Advice on Looking for Grants

What is a Grant?

A grant is money given by one organisation (such as a govt.) to another organisation (such as a community group) to conduct a project that will provide some broader benefit.

To receive a grant, a group must submit an application describing in detail what will be done and how the money will be spent.

Grant applications are usually assessed against specific criteria that reflect the priorities of the funding provider and are printed in the guidelines or application forms.

Grants have specific conditions about what the money will be used for, and groups need to submit a report at the end of the project to account for all money spent and describe the outcome of the project.

Grants can help a group achieve things that will benefit people, either members of their group or others, which they may not be able to afford otherwise.

Where do you get Grants from?

Grants are available from many different sources, such as:

• Large Corporations (e.g. Telstra, Major Banks, BP)
• Philanthropic Bodies (e.g. the Ian Potter Foundation, Ford Foundation, Peter Brock Foundation)
• Government (e.g. Wyndham City Council, Victorian State Government, the Federal Government)
• Local Businesses (e.g. the Manor Lakes Community Fund and Rose Grange Community Fund)
• Local Service Clubs (e.g. Rotary and Apex)

Useful Websites

Some websites to try when looking for grants:

www.ourcommunity.com.au     
(contains a huge database of grants available)

www.grants.dvc.vic.gov.au      
(has info on all State Government grants)

www.grantslink.gov.au 
(has info on all Federal Government grants)

For information on grants offered by Wyndham City Council, click on the link below or contact Tanaya Knight, Community Projects Officer on 9742 8136 or email funding@wyndham.vic.gov.au

Applying for a Grant

• Identify a need or issue.
• Talk to people get a range of viewpoints on the issue.
• Think carefully about the problem a good application always starts with a good idea a bad idea will always look bad no matter how well you write about it.
• Look for a grant that seems to match the project you are planning.
•  Read the guidelines again and again make sure you understand them completely if you have any questions talk to the funding agency.
• Write clearly and concisely no waffle or flowery prose.
• Give all the facts - assessors should quickly be able to see who, what, where, when, how these are the main factors that they will use in their decision.
• Break your project down into distinct stages and specific activities and then list all the resources (labour, equipment, materials, time) needed for each activity. This can also help when discussing who is responsible for each activity and each stage.
• This breakdown should be used as the basis for your project budget by allocating who will provide or pay for each item and then checking the price. Prices should be accurate and reasonable. A clear, detailed, and reasonable budget is a vital part of any grants application.
• Be realistic, specific, and factual use the SMART test: S Specific Aims; M Measurable Targets; A Agreed by All Parties Involved; R Realistic Goals and Strategies; T Time Bound (can be completed in a fixed time period).
• Proof read your application and give it to someone else to read.
• If in doubt talk to the organisation youre applying to most will be very happy to help.

The money is out there, so if your group has a good idea that will benefit people and has the commitment to make it happen, put in an application!