howie has firmly established a grant writing legacy in Westchester County. GPLH has become one of the major regional nonprofit support agencies in the County providing: quarterly education; a Meet the Funders event; an internship program to “breed” grant writers; free counseling to individuals interested in becoming a grant writer as well as to nonprofits who seek grant writing advice; job/consultant referral; speakers bureau; free website resources; and networking.
Ms. Howie was the first in Westchester to earn her Grant Professional Certification - the “CPA” of the grants industry. Since 1999, she has been owner of Howie Marketing & Consulting, a grant writing firm that has raised over $40 million for area nonprofits.
About the Grant Professionals Certification Institute
The Grant Professionals Certification Institute (GPCI) administers the nationally recognized Grant Professional Certified (GPC) credential to grant professionals who meet eligibility requirements and successfully demonstrate proficiency in the required competencies. The GPC certification is based on rigorous standards and ongoing research to meet real-world demands of grant professionals. GPC-credentialed grant professionals demonstrate excellence in the grants profession.
About the Pauline G. Annarino Award
The Pauline G. Annarino Award acknowledges the efforts of an agency, group or individual who has elevated the status of the grants profession by promoting, steering, and/or marketing our profession as a significant contributor to our society. The awardee’s contributions have had a lasting impact on the grants profession and will serve as a foundation for the growth of the profession.
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info.GPLH@gmail.com
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