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How to win the Most Grants Ever for
Your Community Organisation
Patrick Moriarty
Director Training and Development
Australian Institute for Community Practice and Governance
www.ourcommunity.com.au
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Today’s workshop
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From concept to a project development
Background to sources of grant
availability
Developing a grant template
Applying the template to a submission
Submitting the grant - Steps to take pre
and post submission
Winning/Losing - what to do in each case
Acquitting and evaluating the grant
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Some of us have great ideas to help
support our local communities and
many of us are not aware of the
thousands of grants that are available
to help undertake these important
programs.
The one excuse we all use is
“We don’t have ….”
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If there is one thing that you get out of
today I hope it is that reacting to grant
announcements is not going to help you
in the longer term…
YOU NEED TO PLAN AND
THINK AHEAD
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Have some forethought – what do you need
Problem
How solved
$
Timing
Complaints that
parents have
nothing for
children to do
Create play area for $8,000
kids
June 06
– Dec 06
Indigenous cohort
lacking input into
priority program
development
Community
engagement with
local indigenous
people
$24,000
Jul -Sep
06
Drug Users
sticking needles
in playground
Research reasons
$10,000
Dec 06
Low participation
of local disabled
in programs
Develop brochure
$1,800
to inform and attract
disabled people
Feb 07
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What I want you to do now is to think
of that previous slide?
I want you to find one
problems/issues/challenge facing
your organisation today?
Take five minutes to write this down
or keep it in your head.
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Now move through each of those other
columns.
How would you solve them?
(NOT JUST ONE SOLUTION)
How much (roughly) will it cost?
How long will it take to do?
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I want you to keep this in mind when
you return to your group, business,
school, department, office.
What most of you have just done is a
very basic strategic plan for your
organisation. It will guide you to grants
and grantmakers.
KEEP IT IN YOUR BACK POCKET
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That is how you can move from an idea to
the start of program development?
Now let’s look at some program
descriptions
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• Retingle your tangles - Come to the COW Community Opportunity Workshops
• Becoming Real Men in Marsden
• Little Sistas - Little Brothers
• Talking Realities … Young Parenting Program
Kingston Bayside (TR…YPPKB)
• Dads in Distress Frankston - Regional
Expansion
• Growing an Inclusive Neighbourhood (GAIN
Project)
These are all successful FACSIA “Local Answers”
program grant programs
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A program is highly unlikely to ever
be funded just because it has a
snappy name but it does immediately
grab the attention of someone
reading a grant application.
KEEP THAT IN MIND FOR LATER
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How well do you fare?
• Sourcing grants - knowing where the $
are
• Process for applying
• Application itself
• Relationship management
SPAR
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An Overview of Grants in Australia
• Government
- Federal
- State
- Local
• Philanthropy
• Corporate – grants vs sponsorship
Who do you think is the largest funder?
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Government grants in a total grant context
Commonwealth
States
Local
Private philanthropy
Corporate
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Philanthropy
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Family Foundations (Myer, Besen)
Corporate Foundations (Telstra)
Master Trusts (ANZ Charitable Trustees)
Community Foundations (Hunter Region
Community Foundation)
• Some of the above may be Prescribed
Private Funds (PPF’s)
In most of the above cases you will
require DGR to access these grants
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So how do you find out when and
where you can access all of these
grants?
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Some options?
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www.grantslink.gov.au
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• Community Builders
• Easy Grants
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1st step is knowing where, when and how
Monthly Easy Grants Newsletter
• Comprehensive - every grant in Aust
• In time (approx 2 months ahead)
• Proactive
• Various categories
• Find the grants
• Assess: suitability, amount (ave,
min,max), guidelines
• Check the closing date
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A basic winning grant process
• Identify that grants are a legitimate fundraising
strategy (Don’t do it half hearted)
• Agenda item – bring up at meetings/ roles
responsibilities
• Nominate a scout to search for grants
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Thinking of the grantmaker
• What is the main theme of the organisation
whose money you want
• What are they most proud of
• What qualities do they feature in their annual
report
• What is their motivation for this grants area
• If the grantmaker was to invent their ideal
program what would it be?
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Thinking of the grantmaker
• Identify your common interests and where your
aims and interests overlap
• Identify where your activities help achieve their
aims and how
HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?
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Finding the right fit to seek grants
• Need to align “values” with funding agency
• How do you help them achieve their goal
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Target your application
Tailor your application
Refine your application
Work out where your objectives
meet
NOT ABOUT YOU. IT’S ABOUT THEM
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Looking Beyond the Narrow Category View
Think outside the square.
• Your constituency – who? What programs?
• Do you encourage healthy practices? An antidrug, anti-alcohol, anti-obesity message?
• Do you service a large indigenous or
multicultural group?
• Do you provide opportunities for youth to learn
leadership skills/responsibility/decision-making?
• Are you inclusive? (elderly/indigenous/ women/
disability/low socio-economic groups)
• Are you regional/rural/remote
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Lateral thinking about grants
For example – integration of elderly
into school dance program
Arts
Potential
Funding
a
Education
Youth
a
a
Family
Community
a
a
Health
Disability
a
a
Are you doing anything innovative/
inclusive?
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The Grants Template
(really it’s your core information in one spot)
Vibrant Description of Organisation
Re-use for most applications and for
marketing and communication
To help make you stand out answer • Why is your group the best in the
world?
• What is your group on the earth for?
• Who loves your group and why?
• Your staff and board
• Your annual budget
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Template contents
• Corporate Info (ABN, GST, Inc Ass No, Annual
reports)
• Mailing address/Contact details
• Board Member details (brief)
• Previous grant wins
• Demographic data (group/town/city/region)
• Testimonials (gov, community, corp)
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Template contents (cont)
• Who are you?
• What do you do?
MISSION STATEMENT
• Why do you do it?
• How do you do what you do? (funding, people,
volunteers, staff, partners)
• Where do you operate – link to data?
• When were you established? If new why?
• Insurance Coverage (Who, How much etc)
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Lets start at the start
In 25 words or less describe your
organisation –
A simple way – one sentence for each of
these:
• Who are you
• What do you do
• Why do you do it?
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What is your group on the earth for?
To play bowls
vs
We are a vibrant group of older (AND
YOUNGER) people who come together to
encourage and support each other in a
social environment and to play bowls.
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How do you apply the template
• Hardly two grant applications are likely to be
exactly the same…However most if not all will
want to know about you and your club
• You now have one document with many
sections that can be cut and pasted
(CAREFULLY) to save time BUT it still needs to
be tailored to the grant and their priorities.
• (NEVER, EVER JUST CHANGE THE NAME).
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You think that the grant suits your needs
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READ the Guidelines (yep all of them)
READ AGAIN
Check upper and lower $ limits
When does it close (plan to meet it)
What is the average grant?
What groups/programs have won the grant
previously?
• What is the tone, type (i.e. hints) of the words
used…
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Making the call
With one phone call you could find out:
• The priorities for the funding agency
• Whether your project fits within the criteria
(How you could bring it within the criteria)
• Collaboration (can you strengthen through
partnerships)
• Evidence of support is important
EVEN THOUGH THIS IS IN THE GUIDELINES
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Saving time and creating relationships
• The phone call
• The meeting
• Resilience in the face of the arrogant brush-off
• Remember court orders apply to stalking (it
may also heavily reduce your chance of grant
success) – weigh up the relationship (yes/no
answers sure warning sign)
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The Proposed Project
• Define the challenge
• Clearly defined and achievable objectives
• Specific
• Realistic and achievable within timelines
• Result in outcomes that can be measured
• Who is involved (internal/external)?
• Inject some passion
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Let’s do that now
I want you to describe your project –
clearly in FORTY words or less.
If the project is to hire a bus to transport
your clients to an event – say it clearly
but vamp it up.
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What is your project?
Can you do this in 40 words?
Common faults are as follows:
Applicants not being clear about what they are
requesting funding for.
They will provide a comprehensive description
of a sewing project, for example, without
saying upfront that they want to use the
funding to purchase an ironing board for
participants.
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How does your project fit with
guidelines
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The Project Submission
• Activities – list them against a realistic timeline
• Accountable person and CV
• Professional submission (back of envelope
won’t usually cut it)
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The Methods
Activity
Activity 1
Budget
$
Timetable
June 3 – July 4
Activity 2
$
June 6 – July 13
Activity 3
$
July 14 – Aug 29
Activity 4
$
Aug 30 – Nov 30
Activity 5
$
Dec 1 – Feb 27
If template provided - USE IT
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Community Support
Evidence –
• Letters-current and targeted to the project
• Financial - can you do what you say
• In kind - who is doing what for you
• Local Newspaper Articles
• Research (as before)
e.g. wider community application
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Budget
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Match budget to activities
Match timelines to budget
All items of expenditure under headings
A percentage of overheads (check)
Contingency (check)
Cost in volunteer time (check)
What are you putting in?
In-kind support
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How will you demonstrate this?
1. Describe the project, including the expected
dates of commencement and completion.
2. Specify the location or place where the project
will be conducted.
3. Define the aims of the project and the methods
or strategies that will be used.
4. Define the group in need that you wish to assist.
Provide quantitative data if possible.
5. Explain the need that is being addressed and
why this is important. Provide quantitative data if
possible.
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How will you demonstrate this?
6. Describe the benefits, outputs and outcomes the project is
designed to achieve.
7. How and by whom will the effectiveness of your project be
measured?
8. How will this project be sustained after the grant funds have
been expended? [It is important that you respond to this
question.]
9. If the project seeks funding for service delivery, give
evidence of your organisation’s ability and expertise to
deliver that service.
10. What other organisations are doing similar work and in
what way does your project differ from the initiatives of
these other organisations?
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How will you demonstrate this?
11. Provide an itemized budget (income and expenditure) for
each year of the project or activity. [This is important in the
event that the application can only be part funded.]
12. List the names and qualifications or experience of the
individuals who will direct and manage the activity or
project, and state whether they are current staff.
13. List the trusts, foundations, corporations and other
sources, including governments, from which you are
seeking funding for this project.
14. Provide the names and contact details (including
telephone) of two individuals or organisations who would
speak in support of the application if requested to do so by
Philanthropy Partners, ANZ Trustees. Alternatively,
enclose letters of support from them.
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Layout: Clean and Simple
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On time, by email (if allowed)
A Summary on the front (if allowed)
An index
Within a numbered page limit - 4 to 6 max
Check Speling grammerr facts and figures
Use bullet points
Passionate, Exciting
Check that the budget adds up
Check that you haven’t got another grant provider
named
“We welcome short, succinct applications that respond clearly and
thoughtfully to each item. Applications are assessed according to fit
with the guidelines.”
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Winning the grant – and more and more…
• Celebrate Internally – But first thing to do is say
thanks
• Invite funders to any events, openings (if they
attend acknowledge them in speech)
• Send regular reports and
communications
• Acknowledge funders on all materials
and verbally
….THEN LET THEM KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU
WANT TO DO
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Evaluation and Monitoring
In this case (ANZ) it will help you to meet the criteria of
• Preferred projects will display the following design:
– A thoroughly considered and mapped sustainability proposal;
– Stated outputs, outcomes and impacts, and the measures that will
assess whether these have been achieved;
– Suitable governance design that is a direct reflection of the aims
of the project;
– Development and building of existing organisational strength;
– Inclusion of an evaluation of appropriate complexity and scope to
the magnitude and design of the project;
– Defined timeliness and need for the project;
– Leverage potential, or impact that extends beyond the target
group;
– A contribution to knowledge and practice in the sector of
operation.
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A good report should….
• Detail the stated aims of the project
• Report on how the aims were met
• Detail what worked well and what didn’t work so
well
• Provide any measurements
• Provide feedback from partners, clients,
supporters
• Finance report (income/exp inc in kind)
• Not be the first time they have heard
from you since you got the funding
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Not winning is not losing in the future
• Murder is illegal
• Ask for a debrief
- Should more information have been provided?
- Was there one particular area (or many) where
they could improve?
- Would they consider another application in
future?
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Common Problems
• Writing 'not relevant' to some questions
particularly about disability access and networking
• Inflating budget estimates (they have good
references to similar projects sitting in front of
them)
• Leaving blank spaces
• Not getting authorisation from supporters/partners
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Common Problems
• Not being clear about community benefit.
• Submitting multiple applications for several small
projects instead of integrating them into one.
• Don't ring staff for advice before developing/
submitting the project – everyone has a great
idea.
• Don’t phone frivolously - I hear you have some
money
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Can you answer these with your application
STEP 1 - WHY?
• Why do you want to do this project?
• Why is it important to the organisation?
• Why is it important to your clients &
members, community?
• Why will this project make a difference?
• Why am I asking this funding body?
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Can you answer these with your application
STEP 2 - WHAT?
• What determined/drove the need for this
project?
• What are the project/s objectives?
• What are the expected outcomes?
• What will be the key milestones for the project?
• What resources will be required?
• What is the average grant provided?
• What is my budget?
• What is the funding agreement requirements?
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Can you answer these with your application
STEP 3 - HOW?
• How will you engage appropriate human
resources?
• How will you implement your project?
• How will you assess and measure your
outcomes?
• How much will the project cost?
• How will the project costs be funded?
• How does the project fit within your
organisations objectives and meet your clients
needs?
• How will you determine if your project is
sustainable?
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Can you answer these with your application
STEP 4 - WHO?
• Who should be involved in the project – and are
they?
• Who will be responsible for managing the project?
• Who will be responsible for undertaking the
tasks/activities?
• Who’s our partners?
• To who should I speak – build relationship?
• Who is your project/s targeting?
• Who will support your project – have you got their
support (in writing)?
• Who else is providing funding?
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Can you answer these with your application
STEP 5 - WHEN?
• When will you need to start and finish your
project by?
• When will the task/activities need to be
completed by?
• When will you need to measure and evaluate
your progress?
• When should we consult with other partners,
clients and stakeholders?
• When does it need to be in?
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Can you answer these with your application
• STEP 6 - WHERE?
• Where will the project/activities take place?
Give a context that will ring a bell.
• Where will you hold your progress meetings?
• Where will you promote/publicise/market your
grant success?
• Where will you report on the project
• Where will you launch the project
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What next?
• Refine your applications
• Take advice on board
• Keep trying
• Ask local experts for feedback/advice
• local council staff/grant writers
• people within your own org
• experienced grant writers locally
• Community/regional development staff
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