ARPA 2026 Annual Conference | Kenai, Alaska

Allison Welch, M.Ed., GPC, founder and CEO of Spark the Fire Grant Writing Classes, LLC, will present two sessions at the 2026 ARPA Annual Conference in Kenai, Alaska.

Preconference Workshop

Funding the Field: Finding, Winning, and Managing Grants for Alaska's Parks and Recreation
Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

This full-day intensive covers the entire grant lifecycle: finding the right federal, state, and foundation opportunities (including the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Recreational Trails Program, and Alaska funders like the Rasmuson Foundation), deciding which are worth pursuing, and building a competitive grant proposal from need statement through budget. Participants apply each step to a real grant of their choosing and leave with a target opportunity identified and a plan to pursue it.

Conference Session

Where the Money Lives: A Practical Guide to Searching Grants.gov
Wednesday, September 16, 2026, 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

This hour covers the registrations needed before applying, how to search and filter Grants.gov for opportunities that fit parks and recreation work, and how to read a funding synopsis to quickly judge whether a grant is worth pursuing. Participants leave with a one-page quick-start guide.

Registration Info

https://arpa.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=29866