FREE NEWSLETTER | Say What You Mean.
Welcome to my free newsletter for the month of April for all subscribers. If you want to access this kind of content every week, sign up to be a paid subscriber!
One of the fastest ways to weaken your grant application is by being vague and non-committal.
I see it all the time:
“We hope this project will improve outcomes for young people.”
“This funding would allow us to potentially support 50 families.”
“The program aims to explore possible approaches to community engagement.”
And then there’s the other version of the same problem - writing like you’re trying to win a literary award.
“Our vision is underpinned by a multidimensional framework that seeks to foster an evolving understanding of best practice.”
Funders don’t want hopes, possibilities, or overly clever sentences.
They want clarity and confidence.
Why This Happens
You don’t want to overpromise, so you hedge.
You want to sound credible, so you write like a policy report.
You haven’t done your research on what the funder wants, so you cover every base.
But here’s the problem:
Unclear = unconvincing.
Waffly = forgettable.
Hedging = lack of confidence.
How to Edit Your Work Like I Would
What would I do? I would pull out the red pen (digitally speaking).
Search for soft language
Open your draft and hit Ctrl+F to find words like:
hope
aim to
may
potentially
could
aspire to
Replace them with:
will
deliver
provide
achieve
Cut 20% of your word count
Pick a section and set a challenge: reduce the word count by 20% without losing meaning. If it reads better afterwards (spoiler: it usually does), do it across the whole application.
Read it out loud
I sometimes work in an open office space so this part makes me look a bit weird (I read it under my breath but I still read it out loud). If it doesn’t sound like something you’d say out loud, rewrite it.
TL:DR
You’re not writing a philosophy essay. You’re making a case for funding.
So stop dancing around it.
Say what you mean.
Be confident in what you’re delivering.
Because if you don’t sound like you believe in your project, why should the funder?
Let’s Work Together!
My 1.5-hour consultation sessions are designed to help. Whether you need guidance on grant applications, tenders, or broader revenue strategy, I’ll work with you to:
Identify the best opportunities for your goals.
Develop clear, actionable strategies.
Create next steps to get you closer to funding success.
The cost is $199AUD + GST, and clients often walk away with renewed clarity and confidence.
👉 Book your session today and let’s get you back on track!
You can also book a free discovery call here to find out more about how I can help.
Open Grants
🆕NATIONAL: AVA Animal Welfare Trust Research Grant is now open through the Australian Veterinary Association for small, one-year projects focused on animal welfare. Up to $10,000 available. Closing 3 May.
🧬 NATIONAL: Global Science & Technology Diplomacy Fund Strategic Element is now open through the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE), in collaboration with the Australian Academy of Science to support international collaboration in science and technology across the Asia-Pacific region. Up to $1mil available. Closing 4 May.
⚖️ GLOBAL: Spencer Foundation Racial Equity Research Grants are now open to support projects that disrupt racial inequality in education. Open to researchers affiliated with non-profits, governments, or educational institutions. Up to USD $75,000 available. Closing 5 May.
🆕NSW: Fostering Innovation Sponsorship Program is now open through Investment NSW for NFPs, businesses, and education or community groups delivering innovation events in NSW. Up to $40,000 available. Closing 5 May.
🗻 NATIONAL: Australia-Japan Foundation Grants are now open through DFAT for projects that strengthen Australia–Japan ties across culture, diplomacy, education, science, and innovation. Up to $80,000 available. Closing 6 May.
🌡️ ACT: The ACT Government has opened the Preparing Community Service Organisations for Climate Change Grant for community service organisations that operate in the ACT to assess and adapt to climate risks. Up to $35,000 available. Closing 7 May.
💰 NATIONAL: Bank Australia Community Customer Grants are open for NFPs, schools, social enterprises, and volunteer groups with a Bank Australia account. Up to $20,000 available. Closing 8 May.
🧒 QLD: Kickstarter Grants are now open through the Department of Youth Justice and Victim Support for community-led initiatives preventing youth crime and improving safety. Up to $300,000 available. Closing 8 May.
📈 NSW and VICTORIA: ServiceNow Community Improvement Fund is now open through ChangeX & ServiceNow for projects in NSW and VIC to start or expand projects that improve the quality of life and have a positive environmental impact. Up to $150,000 available. Closing 8 May.
🎨 WA: Impact100 WA Grants are now open to support high-impact initiatives addressing underserved causes or populations in Western Australia. Open to smaller WA-based NFPs across arts, education, environment, health, and community. Up to $100,000 available. Closing 8 May.
🛞 NATIONAL: Tyre Stewardship Australia’s Market Development Fund is now open to businesses, researchers and organisations using tyre-derived materials from Australian end-of-life tyres. Up to $300,000 available. Closing 9 May.
🛬 NATIONAL: Qantas Regional Grants is now open to support Australian-based communities and projects benefiting regional areas. Grants provide cash, flights, and marketing support to eligible individuals, groups, and organisations. No upper limit, allocated from pool of $2mil. Closing 10 May.
🆕NATIONAL: Toyota Community Trust Grants are now open for organisations supporting young Australians to pursue further study and careers in STEM. Up to $100,000 available. Closing 12 May.
🫴 NATIONAL: Elders Community Giving Project is now open for initiatives that benefit rural, regional, and remote Australian communities. Up to $20,000 available. Closing 15 May.
🆕QLD: Advance Queensland has opened expressions of interest for the Ignite Spark Program for Queensland-based businesses developing innovative products or services. Up to $75,000 available. Closing 15 May.
🌰 GLOBAL: D-Prize is offering seed funding for new organisations focussed on scaling, distributing proven poverty solutions in low- and middle-income countries. Up to $20,000 available. Closing 18 May.
🌊 QUEENSLAND: Reefwise Wetlands Program is now open through Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water for large-scale wetland rehabilitation and restoration projects improving water quality flowing to the Great Barrier Reef. Up to $19mil available. Closing 23 May.
🆕QLD: Advance Queensland has opened expressions of interest for the Ignite Ideas Fund for Queensland SMEs commercialising an innovative product or service, including those recognised as innovative in an Indigenous cultural or community context.
Tier 1: Up to $100,000 (excluding GST) for projects up to 12 months, with at least 20% matched funding required
Tier 2: $100,001–$200,000 (excluding GST) for projects up to 24 months, with matched funding equal to the amount sought
Closing 3 June.
🆕NSW: Bank of Sydney has opened applications for the Grant For Good for NFPs with DGR status supporting social inclusion, health, wellbeing, or sports initiatives. One $20,000 grant available. Closing 4 June.
🤖 NATIONAL: Techstars Tech Central Sydney Accelerator is now open for pre-seed startups based in Australia. Up to AU$190,000 equity investment available per startup. Closing 11 June.
🆕GLOBAL: Cartier Women's Initiative – Regional Awards are open to early-stage, women-owned and women-led businesses generating positive impact aligned with the SDGs. Grants of up to USD $100,000 available, plus access to expert coaching, INSEAD training, and global visibility. Closing 24 June.
🆕NATIONAL: Creswick Foundation Fellowship is now open for professionals and carers with expertise in children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Up to $40,000 available. Closing 30 June.
🏦 NATIONAL: Westpac Social Change Fellowship will open 29 May for purpose-driven individuals leading social change in Australia. Up to $50,000 available for your personal development. Closing 3 July.
🆕NATIONAL: The Honda Foundation is now accepting applications from charities and organisations supporting disadvantaged Australians, natural disaster relief, or innovation and new technologies. No specified cap . Closing 11 July. DGR Status Required.
💥 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 launched 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.
🚧 NATIONAL: Urban Precincts and Partnerships Program and Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program is now open through the Department o Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to support transformative investment in urban and regional precincts. Grants for Stream One (development and planning) up to $5 million, and Stream Two (delivery) offers funding up to $50 million. Always open.