preparing a grant application

Securing Funding Workshop Brisbane 30 April & 6 May

2009

M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

• Name• Group or Organisation you represent• Any recent success with funding

applications• What you’d like to get from the

workshop

Introduce yourself:

Day one:•Introduction to grant writing & a range of funding bodies•NLA Community Heritage Grants•Arts Queensland Sector Grants•RADF•Case study•Interviews

Day two:•The Budget•Philanthropy & fundraising•Case studies•Interviews

THE FOLDERS- Resource for the workshop and Beyond!

Agenda & Folders


Handy Hints

• Acknowledgement to QCAN & ChrisStannard whose extensive experience asa grant applicant and a peer assessor isreflected in this presentation.

• M&GSQ thanks Chris Stannard forpermission to use and adapt hispresentation.


Handy Hints

• About funding bodies, their structuresand decision making processes

• Designing a project

• Project Planning

• Application writing

• Choosing a funding body


Handy hints

• Design the project first. Then design the fundingstrategy.

Handy hints

• Design the project first. Then design the funding strategy.

• The project should be part of your strategic plan not anadd on because you’ve seen the funding advertised.

Handy hints



• Only work on projects which are genuinely important.

Handy hints



• Only work on projects which are genuinely important.

• Work with other people on the design of a project,polishing it all the time, until it shines.

Handy hints



• Only work on projects that are genuinely important.


• Find the right funding bodies and sponsors.

Handy hints






• Remember, funding applications are read and assessed byhuman beings. Write well. Be creative.

Handy hints


• The project should be part of your strategic plan not an add onbecause you’ve seen the funding advertised.


• Work with other people on the design of a project, polishing it allthe time, until it shines.


• Remember, funding applications are read and assessed byhuman beings. Write well. Be creative.

• If writing is not your thing, find someone to be your grantwriter.

How do funding bodies makedecisions?

How do they make decisions?

Applications assessed against criteriabased on the program’s aims.

How do they make decisions?

Arms length funding

Peer assessment

Internal assessment

Arts QueenslandState Government

Grants for career development (up to $5,000)are assessed internally by staff and areapproved by the delegate of the Minister of theArts.

Development and Presentation Grants (up to$50,000) assessed in five steps- a mix ofinternal, peer and political assessment.


Arts Queensland-Sector Project Grants

• Step 1: Applications within each artform are short-listed byArts Queensland staff against the assessment criteria.

• Step 2: Industry experts provide written referee reportsfor short-listed applications using the assessment criteria.

• Step 3: The relevant Arts Queensland Director considersthe industry expert assessment reports and prepares a listof recommendations within their budget allocation.

• Step 4: Recommendations are moderated internally byArts Queensland before being submitted through theDeputy Director-General, Arts Queensland to the Minister.

• Step 5: The Minister determines the funding outcomes.

M&GSQ Securing FundingWorkshop 2009

Arts Queensland major sector grantsArts Qld Staff

Industry expert Industry expert Industry expert

Arts Qld Director

Moderation by Arts Qld

Minister for the Arts

Check eligibility do short list againstthe assessment criteria

Write referee reports for short-listed applications using the assessment criteria

Each Director considers theassessment reports and prepares alist of recommendations withintheir budget allocation.

The relevant Arts QueenslandDirector considers the industry expertassessment reports and prepares a listof recommendations within theirbudget allocation. Recommendationsare moderated internally by ArtsQueensland before being submittedthrough the Deputy Director-General,Arts Queensland to the Minister.


Australia Council

Staff check eligibility butGrant applications are assessed bypeers, defined by the Australia Councilas people who, by virtue of theirknowledge and experience, areequipped to make a fair and informedassessment of artistic work and grantapplications

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Australia Council: Arm’s Length

Before the meeting:• Staff check eligibility and register applications on the Council’s

computer database.• Staff prepare applications and support material for the Committee

assessment meeting. Applications are made into booklets and sentto Committee members.

• Peers are invited to participate as advisers to the Committee atthe meeting bringing additional expertise and perspectives to theassessment process.

• Staff also check and manage any conflicts of interest thatCommittee members and peers have with applications.


Australia Council: Arm’s Length

At the meeting:• Committee members assess your application against the published

selection criteria.• Committee members may examine support material at the meeting or by

prior arrangement. Committee members may also take into accountinformation from other sources such as:

- their attendance at performances and other events;- reports from members of the Register of Peers who may be asked to

provide formal assessments of designated works;- reviews, videos and recordings, referee reports and other material;- any previous Australia Council grant acquittal reports and performance

agreements you may have had; and- communication with State and Territory agencies.

See Example of Assessment Report in Resource Folder


Gambling Community Benefit Fund

Assessed for Eligibility

The Gambling Community Benefit Fund Committee

Queensland Treasurer, Deputy Premier & Minister for Infrastructure

Applications


Regional Arts Development FundLocal & State Government partnership

Contributes $

Council reps(appointed)

RADFCommittee

Community reps(elected)

Local Council Arts Queensland

Applications


The funding cycle

check eligibility, statistics

by the funding deadline

may or may not fully fund

conditions of funding: may need

to do something extra;

must acknowledge funding body,

any changes to the project

must be negotiated

Artistic Report & Financial Report

cannot apply again until this is doneGrant acquitted

Project completed

Project commences

Grant awarded

Funding agreement

Assessment process

Administration

Application lodged


Designing a project

• Think of your funding application as a project planningtool.


Designing a project

• Think of your funding application as a projectplanning tool.

• Think of your funding application as a businessproposal.


Workshop Exercise: Designing a project

1. Name of applicant (group/organisation or individual):

2. Think about what you want to do and write it clearly in a short paragraph

3. Think about why you want to do this project:For you, the applicant:

For your community

For the wider population

4. Give your project a name


Workshop Exercise

• 3 Volunteers to be the peer assessmentpanel.

• Volunteer applicants to read theirproject outline provided by Q1-4.

• “Assessors” listen to project outlineread by ‘applicants’.

• Assessors ask questions to find outwhat else they’d like to know to helpthem assess the application.


Help the assessmentpanel!

• Develop your projectideas.

• Write your ideas forpeople who don’tknow the nature andvalue of yourproject.

• Do a project plan.• Talk to others- seek

their support.


Exercise Post Workshop: Designing a project

5. Write up your thoughts; not just about your project, but about thebackground to it; What’s been going on? For your group or your community.What are the issues? What is the need the project will address?

This is a thinking exercise to help you formulate your thoughts and find theright words to communicate your project ideas.

6. What will this project achieve? (Project aims)


Homework Exercise: Designing a project

7. Plan your project in stages:

What needs

doing?When? Who will do it?

What will they

need?

Where

will they

get it?

How much

will it cost?


Exercise After the Workshop: Designing a project

8. Think about who else would support this project (community organisations,other individuals, businesses, etc). Make a list:

Write a letter, based on your thoughts and project description, asking for aletter of support.

What would be in this letter?


Exercise After the Workshop: Designing a project

8. Think about who else would support this project (community organisations,other individuals, businesses, etc). Make a list:

Write a letter, based on your thoughts and project description, asking for aletter of support. Ask them:

Do you think this is a good project? Why?

How would this project benefit you and your community?

How might you be involved in the project?

How could you support this project?


Designing a project

9. Think about what sort of funding body has aims that would match youraims.

• Search for suitable funding bodies. Find out:

When their deadlines are

Who is eligible

What they fund and don’t fund

Their criteria for funding

What information they want (including budget details)

• TALK to the contact officer/s to see if they think your project is a goodmatch to their fund.


Designing a project

10. Fill out the funding application form

Answer the questions. Don’t send them an essay.


Designing a project



Think always about the person reading it.Be clear, don’t waffle and don’t repeat.If writing is not your thing, find someone to be your grant writer.Get other people to read it for sense & to proof read.


Designing a project




Be selective about the support material you send.Make sure it’s good.Send them only as much as they ask for.


Designing a project





Ask for what you need. No more, no less.Budget accurately. Include the value of in-kind support.If you don’t think the grant is enough, go elsewhere as well.


Designing a project



Think always about the person reading it.Be clear, don’t waffle and don’t repeat.If writing is not your thing, find someone to be your grant writer.

Get other people to read it for sense & to proof read.


Ask for what you need. No more, no less.Budget accurately. Include the value of in-kind support.If you don’t think they have enough, go elsewhere as well.

Do not rip off artists and other professional workers.INCLUDING YOURSELF! (NAVA Fees schedule- Chapter 5)


Designing a project





Ask for what you need. No more, no less.Budget accurately. Include the value of in-kind support.If you don’t think they have enough, go elsewhere as well.

Do not rip off artists and other professional workers.INCLUDING YOURSELF! (NAVA Fees schedule- chapter 5)

Get advice. Who else can help you?Funding body staff can seldom help you design your project.


Exercise:Finding THE Grantfor your project

• M&GSQ Grant Handouts inWorkshop Folder

• These and the application formsand guidelines in the workshopfolders are your resources for theWho funds what Quiz.


RECAP:Who Funds WhatQuiz

1. Gambling Community Benefit Fund/Jupiters Casino Community Benefit Fund

2a. Eligibility?2b. Like most funds NO retrospective

funding.2c-d. How will this equipment benefit the

community?


RECAP: Who Funds WhatQuiz

Q3.• ARTS QUEENSLAND – REGIONAL

ARTS DEVELOPMENT FUND (RADF)• ARTS QUEENSLAND – SECTOR

PROJECT GRANTS PROGRAM Development and Presentation

GrantsCreative Communities



Q3a:• RADF Principle 5 Supporting the participation

of community members in arts developmentprojects run by professional artists andartsworkers

•• RADF RADF Categories of FundingCategories of Funding2. Building community cultural capacity• Objective — for community groups to engage

a professional artist or artsworker to work withthem on developing their arts practice or torun arts development workshops orcommunity projects.



Q3a cont:4. Cultural tourismObjective – for projects and activities

that focus on communities’ locallydistinct arts, culture and heritageboth for members of the communityand for visitors.



Q3a cont:5. Contemporary collections/storiesObjective — to preserve and provide access to locally

held collections of significance, and collect and tell localstories from the past and the present that candemonstrate state and/or local significance. Prioritiespost 1960’s & Indigenous

RADF grants can support: Statement of Significance,documentation, preservation, interpretation projectsand collection management training throughcommunity-based workshops and community storiesdocumentation, including plays, videos, artwork, digitalexhibitions, education programs, oral histories andpublications.



Q3b:Arts Queensland: Creative CommunitiesGoal 3: Cultural content with Queensland stories

Queensland stories:This goal is focused on celebrating Queenslandcontent by developing work that supportscommunities to tell a range of unique stories.This goal supports community strengtheningthrough place-based, identity buildinginitiatives and encourages engagement withmuseums, libraries and galleries.



Q4:• Regional Arts Development Fund5. Contemporary collections/stories

• National Library of Australia-Community Heritage Grants Program



Q5:• DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT,

WATER, HERITAGE AND THE ARTS –VISIONS OF AUSTRALIA

• Purpose: Provides funding to organisations todevelop and tour exhibitions of Australiancultural material across Australia.

• Eligible projects: Exhibitions must tour tovenues across Australia, one of which must bein different state or territory than the one thetour originated from.


RGAQ Member Funding

Q6:• For a volunteer wanting $ to attend a

conference or a workshop• For a paid professional wanting $ to

attend a conference or a workshop


RGAQ Member Funding

Q6 cont:• Grants to assist public galleries/ museums to

undertake organisational initiatives. EG:• improvements in the gallery/museum exhibition

program such as touring exhibition fees and displayimprovements.

• An appropriate consultant to work with the institutionon skill development in areas such as Education andPublic Programs; Exhibition Development; or StrategicPlanning and Policy Development.

• On-site training workshops and seminars in specialistareas such as volunteer recruitment, boardmanagement and gallery/museum practice.


SUM UP


• The project should be part of your strategic plan not an addon because you’ve seen the funding advertised.


• Work with other people on the design of a project, polishing itall the time, until it shines.

• Do a project plan that answers the questions: What, Why,Who, Where, When, How.

• Talk to others- seek their support.


SUM UP

• Find the right funding bodies whose aims match your aims;whose funding criteria match your projects outcomes.• Talk to the contact officer/s to see if they think your project is agood match to their fund.

• Write your ideas for people who don’t know the nature andvalue of your project.• Tell them how your project addresses the key words andphrases in the fund’s criteria.

• Remember, funding applications are read and assessed byhuman beings. Write well. Be creative.• If writing is not your thing, find someone to be your grantwriter.• Get others to read for sense not just to proof read.

preparing a grant application

Education

funding applications

funding strategy

funding bodymgsq

funding outcomes

right funding bodies

arts queensland staff

handy hints acknowledgement

strategic plan