---
title: "Membership Hack: Share a Story"
id: "47959"
type: "post"
slug: "membership-hack-share-a-story"
published_at: "2019-09-13T19:21:48+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-11-09T15:55:53+00:00"
url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/09/13/membership-hack-share-a-story/"
markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/09/13/membership-hack-share-a-story.md"
excerpt: "The Grants Professionals Association uses an online form and a hashtag, #GrantsWork, to collect and share member stories that speak to the impact of the profession."
taxonomy_category:
  - "Membership"
taxonomy_post_tag:
  - "AssociationsNow"
  - "Membership"
  - "professional organization"
  - "story sharing"
taxonomy_content_format:
  - "Article"
taxonomy_role:
  - "Association CEO / Executive Director"
  - "C-Level"
  - "Director"
  - "Executive Team"
taxonomy_persona:
  - "Association Professionals"
---

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 » Membership Hack: Share a Story

**How to hack it?**Members can be a source of inspirational stories that have the chance to go viral on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. But first, you have to search for members’ narratives.

At the Grant Professionals Association, anyone can easily share a story using a [Google form (opens in a new tab)](https://www.grantprofessionals.org/grantswork)
 that’s connected to GPA’s [#GrantsWork (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23GrantsWork%20&src=typd)
 story-sharing initiative.

“Our hope is that this initiative will help recognize grant professionals for the hard work that they do and that they will share their stories on how grant funding has helped shape the world we live in,” says Membership and Marketing Director Kelli Romero.

**Why does it work?** The initiative highlights how GPA members make a difference in the world. When someone submits a story online, it’s added to the [#GrantsWork success stories page (opens in a new tab)](https://www.grantprofessionals.org/content.asp?contentid=436)
 and shared in GPA’s social networks, which helps increase the story’s visibility. Here’s a recent example:

> My biggest grant award ($4M) came to life today w/ Encore Bridge Grand Opening. So proud of [@alpharettagov (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/alpharettagov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
>  [@NorthFultonCID (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/NorthFultonCID?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
>  [#grantswork (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/grantswork?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
>  [pic.twitter.com/7Z9Ju94adB (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/7Z9Ju94adB)
> 
>  — Mandy Day, GPC (@wholewheatgirl) [June 28, 2017 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/wholewheatgirl/status/880097045771628544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

**What’s the bonus?** Because of this initiative, GPA is gaining exposure and providing value to the profession through the simple act of sharing. “Grant professionals have the opportunity to be recognized for the work that they do,” Romero says. “And it’s a wonderful treat when they are able to step away from deadlines and be reminded of why they do this work.”

(Tick/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

[Tim Ebner](https://associationsnow.com/author/tim-ebner/)

Tim Ebner is communications director and press secretary at the American Forest & Paper Association in Washington, DC. He is a member of ASAE’s Communication Professionals Advisory Council and a former Associations Now senior editor.

[More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/tim-ebner/)

Tags: [#Membership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/membership/)
 [#professional organization](https://associationsnow.com/tag/professional-organization/)
 [#story sharing](https://associationsnow.com/tag/story-sharing/)

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