Emergent Learning Lessons From GM101

Grants Management 101 (GM101) is PEAK’s premiere learning series where participants have the opportunity to take deep dives into the fundamentals of grants management, the philanthropic sector, and equitable, effective grantmaking practices. Designed for professionals at various stages of their careers—from those who are new to philanthropy and grants management to those who want to deepen their knowledge as they take on new roles in the field—each class is a highly interactive forum for people to connect with peers and benefit from the knowledge and experiences that each person brings to the table.

The Class of 2022 was at maximum capacity, with 120 participants who met across five months to engage in nine sessions facilitated by a diverse faculty of PEAK staff and guest presenters. This year, we introduced cohort convenings. Facilitated by dedicated advisors who are longtime PEAK members and senior-level professionals in the field, the cohorts provided opportunities to connect in small groups, explore content more deeply, receive coaching, and have accountability for growth goals. This format was an opportunity for us to put our Learn, Share, Evolve Principle into action by fostering environments centered on emergent learning—the philosophy and practice that values maintaining communal spaces where people can safely learn, practice, explore, and make mistakes in the pursuit of building knowledge and skills.

As we look forward to launching the Class of 2023 this summer, we reconnected with some of our most recent graduates to ask them what they gained from engaging with their peers and mentors in this learning setting and how they’ve been able to apply their learning experiences to their day-to-day work. A few themes emerged in their responses.

Reevaluating processes

“GM101 gave me practical tools I could immediately use, including the Grants Management Professional Competency Model, and resources and exercises that provided thought-provoking opportunities to practice and engage with my peers. I review PEAK’s CONNECT online forum daily. There is certainly a wealth of information and human capital at our fingertips via their website, volunteer opportunities, and affinity groups. It also gave me confidence that, as I learn and try new approaches, none of my “experiments” are “failures”. Each “trial” is a chance to view a challenge through a different lens and grow.”
Monica Thorns, Grants Manager, The Christopher Family Foundation

“GM101 came at a perfect time for me personally and professionally, as I was new to the philanthropic sector and eager to learn. I was challenged to be a changemaker in my organization, GM101 led me to contribute to Maine Community Foundation’s strategic plan discussions by asking difficult questions such as, “Why do we do things this way and not that way.” I proposed that our strategic plan include a value about innovation and emergent learning, which I personally defined through F.A.I.L.-ing (First Attempt in Learning). I channeled PEAK’s emergent learning concepts and the Grants Management Competency Model when I asked to participate in MaineCF’s software system upgrade as part of the change management team. Several of the competencies I have as a grants manager lend themselves perfectly to contributing to such a large project and diverse team!”
Elizabeth Allaby, Grants Coordinator, Maine Community Foundation

Championing equity

“GM101 allowed participants to get to know each other through a series of workshops. Breaking the silence at first was hard, but once we began engaging with each other, we started to have some authentic conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion. What we all had in common was the drive to be changemakers in equitable and inclusive grantmaking and to uphold our values in the way we operate. We learned to get out of our comfort zones to discuss how we can make a difference by speaking up where we might see inequities in our grantmaking policies and practices. GM101 helped me bring awareness of our current grantmaking processes and where we could improve our policies and practices so that we could be a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization. Looking at our applicant demographic data and our application review process will help us understand where we need to focus our diversity, equity and inclusion practices.”
Roshani Desai, Grants Management Coordinator, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

“As a programs manager who is early-on in my philanthropic career, I learned so much throughout GM101. One session and resource that I have secured in my toolbox is the Equitable Grantmaking Continuum we learned about in session four; with this continuum, I determined a base for where our foundation is in our equitable grantmaking goals. It was great to see how far we have come in integrating equitable practices in our work, like prioritizing organizations that are led by and serve marginalized communities, and I am humbled by the fact that there is always room for improvement. Now, I have a tool to evaluate our approach to grant renewal proposals and our participatory grantmaking, and make adjustments. This continuum has become a guiding resource for me in my role, and one that I bring to our larger team discussions.”
Crystal Ayala-Goldstein, Programs Manager, The Women’s Foundation of Colorado

Centering the grantee experience

“Our discussion about making the submission process simpler for grantees really stuck in my mind. I manage our grants submission portal, so I’ve been trying to think about ways we can improve the grantee’s experience. As a result of this, my organization is reviewing the information we request upfront and we’re evaluating if some of the information can be requested on an as-needed basis. For example, we currently request Form 990s and audited financial statements, but these materials may not be needed from every organization.”
Anonymous

PEAK would also like to extend thanks to this year’s cohort advisors for supporting the GM101 learning journey: Jennifer Burran, Margaret Egan, Adriana Jiménez, Adin Miller, Ursula Stewart, and Patrick Taylor. 

Learn about the GM101 program experience here

If you are interested in being a part of the GM101 Class of 2023, watch your inboxes. We plan to provide information on when enrollment opens in late June.

Photo, from top left to bottom right: Elizabeth Allaby, Crystal Ayala Goldstein, Monica Thorns, and Roshani Desai