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Professional Societies

American Association of Grant Professionals (AAGP)

Five people with ideas about shaping the future of their profession organized their thoughts and their peers to form the Grant Professionals Association (GPA). GPA is the first organization focused solely on the advancement of grantsmanship as a profession and the support of its practitioners. (Read our Mission Statement)

Since its inception in 1998, GPA has grown rapidly. With over 2,800 current members internationally, the opportunities and benefits of membership continue to attract people from all over the globe. In the spring of 2004, Birmingham, Alabama became the first city to form a local chapter. In the year following, additional chapters were formed. The process of local involvement and self determination is an important benefit of membership.

Member participation in national conferences held annually across the country has provided the practical fabric of a rapidly growing network of diverse grant professionals. Each year, GPA’s conference provide timely and informative workshops, round-table discussions, member receptions, funder panels, vendor exhibits and the popular individual proposal review sessions are all available to registered attendees. Additionally, the opportunity to network with peers from around the globe, listen to the keynote address, and participate in the annual membership meetings ensure that possibilities abound at this exciting event.

Fostering a constant critical eye on the current state of the craft, the GPA Journal (published annually) provides a forum for book and article reviews, discussions on best practices, and scholarly examination of the state of the profession. The member’s electronic forum provides another venue for the exchange of ideas, issues, methodologies and other relevant discourse on a member-to-member basis.

For the long term, GPA continues to lead the efforts to establish a formal credentialing process. Grant Professional Certification Institute (GPCI) was formed as an affiliate organization to GPA for the purpose of overseeing the development of critical standards within an ethical framework that will help define the future of grantsmanship.

GPA is not a grant-making organization and does not award grants.

GPA is an organization of people who care deeply about the grants profession. Share the vision. Share the camaraderie. Share the future.

International Network for the Science of Team Science (INSciTS)

INSciTS is the member-based, 501(c)3 non-profit organization of team science and the Science of Team Science (SciTS) field.

Its membership draws together researchers, scholars, practitioners, funders, thought leaders, tool developers, policymakers, and institutional leaders from all disciplines and types of organizations. They are dedicated to enhancing fundamental understanding of how to collaborate and to best support and foster team science. Research generated by INSciTS’ broad and diverse community can enhance the effectiveness of science teams, as well as diverse research collaborations across social sciences, humanities, and professions.

INSciTS strives as an organization to translate evidence-based findings to improve the global scientific enterprise and best serve society’s needs. Furthermore, it is focused on preparing the next generation of experts, equipped with the skills and perspectives necessary to lead, train, and participate in team science.

Vision: INSciTS will create and facilitate a high-impact community that develops and disseminates an evidence-base to support team science and shapes how research is conducted to solve complex problems.

Mission: The problems impacting our world are increasingly complex, yet we are able to address them through scientific pursuit now more than ever. Addressing complex problems depends on cross-disciplinary collaboration, a key component of team science. INSciTS serves as a conduit to ensure that empirical findings about team science are accessible and useful for effective collaborative practice and policy, bridging both science and praxis.

National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA)

NCURA Global seeks to be the foremost provider of professional development, knowledge, and leadership in the global research administration and research management community.  We serve all NCURA members in the International Region and all U.S. members who are involved in global research administration.  In addition, NCURA Global advances the overall NCURA mission by promoting research administration as a career on a worldwide basis.  We do this by providing a global network of support and collaboration for our members, offering professional development through top-notch research administrators and managers, and partnering with sister organizations to build the requisite infrastructure for the global research enterprise. 

National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP)

NORDP is the only professional association dedicated solely to Research Development that nurtures a robust and diverse community with a culture of helping one another advance research globally. Its goals are to serve Research Development professionals and their institutions by supporting professional development and providing tools to enhance research competitiveness and collaboration at institutions of all types.

NORDP members are involved in many Research Development activities, such as:

  • Strategic Research Advancement
  • Communication of Research and Research Opportunities
  • Enhancement of Collaboration and Team Science
  • Proposal Development

Society of Research Administrators International (SRA International)

The Society of Research Administrators International (SRA International) is the premier global research management society providing education, professional development and the latest comprehensive information about research management to over 5,000 members from over 40 countries.

In this time of increasing international research collaborations, SRA International maintains the largest network of research managers in the world. Being part of this growing vibrant network gives you access to the changing research management landscape and fosters relationships among collaborating institutions.   

SRA International’s major strength is its diversity.  We are the only research management society in the world whose membership spans the entire spectrum of research institutions including: colleges and universities, research hospitals and institutes, government agencies, non-profit funders of research, and industry.  

Whether you are a Vice President for Research, a mid-level research manager or new to the profession, and you are responsible for pre- or post-award grant and contract administration, regulatory compliance, technology transfer, or clinical trials management, SRA International is your reliable source for education and professional development.

The diversity of our members, member organizations and program offerings make us the premier research management society.

Vision: To be the premier international resource for excellence in research management, administration and development of the profession.

Mission: To develop, define and promote international best practices in research management, administration, knowledge transfer and growth of the research enterprise.

Motto: Supporting advances in research worldwide.

University-Industry Demonstration Partnership (UIDP)

UIDP is a project-oriented organization where members identify issues impacting university-industry (U-I) relations and opportunities to develop new approaches to working together. UIDP has been helping improve the quality of U-I partnerships for more than a decade. UIDP provides members – including some of the world’s finest companies and research universities – with an opportunity to increase the success of U-I collaborations and research projects.

Mission: The UIDP supports mutually beneficial university-industry collaborations by developing and disseminating strategies for addressing common issues between the two sectors.