FREE NEWSLETTER | Part Two: Why Grant Writing Is More Than Writing
What goes into a great grant before the words hit the page?
I probably timed this poorly, but last week I launched a two-parter for my paid subscribers. But this week is the free newsletter week for all subscribers. That means free susbcribers are coming in only for the second part of the series - but isn’t that a nice incentive to join a paid subscription?!
Last week I talked about how a strong project plan is the foundation of any great grant application. That’s a strategic proposal rooted in your organisations mission, capacity, and community need.
But even with a great plan, your work isn’t done. Writing a grant isn’t just the writing. It’s the final step in a process that (if done well) includes a stack of inputs most people forget to budget time or energy for.
Here’s what that looks like in practice.
A Good Application Is Built, Not Just Written
When it comes to writing your grant, there are lots of things to consider even after you’ve written your project plan. These include:
Research - What’s the broader problem your project addresses? What solutions already exist? Why is this the right approach now?
Guideline and framework analysis - What are the funder’s stated priorities and what’s unsaid but implied? What language do they use that you can mirror back? Do they mention specific frameworks or plans your project needs to align with?
Evidence and evaluation - How will you prove the project works? Are there stats or case studies to support your approach? Can you track impact over time?
Strategic alignment - What’s happening in policy, funding, or community that makes this project timely and necessary? Is this solving a local issue or tapping into something bigger?
Stakeholder insights - Have you gathered input from the people affected by this work? Are you reflecting their voice in the design, delivery, or outcomes?
A lot of teams treat this input-gathering as an annoying side-task or something to scramble together at the last minute. But if you skip this step, your application will be vague, padded with buzzwords, or missing the context that makes it land.
The best grant applications are credible, timely, and grounded in evidence. That doesn’t come from good writing alone. It comes from a deep understanding of what you’re trying to do and why it matters right now.
TL;DR
Grant writing isn’t just writing. It’s the final step in a process that includes research, strategy, stakeholder input, and deep alignment with what the funder cares about. If your draft is falling flat, the problem probably started earlier not on the page.
Need Help?
If you’re not sure what your application should say, or whether the grant is even worth your time, that’s exactly what my Grant Ready Sprint is for.
People often think they need help writing the application. But more often, the real issue is clarity.
What’s the real story?
Is this project actually fundable?
Are you making the strongest case for this funder, right now?
If you’ve got a grant on your plate (or a project you’re trying to shape into something fundable), this might be the best 90 minutes you spend on it.
👉 Book your Grant Ready Sprint here ($550 AUD + GST)
👉 Not sure it’s the right fit? Book a free discovery call
Open Grants
🧭NATIONAL: The June Canavan Foundation is now open for organisations working in sport, health, education, and conservation. Priority given to organisations with revenue under $1M. Funding is available for projects in the Sunshine Coast, North East Victoria, Papua New Guinea, and East Africa. No cap guidance. Closing 1 August.
📈QLD: The Impact Revenue Investments program is now open through Queensland Treasury for social enterprises aiming to grow sustainably and amplify their impact. Offers up to $200,000 over two years, including an upfront $30,000 and matched payments based on revenue growth. Closing 4 August.
🥕VIC: The Community Food Relief Program – Coordination Grants are now open through the Victorian Government for not-for-profit organisations leading state-wide or regional food relief distribution. Up to $300,000 available. Closing 5 August.
🤝 NATIONAL: The Cooperative Initiatives Grants Program 2025–2029 is now open through the Fair Work Ombudsman for groups of organisations partnering to address workplace issues, promote compliance, and drive systemic change across the federal workplace relations system. No cap, but guidance anticipates most grants will be between $150,000-$400,000 per year, Closing 11 August.
🆕NATIONAL: Rainbow Giving Australia has opened Expressions of Interest for its 2025 Amplify & Ignite Pride Grants, supporting LGBTQIA+ initiatives across Australia. Ignite Pride offers $5,000–$20,000 for local or population-specific projects, while Amplify Pride provides $30,000–$60,000 to build sector sustainability. Both EOIs close 11 August.
♻️WA: The WasteSorted Community Education Grants program is now open through the Waste Authority for projects that promote waste behaviour change aligned with the Waste Strategy 2030. Up to $25,000 available. Closing 11 August.
🆕NATIONAL: Dementia Australia's Diversity Small Grants are now open for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and CALD-led organisations to raise dementia awareness in their communities. Up to $30,000 available plus a free professional dementia education session for staff. Closing 13 August.
✈️GLOBAL: The 2025 Go Healthy with Taiwan Campaign is now open for individuals and organisations with innovative ideas to improve global health and wellbeing. Proposals must incorporate Taiwanese products or solutions. Up to three winners will receive US$30,000 each plus a fully funded trip to Taiwan. Closing 14 August.
💻GLOBAL: The Zendesk Tech for Good Impact Awards are now open through the Zendesk Foundation for global nonprofits advancing community connection, crisis resilience, or career pathways into tech. Up to $50,000 available, along with free software. Closing 15 August.
🆕GLOBAL: The Swiss Foundation for Solidarity in Tourism (SST) is accepting applications for projects that promote sustainable tourism, support local livelihoods in tourism destinations, and foster intercultural understanding. Up to CHF 5,000 in prize money available. Closing 15 August.
🏕️NATIONAL: The Tim Fischer Fellowship is now open through the Country Education Foundation of Australia for individuals seeking to create impact in rural and regional Australia. Open to aspiring leaders, professionals, and changemakers, the Fellowship offers up to $50,000 in funding, mentorship, and networking. Closing 17 August.
🎽NSW: The Local Sport Grant Program is now open through the NSW Office of Sport for grassroots sporting clubs to increase participation, improve access, host events, or upgrade facilities. Up to $20,000 available per project. Closing 18 August.
🆕VIC: Chobani Australia's The Big Difference community grant program is now open for local organisations tackling food insecurity in Victoria. Up to $50,000. Closing 19 August.
🥕VIC: The Community Food Relief Program – Local Grants are now open through the Victorian Government for not-for-profit organisations, neighbourhood houses, Aboriginal entities, and social enterprises delivering local food relief initiatives. Up to $100,000. Closing 19 August.
🌈SA: The Social Impact Grants (Round 1) are now open through the SA Department of Human Services for projects that strengthen inclusive communities and support social and emotional wellbeing, especially for those facing disadvantage. Up to $10,000 available. Closing 21 August.
🌱GLOBAL: Play for Nature’s Biodiv’World and Biodiv’Sport Grants are now open for biodiversity conservation NGOs delivering in-situ conservation or sport-based awareness programs. Projects must include both conservation and community engagement. No cap guidance. Closing 25 August.
🎭ACT: The National Multicultural Festival Grants are now open through the ACT Government for community organisations delivering projects that promote participation, inclusion, and cultural diversity as part of the 2026 Festival. Up to $10,000 available. Closing 26 August.
🧑🏫NATIONAL: The Scanlon Foundation’s Annual Community Grants are now open for projects that improve social cohesion through employment pathways or applied English literacy. Up to $30,000 available. Closing 29 August. DGR Status required.
🎯QLD: Queensland Country Bank’s Good for Good Community Grants are now open for not-for-profit organisations delivering projects that help Queenslanders ‘live better’ including initiatives in sport, health, education, environment, and arts. Up to $30,000 available. Closing 31 August.
🆕BRISBANE: The Lord Mayor’s Safer Suburbs Grants Program is now open through Brisbane City Council for organisations leasing Council facilities to enhance site security. Funding supports projects like CCTV, alarms, and security screens. Up to $10,000 available. Closing 8 September.
🆕GLOBAL: The G20 Global Land Initiative’s Restoration Returns Grants Program is now open for community-led ecosystem restoration projects worldwide, with a focus on civil society and Indigenous-led initiatives. Grants of up to USD $17,000 are available. Closing 15 September.
🌍GLOBAL: The Emerging Climate Champions Award is now open through Enlight Foundation and Patchwork Collective for youth-led organisations (ages 15–35) advancing community-based climate solutions. Up to $1 million in flexible, multiyear funding available. Closing 22 September.
🆕GLOBAL: L’Oréal’s Sustainable Innovation Accelerator is now open for startups, SMEs and innovators with ready-to-pilot solutions supporting sustainable transformation in the beauty industry. Backed by €100 million over 5 years, the program supports innovations in areas like low-carbon solutions, alternative ingredients, and plastic waste reduction. Closing 30 September.
📚NATIONAL: The Mazda Foundation is now accepting applications for initiatives that support resilience in primary producer communities or improve literacy and numeracy in disadvantaged primary school-aged children. No cap guidance. Closing 30 September.
⏳(UPDATED) NATIONAL: The Social Enterprise Development Initiative (SEDI) Grants have updated their closing date, as they expect to be fully allocated shortly Through Impact Investing Australia for social enterprises looking to build capability and scale impact in line with Department of Social Services outcome areas. Up to $120,000 available. Closing 30 September.
🎤NATIONAL: The Kickstarter Challenge 2025 is now open through Enterprising ME for aspiring female founders with bold ideas across five categories: health, sustainability, community, technology, and education. Finalists receive equity-free funding, mentoring, media training, and an all-expenses-paid trip to pitch in Canberra. Up to $30,000 available for the winner. Closing 1 October.
💪QLD: The Backing the Bold program is now open through Sefa Partnerships and Hand Heart Pocket Foundation for impact-led organisations delivering social or environmental outcomes in Queensland. Includes up to six months of 1:1 advisory support followed by access to loans. Up to $200,000 loans available. Applications reviewed weekly.
🚀 WA: The Accelerator Program Access Grants are now open through the WA Government for SMEs in the health and medical life sciences sector to attend national or international accelerator or training programs. Up to $20,000 per organisation is available to cover flights, accommodation, and registration costs for up to two participants. Open until allocation exhausted.
💥 GLOBAL: Cisco Global Impact Cash Grants are now open for charities using tech to address social challenges in crisis response, education, economic empowerment, or climate. Up to US$75,000 available. Always open.
🧑💻 NATIONAL: Marketing and Technology Grants are now open through Little Phil Foundation to support nonprofit organisations in procuring technology to maximise their impact. Up to $30,000 available. Always open.
🌏GLOBAL: The Catalyst Fund is now open, through the Rodenberry Foundation to support early-stage ideas or projects addressing pressing global challenges. Up to $15,000 available. Always open.
💡QUEENSLAND: Queensland Innovation Precincts and Places Fund: Stream 3 is now open, through Advance Queensland, to support regional innovation precincts with smart infrastructure, technology, and upgrades. Up to $3 million is available. Closing 30 June 2027 or until allocation exhausted.
🧪QUEENSLAND: Department of Environment & Science has the Investment Assistance Grant Program which aims to raise the quantity, quality and success rate of Queensland university and research institutes to make Queensland’s science sector more competitive. Up to $100,000 available. Open until allocation exhausted.
🏭 NATIONAL: Department of Industry, Science and Resources has launched the Industry Growth Program: Early-Stage Commercialisation, and Commercialisation and Growth fund to support startups and scaleups across Australia. Always open.