Grants Central

Station
Fall 2009
Volume 3, Issue 3

By Amy Shankland
As I write this, the memories from
the 2009 AAGP National
Conference in Austin, TX are still
fresh in my mind and the ideas
from the event are in front of me
ready to be put into action! As
members had told me before, the
conference is truly the best way to
network, share, and learn with peers
from all across the country.
Central Indiana was thrilled to see
our State Representative, Cynthia
Renea Oda, receive the highest
award from AAGP on Friday,
November 6th- The President’s
Award. More details about this
award and its deserving 2009
recipient follow in this newsletter.
We also cheered on Arvetta
Jideonwo, our founding president,
as she ran for a position on the
national board. Like a non-formula
grant proposal, the competition was
fierce. While Arvetta was not
elected to the board- this time- we
applaud her hard work and
dedication.
Our chapter didn’t rest once the
conference was over. We had an
exhibit booth at the Indiana
Grantmakers Fall Conference Board of Directors:
November 12th and will have a booth at
the Indiana Youth Institute’s Kids President – Amy Shankland
Count in Indiana Conference December City of Noblesville
1st and 2nd.
Vice President – Judith Duncan
As we draw 2009 to a close, we look Franklin Township Education
forward to a new year filled with Foundation
numerous educations and Meet the
Funder Sessions. We will continue to Secretary – Cindi Zenkert-Strange
St. Vincent Community Health
work to grow our membership, thanks
to the national office’s Member Get a Treasurer- Arvetta Jideonwo
Member Program. Ivy Tech Community College
And I can’t forget to mention the Corresponding Secretary –
upcoming GPC exam in the spring. As Jenny Morris
of this writing, the local GPC Marian University
committee is working on setting up
Corresponding Secretary –
study sessions for the exam, to be held
Kristi Rees
Saturday, March 20th or 27th, 2010. For Suburban Health Organization
more details, please contact Arvetta
Jideonwo, our fearless GPC leader, at Mary Crevey
gpcindianapolis@yahoo.com or 317- Riley Children’s Foundation
289-1074.
Happy Holidays to all my grant
professional friends!

(Front Row) Central Indiana AAGP members

Cindi-Zenkert Strange, Jennifer Harris, Amy
Shankland and Scott Flood (Second Row) and
Caroline Sobolak from the Chicago chapter
enjoy a luncheon during the national conference.

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 AAGP State Representative wins National Award
Cynthia Renea Oda receives the
President’s Award from Dr Bernard
Turner at the national conference
The American Association of
Grant Professionals (AAGP)
presented Cynthia Renea Oda,
President and CEO of ODA
Enterprises, LLC in Indianapolis,
the President’s Award at its
national conference in Austin,
TX on Friday, November 6,
2009.
Current National Board President
Dr. Bernard Turner gave the
award, the highest honor AAGP
can give a member, to Oda for
her outstanding contributions to
the association.
“I selected Cynthia Oda because
she is a trailblazer in our field,”
said Dr. Turner. As a previous
Board Member of AAGP, Oda
has given eleven continuous
years of service to the
association. She worked to
develop a code of ethics for
AAGP, headed up the financial
audit committee of the board in
its early years, and supported
all eleven conferences
held by the association. Oda was one Oda has over 25 years of
of the 10-year members also experience providing grant
recognized at the national development services to not for
conference. profit organizations. Oda has
written over $10,000,000 in
grants, which includes
“Her attention to the issue of community-based organizations,
diversity and inclusion in our $5,000,000 for school
association, her work as a successful corporations and another
minority woman entrepreneur, her $15,000,000 for public
assistance to help develop an annual organizations and continues to
budget, and her voice of wisdom empower agencies.
when the board had to make
important decisions all made it ODA Enterprises also provides
obvious to me that Oda deserved this services for youth in the form of
award,” continued Dr. Turner after school services (Afternoons
Ms. Oda is founder and President / R.O.C.K in Indiana). To date the
CEO of ODA Enterprises, LLC a organization has served over 800
youth in Marion County. It has
company formed in 1997 as an
Minority/Women Business provided Alcohol, Tobacco, and
Enterprises that specializes in grant other Drugs (ATOD) prevention
development, training, community services in Decatur Township,
Lawrence Township and for
development, evaluation, strategic
planning and project management Indianapolis Public Schools
and youth after school services.

How to Join AAGP

AAGP has a growing
international and affiliate
chapter membership close to
4,000 individuals. AAGP
members represent
education, government,
private enterprise and the
non-profit sector. They
include grant developers,
managers, funders,
administrators, planners and
evaluators.
Membership is open to any
individual with an interest in,
and commitment to the
grants profession. AAGP
offers a full range of
membership benefits,
including a subscription to
“Take It For Granted”, the
AAGP Journal, participation
in the AAGP forum, reduced
conference fees and other
benefits.
As a member of AAGP, you
will be a part of the
country’s largest and fastest-
growing organization
representing the interests of
those committed to
grantsmanship as a
profession.
To join, log on to:
www.go-aagp.org and click
on Membership.

AAGP Charity University

Need some training to hone
your grant skills but don’t
have the time or money?
Take advantage of AAGP
Charity University!
These online classes were
recorded so that you can take
them any time that’s
convenient.
Once you register, you will
be on the classroom page for
the class where you can
download class materials and
listen to the recording. You
may log in as many times as
you wish for 90 days.
2
With an AAGP membership
discount and pay only
$63.90 per session. Log on
to :
www.go-aagp.org and click
on Charity University to
learn more.
 GPCI Exam to be given in Indianapolis

The Central Indiana AAGP of grantsmanship. The

Chapter is working to host the
GPCI Exam in Indianapolis in
early 2010.
The GPCI exam is a
psychometrically sound
certification program that
measures an individual’s
ability to provide quality
grant-related services within
an ethical framework. The
GPCI exam is designed as a
“generalist” test. A
“generalist” is defined in
broad terms as a person who is
experienced and competent in
the fundamentals
By hosting an exam in
“generalist” designation
Indianapolis, individuals
represents the minimum
from the Midwest will have
standards required to
a chance to take the test in a
successfully develop, prepare
closer location. A survey
and manage grant activity. The
was conducted by the
exam consists of a writing
chapter to determine interest.
section and a multiple choice
section. For more information
regarding the exam, visit the
In order to sit for the exam,
GPCI site at:
candidates need to show at least
www.grantcredential.org
three years professional
experience in the grants field,
plus meeting the requirements
for numbers of funded grants,
education and community
service.

Member Spotlight:
Mary Crevey
Riley Children’s Hospital
Mary is the Foundation &
Corporate Foundations
Officer at Riley Children’s
Foundation, a position that
she has held for the past year
and a half. Her role at the
Foundation is to secure
charitable gifts from
foundations and corporate
foundations in support of
Riley Hospital for Children
and its research programs.
Before coming to Riley
Children’s Foundation, Mary
was a Major Gifts Manager at
the Indianapolis Museum of
Art. Prior to the IMA, she
worked for Christel House
International and Ambassadors for
Children.
Mary first discovered proposal
writing several years ago as a
volunteer board member and
program facilitator with Brooke’s
Place for Grieving Young People.
As is sometimes the case, pursing a
volunteer passion soon led to a
rewarding career!
Working and volunteering for not-
for-profits has been a part of
Mary’s life since she was 14 years
old and first volunteered at a
children’s hospital in Michigan.
After receiving an MSW from the
University of Michigan School of
Social Work, Mary worked as a
medical social worker in both
Ann Arbor and Los Angeles.
Writing proposals for Riley
Children’s Foundation is
especially rewarding for Mary,
who is reminded daily that there
are many ways to practice social
work and advocate for the needs
of sick and injured children.
Mary has two grown children,
Rob and Claire. She also has a
one-year old (still growing!)
Golden Retriever, Bella.

Calendar of Events

December 10, 2009 February 16, 2010

Holiday Lunch Meet the Funders –
45 Degrees 9:00 a.m.
765 Massachussetts Ave. English Foundation Building

January 19, 2010 March 16, 2010

Education Session Education Session –
9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. American Association of Grant
English Foundation Building English Foundation Building Professionals
Marta Fetterman www.grantprofessionals.org
Project Manager – Consulting www.info@grantprofessionals.org
Ph: (913) 788-3000
Indiana Youth Institute Fx: (913) 788-3398
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1333 Meadowlark Lane, Suite #206
Kansas City, KS 66102