Are you a fan of awards, and maybe even awards shows? I totally am.
I used to attend an Oscar best picture marathon with friends. The two Saturdays before Oscar night, you’d find me at the local AMC, watching five movies a day, because it was so much more fun to watch the show having seen so many of the nominated performances. (Though there are some movies – hello “Tree of Life” – that I could have gone without.)
From the Emmys and Oscars to the Tonys, Grammys, and Academy of Country Music Awards, I love the pageantry of it all. It’s fun to pull for your favorites. I love the acceptance speeches, even the ones that go on long after the music has tried to play the winners off the stage. It’s such a joy to see people recognized for their hard work.
Dedication to one’s craft is an honor worth celebrating, in every profession.
During the 2024 GrantSummit, we had an insightful conversation with David Lindeman, CFRE, GPC, the Director of Grants & Development for the Society of Neuroscience. David kindly shared how he was able to use grants to fund the many awards programs overseen by his organization. Want to learn exactly how he made that happen? Take a listen to the Fundraising HayDay Podcast episode HERE.
Awards really do have an impact on so many professions, including the world of grants. In 2022, my dear friend Lisa Jackson called me up and asked if I would co-author a journal article about the value and purpose of professional service awards. She has a heart and a passion for the topic, so I immediately said yes.
The abstract of the article gives you insight into the topic:
Grant professional service awards have tremendous value to the profession, recipient, and community. To ensure such awards have longevity and honor those who make their mark in our field, members of the profession should embrace the awards, seek out worthy recipients, and strive to emulate those who have won. The case is made that everyone is capable of being an award winner and leaders are needed. We acknowledge that some of our pioneers are retiring and leaving the field for a variety of reasons, and we need to capture their stories now. By developing a public repository of their achievements through an award process, all of us will have access to those stories and will be able to continue the best practices evidenced in past achievements. The grant profession, through professional service awards, is able to thank those who came before us, appreciate the breadth and depth of their volunteerism and work, and value the foundation that those we honor have provided for all of us.
If you want to dive into the article, you can find it HERE.
The Grant Professionals Association (GPA) has three annual awards:
(1) The GPA Grantmaker of the Year “recognizes grantmaking organizations that have improved the way grant professionals do their work and acknowledges outstanding contributions to the field of grantsmanship.”
Nominations are currently open, and you can do so HERE. The deadline is May 31, 2025.
I love that we are rewarding funders (both public and private) who are positively impacting our communities. We need funders who are willing and able to improve their grant processes, build equitable relationships with grantees, and practice trust-based philanthropy. When we find these funders, we should shout it from the rooftops!
(2) The GPA President’s Award “acknowledges the profound appreciation for the recipient’s efforts to advance the Grant Professional Association, grants profession, and the community through their outstanding dedication and leadership during the president’s term.” You can learn more about the award and view past winners HERE.
This is a great way for GPA to recognize the contribution of volunteers, leaders, and unsung heroes within the ranks of membership. Professional organizations do not thrive because staff alone works their tails off. It takes the dedication and care of its members to build community, and I love that a member’s work is highlighted each year.
(3) The Grant Professionals’ Class of Distinguished Fellows is sponsored by GPA, the Grant Professionals Certification Institute, and the Grant Professionals Foundation. “It was founded in 2018 to recognize and preserve the history of professional grant proposal writers, grant managers, and grant development professionals…(it) strives to keep alive inductees’ tradition and spirit and to honor each year those persons who, through distinguished achievement, have excelled in their professional and volunteer roles.”
You can learn more HERE. Nominations are open year-round, with an annual deadline (typically) in November.
Your 2025 Class of Distinguished Fellows includes my dear friend Lisa Jackson, GPC and the brilliant Lucy Morgan, CPA. I’m honored to know them both and beyond thrilled for the recognition bestowed upon these talented grant professionals.
Many organizations within the grants and fundraising community recognize leaders and volunteers in the field. You can find more information about each program:
Awards are an incredible way to recognize the innovation, hard work, and dedication to a field, a specific project, or a body of work. And when recognized it’s something I feel we should be proud of. So, shout it from the rooftops!
Does your organization (whether it’s your employer, a civic organization, chamber of commerce, or some other sort of professional organization) have an awards program? If you’ve received a recognition, how do you honor that award? Do you list it on your resume, in your bio, or on your LinkedIn profile? I’m curious to know. Let us know at hello@haydayservices.com.
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