The Grant’d Bootcamp before and after: Deb Bauer’s story

Deb Bauer is the Founder and Creative Director of Urban Metal, a Brisbane-based business that designs, creates and installs a gorgeous range of decorative screens and metal work. Items include fences, gates, commercial-scale projects, light towers, visual branding and unique custom designs.

The Urban Metal team also facilitate projects with community benefits, such as a recent collaboration with Cannon Hill Anglican College. Senior Arts students were mentored in the design process and made a laser cut steel artwork. The 4m high screen includes a 1.5 m clock – a functional, and beautiful, legacy for the school.

Projects like this meant that Urban Metal could apply for a wider funding pool – but first, they needed to demonstrate their eligibility, and the community outcomes.

Building skills is like building muscles

Deb rolled up her sleeves and got into grant writing. She wrote several applications, but unfortunately, she didn’t win them.

‘It was just too hard to put my ideas into words that met the criteria. Grant writing is a skill. I knew Janine was an incredible facilitator, so when I saw the Grant’d Bootcamp pop up, I thought it was a safe bet.’

Such a safe bet that Deb went through Bootcamp twice – ‘not because I didn’t get enough the first time around, but because I knew I’d get even more out of it by practice and repetition. Just like a fitness bootcamp.’

Deb didn’t have a particular grant in mind when she first when through the program, but she gained a thorough understanding about what funders want, along with the need to back up an application with facts.

 The second time Deb used the program to focus on a specific grant.

‘I took a deep dive into the material. It gave me a strong understanding of my business, how to pitch it well and how to explain it in a concise manner. These are powerful tools that apply way beyond grant writing.’

Deb’s grant writing transformation

‘Did it work? Absolutely! I’ve had four successful grants come through this year alone. I’m more confident in applying for grants now. There are several reasons for that.

‘First, I now have a portfolio of information designed to meet grant criteria. It’s a huge time saver.

Second, I have a good understanding of my business and how to pitch it to a funder, meet the criteria, and demonstrate outcomes.’

Deb believes grant applications are a numbers game – the more you write, the more chances you have.

‘That’s why it helps to have everything set up. The whole process is faster, and you don’t feel that time pressure.’

A small grant can have a big impact

‘Another thing I learned,’ Deb says, ‘is that a small grant can leverage big results.’

An example of this is the Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Women in Business Grant. Deb won $5,000 for mentoring, but she gained far more than money.

‘That grant opened up so many opportunities for me. For example, I’ve recently been selected as a delegate on the Deputy Mayor’s Business Mission to South Korea. I’ll make significant connections and there is the possibility that we could expand Urban Metal into East Asia.

‘Leveraging grant opportunities also facilitated an introduction to First Nation’s business Creative Nations, and we are now involved in indigenous-designed storytelling screens. We have a community project on Palm Island, we’re involved in a studio designed indigenous collection, we co-design public artworks and we make Acknowledgement of Country pieces.

‘That wouldn’t have happened without the grant mentoring and connections.’

Deb’s Top Tips for Bootcamp (and grants)!

• Like anything, you get out what you put in. The Bootcamp program is a self-managed one, so you need to do the exercises to get the benefits.
• The work you do helps you understand your business and communicate it. That is a transferable skill with long-term benefits.
• The program works best when you have one or more specific grants you’d like to win.
• Don’t be scared of the grants process. The Grant’d Bootcamp will give you a roadmap to follow, which makes the whole thing much easier.
• Don’t forget – you only have to win one grant to make your money back.

‘I am hugely appreciative of Janine and Grant’d. I am a big fan.’