Documentation

The CMP is designed around the honor system, meaning that you will not be required to provide documentation for all of your CMP activities as part of your certification maintenance application. However, GPCI will conduct random on-going compliance audits. We anticipate that at the end of the inaugural three-year period (2011), GPCI will adopt more stringent verification protocols for subsequent CMP periods. So, with this in mind we ask that you keep as much information as possible, with the approach that “more is better.”

To help you in your documentation, GPCI has created a  GPCI Certification Maintnenace Tracking and Reporting Form.

(MS Word) to aid you if you wish to use it. You may also want to review Completed CMP Maintenance Sample Form.  If you elect to use your own tracking system, we encourage you to review the form to ensure you collect the proper data.

A Sample of Possible Documentation (not inclusive)

• Educational Events: Paid Registration Receipts, Course/workshop Outline or Agenda or Course/workshop handouts
• Employment: Simple letter from employer stating when you were employed in grant related activities or pay stubs with all personal information blacked out.
• Professional Performance: Actual articles written, copy of book cover with author’s name indicated, course outlines, etc.
• Professional Service: Board minutes showing your attendance, certificate showing your volunteerism, letters from those who received pro bono services, etc.
• Independent Study: Will be jointly agreed upon prior to undertaking the independent study. You are responsible to determine if a particular continuing education event meets GPCI CMP guidelines. In many instances, an educational event or activity will clearly fall within the guidelines. To help you analyze whether an event or activity will meet the guidelines, GPCI has categorized CEU events or activities into the four levels of recognition.      Clearly Defined Events – any activity designed with the grants field clearly in mind – GPA conference, taking or teaching a course on grant development, etc.

Type of Events

• Somewhat Clearly Defined Events – educational events or opportunities that enhance one’s knowledge or ability to engage in the act of grantsmanship – program design, budgeting and accounting, evaluation, collaboration, nonprofit management, strategic planning, tax laws (if you are a consultant), etc.\
• Less Clearly Defined Events – events that enhance your knowledge of specific subject matter content or perhaps enhance your knowledge of culture.
• Sketchy at Best – those categories that appear to have no relevance to the field – puppy training so that your dog leaves you alone to write that grant. If you have an event that falls within the bottom two levels, you are strongly encouraged to contact GPCI for an initial determination of CEU approval.

Ultimately, GPCI will make the final determination, so we encourage you to err on the side of caution before counting a questionable event for CEU credit. Some examples of acceptable events or activities can be found in the GPCI CMP Manual.

Earn Education Points by Attending an GPA Conference
If you attend the GPA Regional Conference; you will earn one point for every hour of workshop attendance. This includes keynote and luncheon speakers but not social events such as a Welcome Reception. If you attend the GPA National Conference, you will earn one point for every hour of workshop attendance or a total of 20 points if you attend the full 2.5 days.

Special Note: Individuals who sit for the exam at an GPA Conference may notice a potential “timing issue” with accruing GPA Conference CEUs. Because the purpose of the CMP program is to keep you certified, GPCI allows the following exceptions for individuals taking the exam at a National or Regional GPA Conference.   If you successfully sat for the exam at the end of an GPA Conference, you are allowed to accrue CMP points from that Conference.

For more information about grant credentialing, please email CMP@grantcredential.org