The log is available as a Word document and can be modified or expanded to meet your personal CMP needs. If you elect to use your own tracking system, we encourage you to review the GPCI Certification Maintenance Tracking and Reporting Form to ensure you collect and maintain adequate documentation.

How to Document
And What to Keep

The initial 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 ongoing 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.”

A Sample of Possible Documentation (not inclusive)

• For Educational Events: Paid Registration Receipts, Course/workshop Outline or Agenda or Course/workshop handouts
• For Employment: Simple letter from employer stating when you were employed in grant related activities or pay stubs with all personal information blacked out.
• For Professional Performance: Actual articles written, copy of book cover with author’s name indicated, course outlines, etc.
• For 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 – AAGP conference, taking or teaching a course on grant development, etc.
• 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 AAGP Conference

If you attend the AAGP 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 AAGP 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. This includes keynote and luncheon speakers but not social events such as a Welcome Reception.

If you attend an AAGP Chapter sponsored workshop or meeting, you will earn 1 point for each hour of attendance. Proof of attendance will be required. Please keep the Agenda or other content information.

Special Note: Individuals who sit for the exam at an AAGP Conference may notice a potential “timing issue” with accruing AAGP 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 AAGP Conference.

• If you successfully sat for the exam at the end of an AAGP Conference, you are allowed to accrue CMP points from that Conference.
• If you attend the AAGP Conference in the third-year of the Conference and it occurs no later than 15 days following your CMP deadline, you may count the Conference. To do this, you are instructed to send in your paperwork, showing proof of your registration for the conference.

These exceptions apply ONLY to the National or Regional AAGP Conference.

Anticipated CMP Fees

For those individuals who will apply to the certification maintenance program in 2011, the fee is $180 for AAGP members and $305 for non AAGP members.

Approved CMP Education Providers

GPCI has also begun to approve CMP education providers. An initial list of providers will soon be available. We expect to grow this list quickly. However, if you are aware of a good presenter or educational opportunity, please encourage the presenters to have their educational events “GPCI CMP approved” by completing the GPCI CMP Approved Provider Application (available soon).