Strong foundations = strong applications; How to build your grants program from the ground up.

No time for grants? Here’s how Grant’d turned Janine King into a grant winner

Janine King is a business consultant to Aboriginal corporations in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. She is on a mission to support Indigenous people to set up businesses, run their own corporations, and become self-supporting. Her main driver is seeing those businesses generate employment and opportunities for Indigenous communities.

Janine knew the communities needed to win grants and funding, but unlike most of her work, the grants process is not something she has a passion for. ‘I acquit them,’ she said, ‘but I don’t want to spend my time finding them or writing them.’

That meant she needed help.

‘I did my research,’ Janine said. ‘I asked around, I got referrals, and I made a short-list. I interviewed several candidates, but when I talked to Janine from Grant’d, I knew I’d found my team.’

What was special about Grant’d?

‘You can’t fake passion. I knew that Janine got me, she understood what we wanted to achieve and how important it is. I have an affinity with her organisation, and we share the same values.’

However, successful grant applications are built on more than values alone.

‘Janine asked me lots of probing questions, then her team got to work. They did their research and sent me a list of specific grants that were targeted to the Aboriginal corporations I work with.

Strong foundations = strong applications

Janine soon learned that successful grant applications aren’t one-offs that happen like magic. Grant-winning organisations are grant ready. That means they have a strategy. These organisations understand their long-term aims and they are clear about the goals and outcomes they want to achieve.

‘Grant’d helped us write three business strategies – each community now has their own. These strategies have been invaluable. They are professional, deeply researched and useful in so many ways.

‘What impressed me the most was the background work they did. Part of the research involved the Grant’d team interviewing the CEOs of indigenous corporations via Zoom. It was often challenging, due to technological difficulties in remote areas, but they did a great job.’

‘The business strategies are powerful tools for us. We’ve used them in presentations to Directors, and as documents that get new staff up to speed. That helps minimise staff turnover costs. Best of all, they help us win funding.’

The outcomes

The Indigenous communities are the real winners from the Grant’d partnership. Janine is clear on that.

‘Grant’d helps us find funding opportunities that suit community needs, which saves everyone so much time.

‘Since working with them, we’ve won significant infrastructure grants that have brought about meaningful results in Indigenous communities.

‘For example, the Gibbs River Roadhouse was funded to install solar power and quality refrigeration. That’s a costly prospect in a remote area that is subject to harsh weather and only accessed via an unsealed road.’

The benefits to the community are substantial. Not only does the Roadhouse generate employment, but the store now has reliable refrigeration and power, which influences food security, health and the household economy.

In addition, the Cultural Centre now has shade sails and concrete. Tourism business opportunities are next on the agenda.

‘Grant’d is also helping us look at private grants and philanthropic opportunities,’ Janine says. ‘That’s another part of the funding world that I haven’t had time to get into.’

Janine’s tips for grant applicants

• Save yourself time. It’s worth using a grants service because funding is a specialist area and takes expertise.
• Consider bespoke grants services, such as a business strategy that will get you grant ready. ‘The business strategies are an excellent tool. It’s really useful to have an objective eye on your business, because others see things you don’t.’

Anything else?

‘Everyone at Grant’d has been fantastic. Any time I’ve reached out for help, they’ve always been there. They bend over backwards to help.’

Janine King is the Director of Culturvate

Do you want to save time and find grant opportunities that are tailored just for you? Join the grant-seeking revolution at Grant’d.