Grant funding is highly competitive. Assessors will be reviewing many applications so it's crucial that you present a concise easy to read application that addresses all the stated requirements.

Where permitted, if you engage a professional writer or third party to assist you with preparing and lodging your application, you must make sure that:

• any necessary authority forms enabling them to represent you are completed and approved by the funding agency
• you fully understand, approve and authorise any submissions made on your behalf
• you have allocated enough time to engage the third party in this process so that your application is lodged by the deadline.

Preparing for your grant application

Before starting to write your application, you need to:

• familiarise yourself with the grant funding guidelines, process requirements and application forms
• check the eligibility criteria
• read any accompanying documents (e.g. terms and conditions, frequently asked questions, application 'tips')
• gather together details of your:
  • products and/or services
  • experience and skills
  • key personnel
  • description of your business and business plan
  • proposed budget
  • project description, including aims and objectives
  • plan on how you will use the grant money.
• gather, or ask relevant parties to provide, supporting documents such as financials, quotes, budgets, invoices. Note: If there could be questions raised about your financial documentation because it is unusual or complicated, perhaps due to a related party or other issues, remember to explain it clearly.
• check you have enough time to lodge your application ahead of the closing date – whether you submit the application yourself or via a third party on your behalf.

Writing your grant application

These key points will help you to create a logical and easy to read application.

• Write in a consistent writing style and tone – use the grant guidelines as a reference for the type of business language to use (avoid conversational language or jargon).
• Use concise language – keep your answers and paragraphs short (some grant applications may have a word limit).
• Write your application so that it's easily understood by an assessor who may be unfamiliar with your industry.
• Apply consistent formatting, including:
  • headings and sub-headings to help the assessor quickly review the content and key points
  • bullet points to list items (e.g. project outcomes and benefits, project elements and team members) – more detail can be provided in paragraphs and supporting documents
  • font style and size, line spacing, margins, page numbers, and headers and footers.
• Include keywords from the guidelines and assessment criteria where appropriate.
• Write factually – the information you submit must be accurate and may be audited, which could result in serious consequences if information supplied is misleading.
• Avoid using vague, speculative or emotive words (e.g. believe, hope, expect, may, could, might).
• Write unique answers to all questions – although some questions may sound similar, the assessor will be seeking new information (check the guidelines for clarification).
• Include a short project title and description of aims and activities.
• Be bold and positive in stating what your project will achieve if your application is successful but avoid exaggerated claims – the assessor will look for realistic outcomes and all of the claims you make must be able to be substantiated.
• Demonstrate your project's likelihood of success, acknowledging risks to achieving its aims and how these will be managed. Your application will build trust with the assessor if you can:
  • outline the key drivers of risk and uncertainty and how you will manage them
  • identify the range of project outcomes that may be achieved based on best to worst case scenarios in relation to potential risks (e.g. desired project outcome, satisfactory outcome, poor outcome)
  • provide a short assessment of the likelihood of the above scenarios.
• Provide project budget details.
• Include a glossary at the end of your application if you are using words or acronyms that may be unfamiliar to the assessor.

Guide your reader through your application by:

• stating your main points
• providing background and introducing concepts early
• establishing and maintaining consistent themes throughout
• progressing logically and concisely from simple to complex aspects of your project.

Before you begin writing your application, consider how your project idea will translate into action.

To give yourself the best chance of success, and to present a convincing business case, you should describe:

• your business and its activities
• your project idea and how it aligns with the objectives of the grant program
• what activities and outputs your project will deliver
• why your project needs funding and why it represents value for money
• how you will successfully bring the project to completion
• benefits of your project to your business and include the long-term broader regional and/or community benefits (e.g. creation of jobs, preservation of existing jobs in the region)
• how your project is likely to stand out from other applicants who may be seeking funding for a similar project idea
• how you are competitive in your sector – a grant assessor will want to see that you are serious about remaining competitive (Note: The government has a responsibility to see that public funds are used by productive, profitable and effective businesses that will achieve successful outcomes).

Include and explain the involvement of any third parties (e.g. financial adviser, business coach, accountant) in your business and specifically address why their involvement is significant. Demonstrate that you have sought expert advice where relevant and have applied those learnings when necessary.

Provide proof of eligibility

You must provide sufficient proof that your business meets the grant's eligibility criteria, as this is the first step in the assessment process.

Make sure you clearly demonstrate how your project aligns with the grant program's aims and provide all the information needed for your application to be assessed.

If you need further clarification or advice, contact the funding agency.

Before submitting your application

Use the grant application checklist to confirm that your application is complete and ready to be submitted for assessment.

After submitting your application

Make sure you respond promptly to any requests for further information. Not being contactable may delay your application and cause you to miss out on funding if the grant round closes quickly.

A logical and well supported budget will provide the assessor with confidence in your capacity to deliver the project.

Detail all the costs (including a contingency factor) involved in completing your project, such as:

• your contribution to the project
• the grant amount
• any other contributions from any project partners.

The budget should detail both cash (e.g. capital or loans) and in-kind (e.g. volunteer time, borrowed equipment) contributions to the project.

It's helpful to show how the value of in-kind items has been calculated. Donated materials and equipment can be valued at the cost to buy items new or hire the costs. Labour should be valued at the going hourly rate.

Make sure you have provided current information (e.g. quotes that were sourced over a year ago may no longer be valid to support your application).

Funding tips

• Check your requested funding is within the minimum and maximum limits of the grant.
• Read the guidelines thoroughly to make sure your costs are eligible for grant funding.
• Include all costs, factoring in administrative overheads (do not include GST).
• Check that your project dates align with the funding period indicated in your application (e.g. if you are seeking 6 months of funding, indicate that your project will be completed within 6 months), that your project start date is realistic and that you have factored in the time needed to assess your application.
• Provide detailed invoices/quotes from suppliers (include the supplier's business name ABN/ACN and contact details) as evidence of your project costs, how you will achieve your aims and that they:
  • are for activities that are eligible costs under the grant guidelines rather than a broad range of activities that may help grow your business
  • are issued/dated for the eligible time period
  • are legible
  • outline all relevant services to be provided including itemised costs
  • specify personnel providing services, their number of hours and hourly rate.
• Explain how the requested funding amount was calculated as this is especially useful if the requested amount differs to the amounts included in the invoices/quotes supplied.
• Detail what you are purchasing if you plan to submit a catalogue of services from a supplier.
• Explain how multiple service provider quotes for your project all piece together to achieve the project outcomes.
• Check that your organisation has the financial capacity to carry any costs before funding is able to be paid to you.
• Review your budget to make sure it's accurate and adds up.
• Be ready to provide evidence about what approved items you have spent the grant money on, as part of the acquittal process.

You will need to allocate enough time to thoroughly review your application, and if possible, seek feedback from your peers or supporters.

Proofreading your application is also important so ask someone who is not familiar with your application to check it too.

Use the checklist below to make sure your application is well written, contains all the required supporting documents, and meets the grant criteria.

Grant application checklist