Participants will learn about:

• The Georgia Open Records Act (GORA) and the Georgia Records Act
• Privacy requirements and protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
• Redaction requirements
• Georgia’s legal and regulatory framework for records

Training includes:

1. Incorporating records into disaster plans
2. Identifying and managing vital records in all formats
3. Basic records and document recovery methods
4. Contracting for disaster recovery services

Topics include:

1. Identifying what constitutes a record
2. Creating and maintaining a records inventory
3. Using approved state, local, and agency-specific retention schedules
4. Disposition of records in various formats
5. Developing and maintaining records policies and procedures

Participants will explore:

1. Storage standards for temporary and permanent records
2. Best practices for archives and records centers
3. Selecting and implementing records management software
4. Preserving permanent records
5. Expanding organizational awareness and training
6. Measuring program success and reporting outcomes
7. Managing legal holds

Includes training on:

1. Transitioning from paper to electronic records
2. Change management strategies
3. Policies and procedures for electronic records
4. Imaging and microfilm reformatting technologies
5. Managing the lifecycle of email, text, voicemail, and other electronic records
6. Managing social media and website records
7. Information governance principles

• Log in to your myGRA member portal.
• Click on the “Shop Online” tile.

• Click on the “One-Time GRMP Certificate Application” tile.

• On the right side, click on the blue “Add to Cart” button.

• On the next screen, click on the green “Checkout” button.
• Complete the “Billing Address Information” fields, then click on the green “Proceed to Checkout” button.

• Select “Payment Method“, then click on the green “Process Payment” button.

• If paying by credit card, enter the card and billing address information fields, then click on the green “Confirm Payment” button.
• If paying by check, download the receipt and remit payment to the address shown.

✅ Yes. GRMP candidates must maintain an active GRA membership throughout their enrollment in the program. Annual dues must be received by December 31 each year or risk being removed from the program.

Members have a 30-day grace period, from December 31, to renew and remit payment of membership dues.

If your membership has Lapsed beyond the 30-day grace period, you must:

• Login to your member portal
• Renew and pay your membership dues via credit card.

If payment is not received by the end of the grace period, or if the member has not reached out to GRA at member@georgiarecords.org to discuss late payment, the membership will be marked as Expired. At that point, the member will be unenrolled from the GRMP program, and their profile will be archived.

Lapsed Membership is one that has passed its renewal date and is temporarily inactive, but the member can still renew without having to reapply. The membership is essentially “on pause” until the renewal is completed.

An Expired Membership is one that has ended and is past the grace period for renewal.

If your membership has EXPIRED and you wish to rejoin the GRMP Certificate program, you must:

1. Join as an Association Member,
2. Pay membership dues, and
3. Pay the $100 one-time, nonrefundable GRMP application fee to restart the program.
   ❌ All previously earned GRMP credits are void.

All returning members are required to restart the GRMP Certificate Program anew. All GRMP prior credits are void. You may rejoin as an Association member and remit the $100 one-time, nonrefundable application fee to enter the GRMP Certificate program.

❌ No. Only courses offered or approved by GRA are eligible for GRMP certificate credit. Eligible training opportunities are shared with members via email.

GRMP credits are primarily offered at the GRA Annual Conference. Additional online or in-person courses approved by GRA may be available throughout the year. Members are notified of all eligible training opportunities via their GRA member email. Only courses offered or approved by GRA count toward the GRMP Certificate.

❌ No. Members may repeat sessions as often as they like; however, each session will only count once toward GRMP certificate credit unless explicitly stated.

✅ Yes. Active GRA members can receive credit for approved courses completed up to 90 days before the one-time GRMP application fee is received.

❌ No. GRMP credits are only awarded to active, dues-paid GRA members.

In previous years, participants in the Records Management Professional Certificate program were required to:

• Complete 54 hours of instruction across all required Areas of Knowledge (AK).
• Be a GRA member in good (active) standing for the entire time enrolled in the Certificate program.
• Finish all coursework within five years of enrollment.

__________________________________________________________________________

Members who enrolled in the Georgia Records Management Professional (GRMP) Certificate Program before January 1, 2021, completed the following Areas of Knowledge (AK) requirements and hours.

AK1: Overview of Laws & Regulations Relating to Records Management (8 hours)

AK2: Disaster Planning and Preparedness (6 hours)

AK3: Records Management Program Development (13 hours)

AK4: Records Management Program Implementation (13 hours)

AK5: Electronic Records Management (14 hours)

Total Required Program Hours: 54 hours

__________________________________________________________________________

Members enrolled in the GRMP Certificate Program between January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2025, completed the following Areas of Knowledge (AK) requirements and hours.

AK1: Overview of Laws and Regulations Relating to Records Management (6hrs)

AK2: Disaster Planning and Preparedness (6hrs)

AK3: Records Management Program Development (8hrs)

AK4: Records Management Program Implementation (14hrs)

AK5: Electronic Records Management (14hrs)

AK6: Professional Development (6hrs)

Total Required Program Hours: 54 hours

❌ No. The certificate does not expire once awarded.