Frequently Asked Questions

How do I identify suitable grant programs for my organisation?

Federal and State governments publish their grant support programs on various databases. Check out the GrantSmart services page for some useful links.

Local Government often only publishes their grant programs locally, so check your LGA website directly.

Do a Google search, particularly for community grants as these are not always published on Government databases. For example, search for ‘Community Grants’ and grants offered by large organisations such as Telstra, Optus, Australia Post and the banks will appear.

Do I need matching funding?

Yes - in most cases you will need matching funding, typically anywhere from 30% - 70%. You may need to provide evidence that you have the funding secured. Some community or not-for-profit grants do not require matching funding.

Does my business need to be incorporated?

In the case of many business grants you may need to be incorporated, however, applicant eligibility for some government grants may include incorporated trustees on behalf of a trust, individual/sole trader, partnership, or Industry Associations. In most cases, the applicant will need to have an ABN and be registered for GST.

Can I write the grant application myself, or do I need professional help?

Some grant applications are much less complicated or onerous to prepare than others, so you may have the time and skill to prepare your own application.

When applying for a small grant, it is probably more economical to write it yourself and get somebody to review it for you and provide written feedback to strengthen your application and make it more competitive.

When applying for larger grants, you may benefit from having some professional grant writing support.

How do I find the right person to help?

When you have identified someone that provides assistance to prepare grant applications or to provide feedback on your draft application, make sure you find out how long they have been preparing grant applications, and ask them about their track record and experience.

Ask if have they written similar grant applications for other clients - in terms of dollar value and the type of grant.

Can they point to some of their successes? The consultant you select should be able to give you the name of successful grant clients and the type and value of the grant. This information is not secret, it is typically published by the grant funding agency once the grants are awarded.

How long will it take before I get an outcome?

The funding program guidelines will often provide a timeline for assessment, which you can consider as a guide to when you will be advised of the outcome of your application.

This is typically at least 2 months from the closing date for submission, and for programs which have an ongoing assessment process it could be at least 2 months from the time of submission.

If the program is heavily oversubscribed it may take longer than is indicated in the program guidelines. The time it takes to assess the application and undertake the necessary due diligence before funding is offered, is dependent upon the resources allocated to the funding program.

Some of my clients have had to wait more than 6 months to get an outcome on their applications. This can be quite disruptive if you are relying on the funds to progress your project.

If there is a contact phone number or email you can try contacting the grant funder to get an update on the progress of the assessments. Other than that unfortunately you must be patient!

What are my chances of success?

Most grant programs, with the exception of a few, are competitive programs. This means you are competing against other applicants for the same pool of funds.

Applications which meet all of the eligibility criteria, and which meet the assessment criteria to the highest level will have the greatest chance of funding.

However, many government grants are heavily oversubscribed, and even a good application and a great project may not be successful in being offered funding.

The success rate of some grant programs can be as little as ten per cent.

When you speak to GrantSmart you will get an honest and frank assessment of the potential for your application to be successful.

What can I do if my grant application was not successful in being offered funding?

If your application has not been successful, you can contact the funding provider to get some feedback on your application.

The level of feedback varies, however in some cases it can be very valuable and will provide guidance on whether or not it’s worth re-applying if there are subsequent funding rounds.

When you receive your email or letter advising that your application is not successful, it may have contact information for a funding provider representative.

If GrantSmart has written your application for you, we will follow up with the funding provider on your behalf.