Don't miss out on your share of government support in tough times. How to find info and get your application right.
Announcement posted by kathwalters.com.au 08 Apr 2020
Key points:
All information about the Federal Government's $190 billion coronavirus stimulus package collated by online grant database, GrantGuru.
The information available is collated from 8000 data points and updated weekly.
An additional $51 billion is available to businesses and community groups through normal recurring grant funding.
The fee for this low-cost service falls even lower through COVID 19 pandemic.
Businesses and community groups may be eligible for one or more of 4,126 grants collectively worth $51 billion, according to Adrian Spencer, CEO of online grant portal GrantGuru.
This grant funding is over and above the $190 billion coronavirus stimulus package.
GrantGuru is a one-stop shop for grants information from around Australia. The database pulls together 8,000 different points of data. These include all 14 Federal Government departments, which share information across 121 websites, as well as all state government and philanthropic sources.
It cost more than $1million to build and is updated every day by a dedicated team.
“On any given week, 30 grants will open or renew, and 30 will close,” says CEO and founder of Grant Guru, Adrian Spencer.
To help businesses and groups struggling during the COVID19 pandemic, Grant Guru has dropped the price of a subscription by 20%. Normally $4.50 per week, it is now $3.60 per week with use of the code CVHELP20.
Don’t miss out on your entitlements
Businesses and community groups miss out on valuable help every day because:
they are unaware of the grants available.
they don’t understand how to create a winning application.
Only one in five grant applications is successful, Spencer says. To help businesses succeed in winning a grant, Spencer provides the following tips.
Apply for the right type of grant
There are two types of grants: Entitlement and Competitive.
ENTITLEMENT GRANTS
The Federal Government’s stimulus package is entitlement funding and is delivered through the tax and welfare systems. GrantGuru has collated all the information about the governments COVID 19 support from over 100 data points for subscribers.
COMPETITIVE GRANTS
For competitive grants, Spencer has pioneered a four-step approach to increase your chances of success as a grant applicant and provides 10 easy tips to write a winning grant application.
Step 1: Think about grants in the right way
Understanding why grants exist. They are a barometer of public policy. Step into the grant maker’s perspective and ask yourself, “What is the grant maker trying to achieve?”
If your project is aligned with that aim, you are off to a great start.
Step 2: Develop a grant strategy
Perhaps your strategy is, “We don’t apply for grants.” Another might be, “We apply for everything we are eligible for.” Your strategy is about making sure you don’t miss out.
Spencer says, “We don’t recommend people apply for every grant, but you must know what you are eligible for over the next 12 to 24 months and decide where to put your resources.”
Step 3: Be good at grant writing
See the tips below* for a sample of how to set your application apart. Good grant writing takes time and practice, so be patient.
Step 4: Do acquittal well
Grant makers must know that their money is well spent. Remember to allow time and money to acquit your grant. Collect the data as you go or you may find you have to pay the money back, which can be a disaster.
10 easy tips to write a winning grant application
Make sure you complete the up-to-date application form. An old version may not be accepted!
Give your project a snappy title to set a great first impression. Capture the imagination and inspire the assessor to read on.
Organise your thoughts. You must be able to explain your project to a stranger in two minutes. Be especially clear about your “WHY”: the reasons that your project should be funded. Clearly argue the case for your project, with:
WHY the project aligns to the organisation giving you the grant?
WHY the project benefit?
WHY does the project require funding?
WHY is it a good idea?
Write your response in a Word document, first. Check spelling grammar. Always have your draft and final copy read by another person.
Use familiar words rather than jargon. Never use acronyms.
Use simple and consistent formatting. Assessors find it helpful to see headings, bullets points and diagrams.
Where appropriate, include photos, maps and diagrams.
Sometimes a question seems to appear twice. The assessors won’t want the same information twice, so check the guidelines or call your program contact for help.
Don’t leave anything blank. Write N/A if a question doesn’t apply to you.
Don’t overwrite. If the application has a word limit – stick to it! Some assessors will eliminate you on this breach alone.
Source: GrantGuru