Bio

Patricia Bruder, GPC,   President and Principal Consultant of Linchpin Solutions, LLC , and previously Director of the Grants and Research  Department at the Educational Information and Resource Center, is an experienced leader with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organization management industry. Skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Event Management, Educational Technology, Strategic Planning, Web maintenance, and Facilitation she is a strong business development professional with a BA from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and post-grad work in Technology Management. From 2002-2010 she was the author of The Toolbox, a monthly educational technology column for NJEA Review.

Ms. Bruder was one of the first grant professionals in the nation to earn the GPC credential, or Grant Professional Certified, a validation of knowledge and competency in the grants profession through education, experience, professional development, community involvement, and a psychometrically sound examination.  She has a wide range of grant and evaluation skills ranging from working with schools and non-profit organizations, to faith based, community organizations, community colleges and juvenile justice.  Topics she specializes in include 21st Century Community Learning Centers, K12 Education, Mentoring, Capacity Building, Afterschool Programs, and School Based Youth Services.

As an experienced state and federal grant peer reviewer, Ms. Bruder has served on panels for the  National Professional Development Grant, Investing in Innovation Fund (I3 grants), Broadband Technology Opportunities Program at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Safe Schools Healthy Students, Improving Literacy through School Libraries Grant, the Governor’s Initiative on Autism, and Enhancing and Expanding In-district Program Options for Students with Disabilities.