Everyone deserves to feel comfortable and safe in their careers, in their workplaces, and in their associations. The bid and proposal profession is not a monolith. While you can all relate over the everyday frustrations of deadlines and unclear RFPs, yours is a diverse community. And it’s so important to have opportunities to connect with people who can relate to the things that shape how you experience those everyday moments.
That’s why APMP is home to five Affinity Groups, each providing a dedicated space for a community within the bid and proposal profession. These groups meet regularly to share in their experiences, and support and uplift one another in their personal and professional lives.
This valuable opportunity for connection wouldn’t be possible without the organizations who support their existence within the APMP ecosystem. This year, we have a whole new roster of supporters to champion these groups throughout 2025.
In this article, we’re going to introduce you to our Affinity Groups—the work they do, the chairs who lead them, and the supporters who make all of that possible.
Professionals of Color Affinity Group
The bid and proposal industry is predominantly white – the 2024 Loopio Trends Report states that white professionals make up 76% of the industry, putting it on par with other majority-white professions like chemical engineering and chiropractic. In a majority-white industry, it’s ever-important that professionals of color have spaces where they can feel understood, celebrated, and supported by other professionals who share their experiences. The Professionals of Color Affinity Group was founded to create that space within APMP for members.
The Professionals of Color Affinity Group enters 2025 following an excellent 2024. Last year, with a view to encouraging more professionals of color within the APMP community to seek and achieve certification, APMP worked with the group to launch a scholarship initiative offering a total of six scholarships to support members of the group in achieving their certification. The group also hosted certification study groups alongside their regular meetings, where they discussed topics from leadership to DEI initiatives.
The Professionals of Color Affinity Group is co-chaired by Morgan Anderson and Jeremiah Walker. Supporting this group in 2025 is Dragonfly Editorial.
“We want everyone with a talent for proposals to feel welcome at APMP,” said Sam Enslen, President of Dragonfly Editorial. “Proposals are such a tough business—even with our best efforts, they often involve long hours and intense pressure. Our industry needs all hands on deck to help with these challenging efforts.”
PRIDE Affinity Group
According to recent research, LGBTQ+ professionals are still struggling to feel comfortable in their workplaces. Last year, Deloitte found that only half of LGBTQ+ professionals in the UK feel comfortable being completely ‘out’ at work, while Glassdoor found that 45% of LGBTQ+ employees in the US feel as though being out at work could hurt their opportunities for advancement. The PRIDE Affinity Group was founded to provide members with a community within their professional world where they can be themselves openly and unreservedly, and connect about shared experiences of being LGBTQ+.
In 2024, the group had monthly meetings—usually split in half between discussing topics such as trans visibility, drag culture and queer literature, and general catch-ups. Under its new co-chairship, the group thrived last year, and ended up raising $200 for NOLA pride during their in-person meeting at BPC NOLA.
The PRIDE Affinity Group is co-chaired by Heather Finch and Mercedes Jacobs. This group is supported by Metre and Dragonfly Editorial.
When asked why they chose to support this Affinity Group, Robin Davis, Founder and CEO of Metre, said, “It was a no-brainer! Metre is a woman-owned, gay-owned business. One of our core values is ‘let your freak flag fly’, which means that we value individuality, and encourage you to bring yourself to work.”
Ms Davis added: “I’ve been a proud member of APMP for nearly 25 years. The fact that we have a PRIDE Affinity Group shows incredible growth from where we were in 2000.”
Sam Enslen of Dragonfly Editorial added: “If we can bring new talent into our industry—or help someone who isn’t sure they belong to feel more at home—I’m all for it!”
Young Professionals Affinity Group
According to the TELUS Mental Health Index of October 2023, professionals under the age of 40 are more than twice as likely as professionals over the age of 50 to report anxiety and depression. The Mary Christie Institute reported that 53% of young professionals reported that they feel at risk of burnout for reasons related to their work at least once a week. Research suggests that young workers are experiencing increased loneliness at work, and are now more likely to report feeling lonely than their older counterparts. These challenges are the reasons behind the founding of the Young Professionals Affinity Group.
Last year the group met virtually for regular coffee chats to discuss topics such as navigating ageism, overcoming challenges of multigenerational workplaces, and purging bad habits.
The Young Professionals Affinity Group is co-chaired by Ashley Floro and Desiere Genet. This group’s support comes courtesy of Raigime.
“As a passionate people leader, I am committed to supporting talent development,” said Raigime’s owner Railene Turner. “The benefits of peer support cannot be underestimated, and I am confident that the Young Professionals Affinity Group members gain access to experiences and insight they can’t learn in courses.”
Mental Health Affinity Group
With the ever-present risk of burnout that comes with such a deadline-driven role, it’s so important to have people you can talk to who understand the unique balance of triumphs and challenges in this industry. That’s where the Mental Health Affinity Group comes in – members of the group get together to discuss the things they’re struggling with and their coping strategies.
The group’s 2024 was made up of regular virtual get-togethers to discuss mental health-related topics, from work-life balance management to maintaining mental wellness in SME relationships.
The Mental Health Affinity Group is co-chaired by Tori Bunk and Elissa Fletcher. This group is supported by Strategic Proposals and BZ Opportunity Management.
“Working in bids and proposals is exhilarating,” said Jon Williams, Managing Director at Strategic Proposals. “But the short timescales, the competitive nature, the imperfect information with which we work, the battle to get people to focus on the bid when they have ‘the day job’—well, it can be stressful, right?”
“We’re deeply committed to helping people find ways to thrive and supporting them if they feel under pression,” Mr Williams added. “So, we’re hugely proud to sponsor the important work of this wonderful APMP Affinity Group.”
Kevin Switaj, BZ Opportunity Management’s President and CEO, said: “Taking care of one’s mental health is just as critical as one’s physical health, especially in a high-stress environment like proposal development. The entire BZ team recognizes the importance of mental health, and we are excited to see APMP take this issue seriously. It was an easy decision to support such a great initiative.”
Military and Veterans Affinity Group
Around 7 in 10 military veterans cite mental health struggles as a barrier to consistent employment and—with nearly 1 in 5 veterans currently unemployed—it’s absolutely crucial that veterans are given as much support as possible to ensure they can feel supported in the workforce. Being a military veteran can be an isolating experience when surrounded in a workplace with people who don’t understand the distinct experiences of military service, and having a group of professionals who share in these experiences can be important for ensuring successful and healthy experiences of the workforce. Enter the Military and Veterans Affinity Group!
The group met regularly last year to discuss topics such as the challenges of integrating into professional life following military service and hiring former military personnel into bid and proposal roles.
Supporting the group this year is Lohfeld Consulting.
“Lohfeld Consulting Group is proud to support APMP’s Military and Veterans Affinity Group,” Beth Wingate, CEO of Lohfeld Consulting told us. “With veterans throughout our organization, we see every day how their unique experiences, insights, and leadership skills strengthen our profession’s capabilities. This sponsorship reflects our sincere commitment to ensuring that veterans thrive and succeed in the bid and proposal community as they advance their post-military careers.”
Brenda Crist, Vice President of Lohfeld Consulting, added: “My dad’s and grandfather’s service in the U.S. Army instilled in me a deep respect for the sacrifices made by military personnel and their families. Supporting the APMP’s Military and Veterans Affinity Group is my way of honoring that legacy and helping veterans transition and advance their skills in the bid and proposal community. Lohfeld Consulting is honored to support this group.”
Read more about our Affinity Groups program here.
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