Grant Writing Course: Writing Successful Grant Applications

Public sector. Uncover insights and transform your organisation.

COVID-19 update: arrangement of our courses

We are now delivering courses online and in-person. Please check the delivery format of each class before enrolling.

Please note that course materials (excluding prescribed texts) are shared electronically within 48 hours of course commencement. Printing is not available.

Writing grant applications is an essential competency for many individuals, businesses and community organisations in Australia today.

This course will help you and your organisation to become ‘grant ready’, giving you the tools you need to confidently plan, prepare, write and submit a compelling grant application or funding proposal.

The first part of the course will focus on strategic preparation. We will put theory into practice, exploring the essential building blocks of grant writing and applying them to your project. This stage will provide invaluable guidance on identifying funding opportunities, and planning and preparing your submission.

Excellence in execution drives the second part of the course. We will delve into the aims and objectives of funding bodies, to ensure your project is in alignment and can be considered a viable investment. You will learn how to respond to evaluation criteria effectively and present your application in a professional way.

The course is ideal for beginner grant writers and more seasoned professionals looking to improve their grant writing skills. It will suit sole traders and entrepreneurs seeking to grow their business, small organisations looking to scale, and non-profits who want to ensure sustainable operations.

Aims

This course aims to:

• equip you/your organisation with the knowledge, skills and tools to get ‘grant ready’
• help you/your organisation understand what drives funding body decisions
• provide you/your organisation with a robust strategy to plan, prepare and write a compelling grant application
• empower you to feel confident writing high-quality grant applications and place you in the best position for success.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• describe and understand the essential elements of the grant writing process
• discuss philanthropic and funding principles in the public and private sectors
• understand the aims, objectives and priorities of different funding bodies
• discern the different tiers of government grants including local, state and federal
• understand how different types of grants apply to individuals, organisations or projects.
• understand the competitive nature of grants
• understand how to apply for government, philanthropic, trust and foundation grants
• explain how and where to search for grants and find suitable funding opportunities.

Content

This course will empower participants using the following framework:

Strategic preparation + excellence in execution = a compelling grant proposal

The course has two vital components:

Session 1: Strategic preparation

At the outset, it’s important to remember that grants are not a financial handout. Rather, they are an investment opportunity for both grant recipient and funding body. Therefore, it’s essential to demonstrate value for money, return on investment (ROI), or other beneficial outcomes – for you/your organisation, your community, and the funding body. We will cover the following topics:

• introduction to the grant writing process
• get ‘grant ready’ by ensuring you have the right organisational structures and processes in place
• develop an ‘investment mindset’, and identify which projects offer an ROI or other specific beneficial outcomes
• identify where to find grant opportunities, and how to assess you/your organisation’s eligibility
• plan a timeline with achievable milestones
• address and respond to evaluation criteria with appropriate supporting information.

Session 2: Excellence in execution

Here, we focus on the finer details of writing a compelling funding proposal. We consider strategies to concisely address the evaluation criteria, and ensure you have everything you need to submit a successful grant application. We’ll cover:

• aims and objectives of funding bodies, the priorities of program funding grants, and what they mean for you/your organisation
• avoiding jargon, using keywords and incorporating ‘buzz words’ to boost your application’s success
• how to write compelling responses to the evaluation criteria
• how to develop and complete an application check list
• how to ensure your application is submitted on time.

Intended audience

This is a practical, hands-on course which will appeal to individuals preparing to write their first grant or more experienced grant writers looking to enhance their skillset. The course is designed for a wide range of participants including sole traders, entrepreneurs, university researchers, novice grant writers, fundraising and development managers and CEOs, working in non-profit, education, charity and community sectors. The content will encompass a range of sectors including arts, education, health, science and technology, sports and social services.

Prerequisites

None

Delivery style

This grant writing course is an interactive workshop which includes presenter training, in-class exercises, class discussion and Q&A session.

Delivery mode

• Face-to-face, presenter-taught training
• Online training via the platform Zoom

Materials

All course materials are provided electronically (via Dropbox). Printing services are not provided. Please print course notes in advance and bring them to class. Please bring laptop or iPad, and pen and paper.