Making the Most of a Peer Review
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Breakout Sessions B (Philanthropy)
Description:
Applicants who pursue grants and submit government proposals are faced with compliance requirements, selection criteria, panel reviewers with varying levels of skill and experience, submission protocols and uncertain scoring rubrics. How review panels work and what they consider important can seem like a mystery. Come learn tips to use and definite no-no's to avoid to make every point count, review case studies of peer reviews at the federal and local government levels, learn about four applicant rights, and how to best engage elected officials and program officers prior to application submissions.
Applicants who pursue grants and submit government proposals are faced with compliance requirements, selection criteria, panel reviewers with varying levels of skill and experience, submission protocols and uncertain scoring rubrics. How review panels work and what they consider important can seem like a mystery. Come learn tips to use and definite no-no's to avoid to make every point count, review case studies of peer reviews at the federal and local government levels, learn about four applicant rights, and how to best engage elected officials and program officers prior to application submissions.

Speaker:
Karen Norris
Principal, K4rnoco
Karen Norris is nationally recognized in the grants community as a consultant and Subject Matter Expert (SME) for k4rnoco - a K4ren Norris Company in Gaithersburg, MD. Norris has served as a federal reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Karen Norris
Principal, K4rnoco
Karen Norris is nationally recognized in the grants community as a consultant and Subject Matter Expert (SME) for k4rnoco - a K4ren Norris Company in Gaithersburg, MD. Norris has served as a federal reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Speaker:
Rachel Werner
Owner/CEO, RBW Strategy, LLC
Rachel Werner, GPC, PMP, Owner and CEO of RBW Strategy, has over 14 years of grants, consulting, communications, writing, strategic planning, training, and project management experience with nonprofit, government and for profit organizations of varying size and complexity. In addition to her GPC, she has obtained a Certificate in Grants Management and is a certified Project Management Professional. She has served on the Grants Advisory Group for the Montgomery County Council for three years.
Rachel Werner
Owner/CEO, RBW Strategy, LLC
Rachel Werner, GPC, PMP, Owner and CEO of RBW Strategy, has over 14 years of grants, consulting, communications, writing, strategic planning, training, and project management experience with nonprofit, government and for profit organizations of varying size and complexity. In addition to her GPC, she has obtained a Certificate in Grants Management and is a certified Project Management Professional. She has served on the Grants Advisory Group for the Montgomery County Council for three years.
GPCI Competencies Addressed:
- Knowledge of strategies for effective program and project design and development.
- Knowledge of how to craft, construct, and submit an effective grant application.
- Knowledge of post-award grant management practices sufficient to inform effective grant design and development.
- Knowledge of nationally recognized standards of ethical practice by grant developers.
- Knowledge of practices and services that raise the level of professionalism of grant developers.
- Knowledge of methods and strategies that cultivate and maintain relationships between fund-seeking and recipient organizations and funders.
- Ability to write a convincing case for funding.