Ground work for grants

To win a competitive grant from an external funding source requires some ground work, often before the grant opportunity is even announced.

There are many steps your community group can begin immediately to get this ground work done, so that your organisation is then in a position to act on a grant opportunity when it arises.

You may wish to form a small task force to complete the following tasks:

• Depending on what questions are asked in the grant application, you’ll need:
• A short statement on what is the current situation and why is it problematic: be specific about how many people are affected in an average week or month, what sized community it serves, why its role is so important in the community, what alternatives people have to get the same service if this issue isn’t addressed.
• A short statement on what is the proposed solution to this issue and why this is considered the best solution to pursue; include any other options considered to resolve the issue or state why there are not other viable options other than the one you are now suggesting.
• A short statement on the outputs (practical, tangible things) of the proposed work (an additional ‘x’ square metres of storage space, ‘x’ square metres of replaced roofing, ‘x’ square metres of painted surfaces, etc) and on the likely outcomes (the ‘softer’ things, such as significantly improved work health and safety because of less cluttering, increased longevity of 20+ years for the building, etc).

In some applications, there will be word limits on the above sections, so once you have written them, keep that draft but also create an even ‘tighter’ response. 

There are still many more steps to cover:

• Draw together at least one formal quotation for each component of work you wish to include in the application, but it is recommended that you get three if possible. It may be possible for one tradie to do all the work and sub-contract parts of it to others, in which case, it is still recommended that you getting three quotations.
• Get Design Drawings done as soon as possible (or a quote for getting the design drawings done).
• Factor in the cost of a Development Application (as an estimate) if any kind of building work is to be done.
• Get proof of ownership of the block of land or building in which the work is to be done (if it is a permanent change that you are suggesting). A Valuer-General’s statement will confirm who is the owner of the site.
• Develop a budget to cover all the required materials, work and other fees (like the Development Application), and if the application allows it, factor in a Project Management Fee which can sometimes be 10-20% of the grant monies.
• Develop a project ‘plan’ in consultation with whoever provides quotes, showing durations and dependencies between parts of the project, so you can calculate how long the project will last. Confirm it fits within any deadlines mentioned in the Application Form.
• Start obtaining letters of support from individuals and organisations throughout the community who think it will be a great idea (no more than 10 though).
• Gather evidence of your organisation’s responsibility with finances (you may need the last three year’s annual financial reports) and ability to administer the project and the funds.
• Get a copy of your organisation’s Certificate of Currency for Public Liability Insurance of at least $10 million; sometimes a minimum of $20 million will be needed. Find out who much it would cost extra for your premiums to increase your insurance to this level, if required.
• Obtain evidence that your organisation is a not-for-profit with an ABN. Different types of grants are available for different types of organisations. Some are available to partnerships of organisations.

Get these steps done now so that when the right opportunity arises, you will be in a great position to complete the application within the timeframe allowed (which is sometimes only four to six weeks).

Please keep the Grants and Communications Officer informed from the beginning of this process so that you can work together to optimise the chance of success in winning the grant you seek.