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GPA INDIANA CHAPTER
SEPTEMBER 2026
Creating “On the Money” Grant Budgets!
When: September 15, 2026 11:00am-12:00pm EST
Where: Online via Zoom – link sent upon registration
Contact: Tiffany Hatfield – thatfield@indymca.org
Online registration is available until: 9/14/2026
REGISTER HERE
Event Description
Carolyn Caldwell, GPC, CFRE, is a Grant Professionals
Association Approved Trainer with 25+ years in fundraising
and 15+ years as a grant professional. She has written
successful grant proposals at the federal, state, local, private
foundation, and corporate levels as a grant consultant for
clients across the U.S. in several nonprofit sectors.
Carolyn now dedicates much of her time to sharing her
knowledge of grants across their life cycle. She has presented
nationally, regionally, and locally. Among the topics she
covers are Grant Basics, Grant Readiness, Budgets for Grants,
Prospect Research, and the Logic Model. This session will focus on creating quality, reflective and substantiated grant budgets.
MAY 2026
Assessment to Action: Strengthening Our GPA Indiana Chapter
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| When: |
May 19, 2026
11:00am-12:00pm EST |
| Where: |
Online via Zoom – link sent upon registration |
| Contact: |
Tiffany Hatfield – thatfield@indymca.org |
Online registration is available until: 5/18/2026
REGISTER HERE
Event Description
How can we build a stronger, more engaging GPA Indiana Chapter? In this interactive session, members will review highlights from the GPA Chapter Health Assessment, an annual tool used to evaluate chapter performance across key areas such as programming, member engagement, leadership, and operations.
Rather than a presentation, this session is a facilitated discussion designed to gather member insights and ideas. Participants will engage in small group conversations to reflect on what the chapter is doing well, where there are opportunities for improvement, and what actionable steps could enhance the member experience.
Input gathered during this session will directly inform chapter planning and priorities for the upcoming year. Whether you are a long-time member or new to GPA, your perspective is valuable in shaping a chapter that meets the evolving needs of our community.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
– Assess key components of a healthy professional association chapter
– Identify strengths and opportunities within the GPA Indiana Chapter
– Contribute actionable ideas to improve member engagement and programming
– Prioritize strategies that support chapter growth and sustainability
APRIL 2026
Federal Grant Strategies for Urban and Rural Organizations
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| When: |
April 21, 2026
11:00am-12:00pm EST |
| Where: |
Online via Zoom – link sent upon registration |
| Contact: |
Tiffany Hatfield – thatfield@indymca.org |
Online registration is available until: 4/20/2026
REGISTER HERE
Event Description
We’ve seen how White House Executive Orders and evolving federal priorities reshape how discretionary grants are designed, reviewed, awarded, and managed. At the same time, many organizations are navigating uncertainty as state funding freezes and shifting philanthropic priorities place additional pressure on nonprofits and public-serving institutions.
GPA Indiana Chapter members Martha Henn and Leia Morgan will highlight the distinct challenges and opportunities facing urban and rural communities. They will examine policy changes affecting federal funding streams, discuss how organizations are recalibrating their grant strategies in response to the evolving landscape, and share lessons from initiatives such as Indiana’s GROW program, which has brought significant investment to strengthen rural healthcare through regional collaboration and innovation.
Whether you work in health, education, human services, or another nonprofit field, this session will help you better understand the “new normal” in federal grantmaking and identify practical approaches for navigating grant opportunities in 2026 and beyond.
The presentation will be followed by a live Q&A.
About the speakers:
Leia Morgan – Rural focus Leia is a seasoned grant professional with over 15 years of experience in grant administration. Leia is the System Vice President, Philanthropy Grants at CommonSpirit Health, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems operating in over 21 states. With 21+ years at CommonSpirit Health, 28 years in the healthcare field, and 19 years specializing in grants, Leia brings extensive experience to federal funding strategies. She holds the Certified Grants Management Specialist (CGMS) designation from the National Grants Management Association. Her responsibilities include leading national grant fundraising initiatives and overseeing centralized grant post-award management.
Martha Henn – Urban focus Martha became Community Health Network Foundation’s Grant and Proposal Writer in April 2017 and was promoted to Grants Manager in 2022. In this role, she has responsibility for grant prospecting, developing and writing grant proposals to grant-making organizations and preparing proposals and reports for Community Health Network Foundation’s major gift donors and prospects. In addition, she leads outcomes tracking on behalf of the Foundation. Prior to her appointment at Community, Martha served IUPUI’s Office of Community Engagement in a consulting role, while also consulting as a business researcher for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. In addition to leadership roles in nonprofits promoting financial empowerment and community asset building, Martha has had a long career in higher education, as an academic librarian and as a research coordinator for a university-affiliated research center. She has engaged in grants seeking, grant and proposal writing, and grants reporting on behalf of large and mid-sized public universities, small private colleges, and nonprofit organizations.
Cost: Free to all GPA members regardless of chapter affiliation.
MARCH 2026
International Grant Professionals Day 2026 – “Why We Do This Work”
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| When: |
March 13, 2026
11:00am-12:00pm EST |
| Where: |
Online via Zoom – link sent upon registration |
| Contact: |
Tiffany Hatfield – thatfield@indymca.org |
Online registration is available until: 3/12/2026
REGISTER HERE
Event Description
This session will celebrate YOU as a Grant Professional and allow time to share why we do this work. We will also discuss upcoming program and ways for GPA members to stay active within the Chapter.
Cost: Free to all GPA members regardless of chapter affiliation.
February 2026
Should I Stay or Should I Go? How to Grow in Your Grant Career
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| When: |
February 19, 2026
12:00am-1:00pm EST |
| Where: |
Online via Zoom – link sent upon registration – in collaboration with Central Ohio Chapter |
| Contact: |
Tiffany Hatfield thatfield@indymca.org |
Online registration is available until: 2/18/2026
REGISTER HERE
Event Description
This session will tell you what to consider as you set your grant professional career plans. You’ll learn how to advance within an organization (Stay) and the pros and cons of consulting (Go.)
About the Speakers:
Amy Shankland, GPC, has been a grant professional for over 24 years. She has worked for a variety of non-profit organizations and local governments, including the City of Noblesville, Indiana from 2007-2016. In May of 2017 she made the leap to full-time consulting and has never looked back. She has been a member of the Grant Professionals Association since 2007.
Laura Cochran, GPC, has been a grant professional for over 18 years. In 2010, she started at the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership (INHP) as their first full-time Grant Manager. Over the last 15 years, she has expanded her responsibilities to include, at various times, prospect research and database management. As Grants Manager, she is responsible for all aspects of INHP grant program which raises over $5.5 million each year, oversees work with an outside grant consultant, and serves as program officer for INHP’s outgoing grant program.
Cost: Free to all GPA members regardless of chapter affiliation.
JANUARY 2026
Donor Advised Funds
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| When: |
January 20, 2026
11:00am-12:00pm EST |
| Where: |
Online via Zoom – link sent upon registration |
| Contact: |
Amy Shankland
amys@greenavenue.info |
Online registration is available until: 1/19/2026
REGISTER HERE
Event Description
This session will help attendees of all levels learn the intricacies of donor advised funds. We will cover things such as, what is a donor-advised fund, why would folks choose to open/use this vehicle for their philanthropy, what’s unique to DAFs held with community foundations, data around DAF giving, and tips for fundraisers on approaching and stewarding DAF support.
About the Speaker:
Robin Elmerick, senior director of effective philanthropy has been with CICF since 2019. A certified Impact Philanthropy Advisor, she works closely with fundholders across all entities of the CICF Collaborative to help them define their philanthropic strategies and maximize their impact. With a background in nonprofit leadership and consulting, she is passionate about bridging the needs of the community with the missions of nonprofits and the passions of our fundholders, aligning all three to create meaningful change in Central Indiana and beyond.
Cost: Free to all GPA members regardless of chapter affiliation.
DECEMBER 2025
Annual Meeting of Indiana Chapter Membership
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| When: |
Tuesday December 16, 2025
11:00am-12:00pm EST |
| Where: |
Online via Zoom – link sent upon registration |
| Contact: |
Amy Shankland
amys@greenavenue.info |
Online registration is available until: 12/15/2025
REGISTER HERE
Event Description
Join your Chapter for our Annual Meeting of membership as we discuss FY26 Budget ideas, GPA Indiana Chapter elections and brainstorm topics for future trainings/meetings.
Cost: Free to all GPA members regardless of chapter affiliation.
NOVEMBER 2025
3 Ways AI Prompts Can Save Grant Application Writing Time
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| When: |
Tuesday November 18, 2025
11:00am-12:00pm EST |
| Where: |
Online via Zoom – link sent upon registration |
| Contact: |
Amy Shankland
amys@greenavenue.info |
Online registration is available until: 11/27/2025
REGISTER HERE
Event Description
Excited to present one of our very own! Tiffany Hatfield is Senior Director of Grant Development at the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, where she leads strategy, prospect research, and grant management innovation. Tiffany is also exploring the use of social media to promote professionalism in grants, with a YouTube channel that serves people new to grants.
Cost: Free to all GPA members regardless of chapter affiliation.
OCTOBER 2025 – EVENT CANCELLED
Indiana Chapter: New Member Meet and Greet
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| When: |
Tuesday October 21, 2025
11:00am-12:00pm EST |
| Where: |
Brougher Plaza, Downstairs Boardroom
2960 N Meridian St
Indianapolis, Indiana 46208 |
| Contact: |
Laura Cochran, GPC
lcochran@inhp.org |
Online registration is available until: 10/20/2025
REGISTER HERE
Event Description
If you’re new to our chapter or GPA in general, we welcome you to attend this fun meet and greet! Chapter leaders will be available to talk to you about the Grant Professionals Association in general as well as our Indiana chapter. Whether you’ve been a member for a few weeks, a couple months, or less than a year, we’d love to see you. A cafe is located on site for food and beverages.
Cost: Free to all GPA members regardless of chapter affiliation.
SEPTEMBER 2025
Meet the Funder
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| When: |
Tuesday September 16, 2025
11:00am-12:00pm EST |
| Where: |
Virtual Program – via Zoom- link sent upon registration |
| Contact: |
Amy Shankland, GPC
amys@greenavenue.info |
Online registration is available until: 9/15/2025
REGISTER HERE
Event Description
A great way to network and hear from various funders across the state. The event will feature Robin Elmerick, Sr. Director of Effective Philanthropy, CICF; Yecenia Tostado, Senior Program Officer, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, and Donna Oklak, Founder, Meridian Foundation.
Cost: Free to all GPA members regardless of chapter affiliation.
AUGUST 2025
What is your Biggest Grant Issue?
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| When: |
August 19, 2025
11:00am-12:00pm EST |
| Where: |
Virtual Program – via Zoom- link sent upon registration |
| Contact: |
Amy Shankland, GPC
amys@greenavenue.info |
Online registration is available until: 8/12/2025
REGISTER HERE
Event Description
Join us for an inspiring roundtable discussion of the challenges and hurdles that grant professionals are facing and gain shared expertise and resources to help overcome these struggles.
Cost:
Free to all GPA members regardless of chapter affiliation.
Note: As an attendee, we require you to abide by the GPA Code of Ethics and our Event Code of Conduct. If you have any issues with either of these, please contact National GPA at: staff@grantprofessionals.org or 913-788-3000 to address the concerns
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