Tips for your Application
Tips for your Application
Grant applications require justification, such as a case for support, to establish why the funding is required. Different grant makers require different approaches but the application can:
- demonstrate community support - provide evidence of community support for your project/group's work and demonstrate that others support your proposed project and will greatly benefit from the project
- match up - show where the proposed project fits into the grant makers key priority areas. It is advisable to check the funders website and/or annual reports to identify priority funding areas. If you are still unsure call and speak to them about where your project might fit.
- tell a story - a case study illustrating the issue that the project will remedy.
The proposed project outline should be clearly defined, achievable, measurable and include:
- Objectives - clearly defined aims of the project; what will the grant be used for and who will benefit.
- Methodology - how the objectives are to be achieved.
- Evaluation - how the success of the project will be measured. Some grant makers require only a final report outlining outcomes, whilst others require progress reports during the term of the project.
- Budget - often a simple one page statement of income and expenses. Many grant makers allow organisations to claim the value of volunteer labour and other no-cost input as part of their contribution to the project, most often described as an *in-kind contribution.
- Reconciliation - expenditure of the grant which matches the financial records. It is important to ensure records of all associated expenditure are kept as grant makers are subject to audits. A post project report including photos, may also be useful.
*In-kind contribution might include volunteer labour, administrative support, rent-free accommodation or donations/discounts of materials, or equipment. These contributions should be given a dollar value and included in your budget as part of your contribution to the project. They should not exceed more than 25% of the total budget.
Volunteering WA has a calculator to assist calculating the monetary value of volunteer labour for the proposed project.