About Grants
Government, philanthropic and community organisations give grants to respond to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and bushfires, or to support policy aims.
My grant writing content will help you to learn about grants, understand the grant writing process and find Australian grants to support your creative practice.
Grant basics.
What are grants? Who makes and gives grants? What’s involved if you’re awarded a grant? Jump to a few grant basics to get you started.
Tips on grant writing.
Check out my short guide for advice on effective grant writing. Learn about the stages of preparing a typical grant application.
Find grants and support.
Jump to the resource hub to see what grants have been announced, including Covid-19 grants. There are links to the organisations supporting Australian creatives with grants advice and fund-raising.
Your local council is also a great place to apply for a grant, or connect with community funding networks.
Expertise and services.
Grant writing requires a wide range of skills. From project management, to marketing and ‘selling’ your project, to using basic business skills like budgeting, risk management and writing reports.My expertise and services will help with your grant application.
Grant Basics
A grant is funding (usually of cash) invested by Government, or an organisation, for public good (i.e. cultural, social, environmental, and economic aims).
You must be eligible (by meeting the conditions of the grant), demonstrate merit and align with the grant aims.
Grants come with hoops and strings. ‘Obligations’ is a better word. If successful, you’ll enter into a funding agreement that has conditions such as providing reports, sharing any publicity and record keeping.
Most grants are by application. You can learn more about good grant writing in this short guide.
Ride the grant wheel.
Learn about the grant writing stages.
How to win?
Have a clear purpose, plan ahead, get organised and write concisely.
My services will support you on the ride.
If you’re a creative professional, time poor and put-off from applying for grants, I can give expert advice.
I can take on the heavy lifting, and support you from beginning to end.
The following short guide to grant writing gives just a few tips.
I’ve a lot more…
A short guide to grant writing.
Investing in grant writing services builds confidence and will give you a solid application for future grants.
Here’s a short guide to get you across the key stages of preparing a strong application.
A short guide to grant writing
Grant writing wheel.
Work your way around the wheel. Following my grant writing tips will help.
But first, stop and consider:
Why now?
What’s the value (what is the return on an investment in me and my project)?
What if I’m not successful, what then?
Write the outstanding.
Plan.
Have clear purpose and value that aligns with the grant aims.
Be sure the grant is ‘right’ for your practice. Ask yourself questions. Ask the grant-giver questions.
Is this grant a good fit? Can I meet all the requirements and closing date? How will the funding be spent? What value has this proposal for my practice and society?
Create a mini project plan, setting out the milestone dates for each stage of the grant wheel.
Read.
Carefully read the grant summary and guidelines / FAQs.
Read up on eligibility, requirements and the assessment process. Look for clues!
How will I be assessed? Can I respond to each assessment criteria? Research the organisation and previous ‘winners’. Revisit any previous applications (successful, or otherwise).
Gather.
Gather the required information.
Do I need to update my practice portfolio? How do I budget to show how the funding can be best used?
Who can provide me the most powerful reference (not the easiest to get)?
Is my project schedule realistic and comprehensive?
Be credible.
Draft.
Succinctly address the grant objectives and all assessment criteria.
Write concisely. Respond to each criteria. Don’t skip or skim on the trickier parts. Imagine a scorecard. Is there too much, or too little detail? Be specific.
Assessors work fast. They want to find the right information, quickly. Make sure every piece of information counts on your scorecard.
Submit.
Rest and reflect, before you push on.
Spell, grammar and sense check. Proofread.
Comply with any file-naming protocols, word count limits and the closing date. Don’t give easy excuses to knock you out of the game.
Always. Always re-draft. Have a checklist. What have I missed? Could I explain that better? Am I still missing an influential ‘letter of support’? Are my document uploads correct? Are my URL’s working?
Follow-up.
Make a phone call to the grant-giver.
If appropriate, speak to an assessor, simply to confirm your submission has been received.
Be passionate, engaged and curious; you’re not just another application.
Do not try to ‘influence’ the decision-making.
Did you find the short guide useful?
I’d enjoy receiving your ideas, thoughts, questions, or issues I’ve not fully addressed?
Please send an email to chris_gorman2020@outlook.com.
Do you have better sense of what’s involved in grant writing?
It’s a blend of research, compelling story telling and basic business skills.
Jump to a summary of my expertise & services.
Or contact me to get going…
Resource hub.
COVID-19 funding sources and assistance for creatives: federal, state and local
Support for creatives
Creative Plus Business is a fantastic social enterprise dedicated to educating creative people and arts organisations about business skills.
There’s heaps of information, training, support and help needed to work for yourself in the creative and cultural industries.
Grants advice
www.business.gov.au/Grants-and-Programs
Business.gov offers help in looking for grants that are applicable to small business in Australia.
There’s a nifty search tool to find grants, funding and support programs from across government to help your business grow.
Australia Council for the Arts (OzCo)
www.australiacouncil.gov.au/funding
OzCo offers an extensive grants program that supports a diverse range of artists, artistic practice, organisations and arts activity.
The Cherish II Fund is in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruption experienced by the First Nations arts and cultural sector and community.
Applications close: 6 October 2020
OzCo’s has a COVID-19 support page.
Philanthropy Australia
Philanthropy Australia is the body for philanthropy and is a non-profit membership organisation. Subscription gives you access to a listing of their members of foundations and trusts whom provide funding.
Philanthropy Australia is working closely with its members, the Government and sector leaders, to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Funding Centre
The Funding Centre provides free help sheets, services, newsletters, books and training to help community groups improve their fundraising abilities and become healthier and more viable.
It’s the place where not-For-Profits go for funding.
They have great advice on grants.
Copyright Agency Cultural Fund
www.copyright.com.au/culturalfund
The Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund provides grants for Australia’s creators.
In response to COVID-19 CAL announced new grants and opportunities for writers, publishers, visual artists.
Find Grants.
Grants and funding news
Search these great organisations and websites for open grants, practical support and to learn more about fund campaigning.
Connect with councils
Local government is a major grant-giver to support creatives.
Start by checking out council’s webpages for up-to-date grants info and links to community funding networks.
arts.gov.au Federal whole-of-government assistance for cultural and creative sector
The Arts Hub grants search tool
GrantConnect current Australian Government grant opportunities and grants awarded
The Funding Centre grant and fund raising hub
Our Community provides advice, connections, training and more
Australian Cultural Fund fundraising platform for Australian artists
Resources on unemployment (Job Seeker) and wage subsidy (JobKeeper) initiatives
Support Act’s COVID-19 Resource page. Support Act are a charity delivering crisis relief services to artists, crew and music workers.
Find grants to support your practice.
Federal Government Grants.
Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund
The RISE Fund (between $75,000 and $2 million) will assist arts and entertainment organisations seeking to restart, re-imagine or create new activities. The program is intended to assist by providing funding for the presentation of new or re-shaped cultural and creative activities and events including festivals, concerts and tours.
COVID 19 Arts Sustainability Fund
The Sustainability Fund aims to provide ‘last resort’ funding assistance to significant Australian Government funded arts organisations that are assessed to be at imminent risk of insolvency as a direct result of COVID-19, having taken all reasonable action to maintain their financial position.
Live Music Australia Program
The Live Music Australia program (between $5,000 to $100,000) will provide support to the live music sector, with a focus on small to medium venues that support high quality original Australian live music that is professionally staged. It aims to revive business ventures in local suburbs, towns and regions across the country, building capacity for a sustainable live music scene with strong community roots, in all parts of Australia.
Indigenous Travel Grants
This Screen Australia grant assists Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers in travelling to key international and Australian events.
Up to $6,000 may be requested for international travel, and up to $5,000 for travel within Australia.
Indigenous Languages & Arts Program
The Indigenous Languages and Arts (ILA) program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with funding of up to $100,000to to express, preserve and maintain their cultures through languages and arts activities around Australia.
ARIA First Nations Recording Grants
This grant supports five First Nations Australian artists or groups to create new sound recordings.
The initiative is designed to provide an opportunity for First Nations artists to create sound recordings, and access advice and managerial support to grow their audience.
There are five grants of $18,500 (ex GST) each available.
State Government Grants.
Victoria
$16.8M funding package to support Victorian creative organisations and individuals.
$13 million to the Strategic Investment Fund, targeted at small to medium and independent creative sector.
Almost $1.6 million through latest rounds of the VicArts Grants, Music Works, and Innovation in Marketing programs.
More useful information and resources gathered at Coronavirus and Victoria’s Creative Industries sub-site.
Creative Activation Fund seeks to support the development and delivery of creative projects that can increase visitation and have strong potential to become cultural tourist attractions. Closes 24 September 2020
Creative Learning Partnerships provides the opportunity for Victorian schools to partner with creative professionals or arts and cultural organisations. Closes 1 October 2020
New South Wales
Rescue and Restart package - $50 million Rescue and Restart package for NSW arts and cultural organisations. The Rescue and Restart package is intended to assist NSW arts and cultural organisations to hibernate, so they are in a strong position to restart operations when health guidelines permit [announced 25 May 2020].
For more information, visit Create NSW.
Create NSW is calling for applications from NSW individual artists, arts and cultural workers, and organisations for Round 1 of Create NSW’s 2020/2021 Arts and Cultural Funding Program, for Annual Organisation, Project and Creative Koori Project categories.
Applications close Wednesday 23 September 2020. Visit the Create NSW website to get more information and to apply.
Western Australia
$159 million was directed from Lotterywest to establish the COVID-19 Crisis Relief Fund to support not-for-profit sport, arts and community groups in dealing with the coronavirus.
Read more on WA arts funding.
Western Australia Music Covid-19 support.
Queensland
The Queensland Government has announced (16 June 2020) a new $22.5 million two-year Arts and Cultural Recovery Package for Queensland’s arts and cultural sector as part of Queensland’s Economic Recovery Strategy: Stage Two.
The Arts and Cultural Recovery Package includes a range of measures to strengthen the sector’s foundations for the future, drive new creative work, employ artists and arts workers, retain our skilled and talented creatives, and importantly, ensure the activation of our venues.
Read more on Queensland funding programs.
QMUSIC COVID-19 Resource Database.
Australian Capital Territory ACT
In addition to the over $10 million provided to the sector in annual arts funding, the ACT Government has committed more than $6 million in economic stimulus to support Canberra’s creatives through the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes a series of grants and funding opportunities to assist the ACT’s creative arts industry.
Current Rounds
2020 Arts Activities Up to $5k
Submissions close midnight 31 December 2020 (AEDT).
Find out more about 2020 Arts Activities Up to $5k...
Submissions close midnight 31 December 2020 (AEDT).
Find out more about ACT Arts Peer Register...
Arts funding programs are managed by artsACT.
State Government Grants.
Northern Territory
$2 million reprioritised funding program to support the Arts, Creative and Screen Industry sector.
The NT Arts Grants Program offers various grants for projects that explore, develop and profile arts and culture in the Northern Territory (NT).
Search for NT grants open funding rounds.
South Australia 25 March 2020
Arts South Australia has reconfigured its available grant funds and developed a series of practical measures to support the sector.
Arts South Australia connects the arts and cultural sector in South Australia with financial support for a range of activities.
Read more SA grant funding programs for arts and culture.
Search for SA grants open rounds.
Tasmania
$1.5 million funding package and new operational measures of over $2 million to support the individuals and organisations leading Tasmania’s cultural sector.
In addition, a $20 million small business emergency support grants program for initial emergency grant payments of $2,500.
Individuals and groups Funding for artists to realise creative projects closes 1 June 2020
Read more on Arts Tasmania grant funding programs.
Expertise & Services
Depending on your time, capacity and experience,
it could make sense to outsource the grant writing.
Here’s a summary of my skills and services to help you succeed.
Project Planning.
Help to plan, co-ordinate and control the ride on the grant wheel.
From start to end.
It could be fun.
Analysis.
Help on the research and analysis, before jumping on board.
Is the grant a good fit?
Requirements too much, for too little?
Strategies.
Help to devise strategies for a winning application.
How you can stand out.
Collation.
Help to collate information to comply with the requirements.
There’s a lot to pull together.
Writing.
The language of grants, government and decision-makers can be tricky.
Help to prepare the words to show your worth, to present a point-of-difference and submit a professional application.
Risk.
Where there’s money, there’s risk and accountability.
Help to identify and assess project risks and strategies to reduce or remove those risks.
Funding Agreement.
Grant ‘winners’ often enter into agreements.
Advice on the conditions and obligations and help to negotiate, if appropriate.
Reporting & Acquittal.
Accountability and obligations mean reports and financial records.
Help to meet your obligations, to ensure the funds are released and to close-down the agreement (Acquittal).
“Clear, concise and compelling -
grant applications written the right way”