GPA Austin-Central Texas 2026 Funders Forum
About this Event
Join us for the GPA Austin-Central Texas 2026 Funders Forum on Friday, November 13—a full day of networking, learning, and conversations with funders and peers. The program will feature general sessions, roundtable relays, and participants including Austin Community Foundation, Bank of America Foundation, Baylor Scott & White Health, Episcopal Health Foundation, Impact Austin, Hogg Foundation, St. David’s Foundation, Truist Foundation, and Texas Grants Resource Center.
Key Note Speaker is BiNi Coleman, founder and CEO of the nonprofit consultancy 212 Catalysts.
Workshops and Panels:
- Workshop 1: The Compliance-Revenue Nexus: Navigating Risk as a Partner, facilitated by Dr. Shmeka Gibson, Executive Director of Changing the Mindset
- Workshop 2: Thinking Like a Funder: How Funding Decisions Really Get Made, facilitated by Rona Walton, Founder of The Collection Plate
- Panel: Cross-Functional Collaboration: Building Bridges Between Departments, featuring Allison Welch, founder and CEO of Spark the Fire Grant Writing Classes, LLC, Kedrick Jeffries, nonprofit executive, and Joyce Jones, Senior Manager of Development at TNTP
Agenda
8:00-9:30 - Registration, Breakfast, and Networking
9:30-9:40 - Welcome Remarks
9:40-10:10 - Keynote
10:15-11:00 - Panel
11:15-12:00 - Workshop #1
12:00-12:30 - Lunch and Member Spotlight, Raffles, Giving Star Award
12:35-1:30 - Workshop #2
1:45-2:30 - Funder Relationship Relays
2:30-3:00 - Networking
Facilitators and Panelists
As the founder and CEO of the nonprofit consultancy 212 Catalysts, BiNi Coleman brings nearly 30 years of experience partnering with organizations ranging from 1 to 12,000 employees—including nonprofits, corporations, funders, and educational and government agencies—to achieve catalytic results. Her work has earned recognition for best practices from prominent institutions such as the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Texas State University, and the U.S. Department of Education, while she and her team have helped secure over $26 million for African American-led nonprofits since 2010 and provided technical assistance for more than $600 million in funded projects across Texas. Locally, her recent initiatives include the African American Leadership Institute (AALI), the Black Men’s Health Clinic, the Travis County juvenile diversion project, and Texas’ first community-based Trauma Recovery Center, alongside spearheading an AALI policy effort that generated $75 million for affordable childcare. Holding an MBA, BiNi is also a dedicated mentor and frequent guest speaker at institutions like the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Dr. Shmeka Gibson is an author, international speaker, business owner, and college professor. She has over 20 years of experience in nonprofit management and leadership. Gibson serves as a Business Analyst assisting businesses with organizational infrastructure development, programming, and scaling their business. Gibson’s philanthropic work (serving as a board member and volunteer for many US and international organizations) and grant writing skills have allowed her to assist more than 30 organizations in securing over $ 84 million in funding to sustain their organization and helping with the start -up and scaling of over 80 businesses.
Rona Walton is the Founder of The Collection Plate, a firm dedicated to assisting women founders and mission-driven organizations claim grant opportunities as revenue. Previously, she served as the Director of Development of a local private school, becoming the institution's first Black female to hold this position. Rona stewarded a $500,000 budget at 99.8% compliance, secured over $1M in grant funding, and is a contributing author of the international bestseller, "Faith, Funding and the Female Founder," in three literary categories. As a graduate of the LBJ School of Public Affairs and Leadership Austin, she writes, leads, and consults from one conviction: "It's Not About ME!"
Allison Welch, M.Ed., GPC, is the author of The "Of Course" Factor: A Guide to Meaningful Grant Writing and the founder and CEO of Spark the Fire Grant Writing Classes, LLC. Spark the Fire is an internationally recognized professional development provider that has trained more than 7,000 individuals from nonprofit, Tribal, government, and educational organizations across all fifty states and globally. Allison is an approved trainer with the Grant Professionals Association, and Spark the Fire is an approved provider for both the Grant Professionals Certification Institute and CFRE International. She brings more than 25 years of grant writing and nonprofit management experience to her work, along with advanced studies in brain-based learning for adults. Allison's training is grounded in her own track record as a practitioner. Her funded proposals include awards from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, HRSA, and SAMHSA. She also serves as a grant reviewer for foundations and government entities, and what she learns there continually sharpens her training. She is a former adjunct professor of grant writing at several universities and a frequent speaker at national conferences.
Kedrick Jeffries is a seasoned nonprofit executive with more than 20 years of experience advancing organizational strategy, operational excellence, and community impact. Having served as Chief Executive Officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas and Chief Operating Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area, Kedrick has led complex, multi-site organizations, managed multimillion-dollar budgets, cultivated strategic partnerships, and championed collaborative approaches to organizational growth and sustainability. Throughout his career, Kedrick has worked at the intersection of philanthropy, program delivery, finance, and executive leadership, helping organizations move beyond departmental silos to build shared accountability for outcomes. His leadership has contributed to significant organizational growth, expanded services for underserved communities, and the development of strategic funding partnerships with corporate, philanthropic, and public-sector stakeholders. A strong advocate for cross-functional collaboration, Kedrick believes successful grant-funded initiatives require more than compelling proposals—they demand organizational alignment, intentional communication, and a shared commitment to delivering measurable impact. A lifelong Austinite, Kedrick remains deeply committed to strengthening nonprofit organizations and creating opportunities for children, families, and communities throughout Central Texas.
Joyce Jones (she/her) has spent her career sitting at the intersection of students, communities, and educational opportunity in Texas. From teaching sixth graders to advising FLI college students to helping mission-driven organizations secure the resources needed to empower communities, she has seen firsthand how transformative relationships and strong networks of support can shape students’ lives. These experiences continue to fuel her commitment to ensuring access to high-quality, equitable learning experiences for all students, especially those furthest from opportunity. Throughout her career, she has worked across classrooms, higher education, and the nonprofit sector, bringing a practitioner’s perspective to fundraising and partnership development. Today, Joyce is a Senior Manager of Development at TNTP, where she works closely with educators, community leaders, and philanthropic organizations to secure investments that improve outcomes for students across Texas and the nation. In this role, she helps translate ambitious, innovative ideas into sustainable, grant-funded programs, drawing on close partnerships across internal teams in a virtual environment. Joyce believes lasting impact is only possible when organizations break down silos, leverage diverse expertise, and closely collaborate in service of students and communities. Joyce holds a Master of Arts in Education from Stanford University and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations from Rice University. She is an active community volunteer, supporting organizations including the Central Texas Food Bank, Austin Community Foundation, and Teach For America-Greater Austin Alumni Board.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00 to USD 124.56
