Our Next Meeting

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AUGUST 2026 MEETING:

Join us for the next Grants Collaborative of Tampa Bay (GCTB) Meeting (virtual)
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 | 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM (Eastern)

Join Grants Collaborative of Tampa Bay members Kimberly McCabe and Tess Benham, experienced grant professionals, for a practical session on Tips and Tools for Grant Professionals. Participants will explore effective strategies, affordable resources, and best practices to strengthen grant development efforts that nonprofits of any budget size can implement.

Speakers:

Kimberly McCabe (Boys & Girls Club of Greater Tampa Bay) —

Kim is the Grants Writer for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay and currently serves as President of the Grants Collaborative of Tampa Bay. A former middle school teacher, she discovered her passion for grant writing as a way to expand opportunities for youth beyond the classroom. Since then, she has dedicated her career to helping nonprofit organizations secure the resources they need to make a lasting impact on their communities. Kim has written and managed millions of dollars in grant requests for youth development, education, workforce readiness, and community-based organizations. She enjoys collaborating with fellow grant professionals to share ideas, strengthen the nonprofit sector, and ultimately better serve the communities they support.

Tess Benham (Gulf Coast JFCS) —

Tess Benham is the Director of Grants at Gulf Coast JFCS and has spent her career helping nonprofit organizations secure the resources they need to make a meaningful difference in their communities. Her grant experience includes work with the National Safety Council, Goodwill, and ADV & SAS, a domestic violence shelter and rape crisis center in Illinois.

While Tess enjoys the strategy, writing, and relationship-building involved in grants, her greatest reward comes from seeing grant dollars transformed into programs that change lives. In fact, her first successful grant funded a swing set and outdoor play equipment for children staying at a domestic violence shelter. Seeing the joy and healing those simple resources brought to children sparked a passion that continues to drive her work today.

One of Tess's favorite recent awards supports fathers in developing the skills, confidence, and connections needed to become more engaged and effective parents. She is especially inspired by opportunities that strengthen families and create lasting community impact.

Outside of work, Tess is an avid reader and puzzle enthusiast who rarely passes up a challenge. Whether it's tackling a Sudoku, solving a puzzle, or maintaining her Wordle streak, she enjoys activities that keep her mind engaged and constantly learning.

For Tess, grant funding is about more than dollars and reports. It's about creating opportunities, strengthening communities, and helping organizations turn great ideas into meaningful outcomes.

Topic:

"Everyday Tips and Tools for Grant Management"

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify tools that support grant research, writing, and management

• Apply practical strategies to improve grant proposal development and workflow efficiency

• Utilize organizational tools and systems to track deadlines, submissions, and reporting requirements

• Recognize best practices for managing grant opportunities throughout the grant lifecycle

• Develop an approach for selecting tools and resources to align with their organization’s budget and capacity

• Explore ways to leverage collaboration, technology, and professional networks to enhance grant success

** If there is a virtual meeting, members will receive a link via email. If you are not a member yet and wish to attend, visit the Grants Collaborative of Tampa Bay website (https://lnkd.in/gtqQRby), choose the "Contact" link, complete and submit the online request form, and someone will get in touch. **