M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009 Brisbane

1. Securing Funding Workshop
Brisbane 30 April & 6 May
2009

2. Introduce yourself:
• Name
• Group or Organisation you represent
• Any recent success with funding
applications
• What you’d like to get from the
workshop
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

3. Agenda & Folders
Day one:
•Introduction to grant writing & a range of funding bodies
•NLA Community Heritage Grants
•Arts Queensland Sector Grants
•RADF
•Case study
•Interviews
Day two:
•The Budget
•Philanthropy & fundraising
•Case studies
•Interviews
THE FOLDERS- Resource for the workshop and Beyond!

4. Handy Hints
• Acknowledgement to QCAN & Chris
Stannard whose extensive experience as
a grant applicant and a peer assessor is
reflected in this presentation.
• M&GSQ thanks Chris Stannard for
permission to use and adapt his
presentation.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

5. Handy Hints
• About funding bodies, their structures
and decision making processes
• Designing a project
• Project Planning
• Application writing
• Choosing a funding body
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

6. Handy hints
• Design the project first. Then design the funding
strategy.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

7. Handy hints
• Design the project first. Then design the funding strategy.
• The project should be part of your strategic plan not an
add on because you’ve seen the funding advertised.

8. Handy hints
• Design the project first. Then design the funding strategy.
• The project should be part of your strategic plan not an
add on because you’ve seen the funding advertised.
• Only work on projects which are genuinely important.

9. Handy hints
• Design the project first. Then design the funding strategy.
• The project should be part of your strategic plan not an
add on because you’ve seen the funding advertised.
• Only work on projects which are genuinely important.
• Work with other people on the design of a project,
polishing it all the time, until it shines.

10. Handy hints
• Design the project first. Then design the funding strategy.
• The project should be part of your strategic plan not an
add on because you’ve seen the funding advertised.
• Only work on projects that are genuinely important.
• Work with other people on the design of a project,
polishing it all the time, until it shines.
• Find the right funding bodies and sponsors.

11. Handy hints
• Design the project first. Then design the funding strategy.
• The project should be part of your strategic plan not an
add on because you’ve seen the funding advertised.
• Only work on projects that are genuinely important.
• Work with other people on the design of a project,
polishing it all the time, until it shines.
• Find the right funding bodies and sponsors.
• Remember, funding applications are read and assessed by
human beings. Write well. Be creative.

12. Handy hints
• Design the project first. Then design the funding strategy.
• The project should be part of your strategic plan not an add on
because you’ve seen the funding advertised.
• Only work on projects that are genuinely important.
• Work with other people on the design of a project, polishing it all
the time, until it shines.
• Find the right funding bodies and sponsors.
• Remember, funding applications are read and assessed by
human beings. Write well. Be creative.
• If writing is not your thing, find someone to be your grant
writer.

13. How do funding bodies make
decisions?

14. How do they make decisions?
Applications assessed against criteria
based on the program’s aims.

15. How do they make decisions?
Arms length funding
Peer assessment
Internal assessment

16. Arts Queensland
State Government
Grants for career development (up to $5,000)
are assessed internally by staff and are
approved by the delegate of the Minister of the
Arts.
Development and Presentation Grants (up to
$50,000) assessed in five steps- a mix of
internal, peer and political assessment.

17. Arts Queensland-
Sector Project Grants
• Step 1: Applications within each artform are short-listed by
Arts Queensland staff against the assessment criteria.
• Step 2: Industry experts provide written referee reports
for short-listed applications using the assessment criteria.
• Step 3: The relevant Arts Queensland Director considers
the industry expert assessment reports and prepares a list
of recommendations within their budget allocation.
• Step 4: Recommendations are moderated internally by
Arts Queensland before being submitted through the
Deputy Director-General, Arts Queensland to the Minister.
• Step 5: The Minister determines the funding outcomes.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

18. Arts Queensland major sector grants
Arts Qld Staff Check eligibility do short list against
the assessment criteria
Industry expert Industry expert Industry expert
Write referee reports for short-listed applications using the assessment criteria
Arts Qld Director The relevant Arts Queensland
Each Director considers the
Director considers the industry expert
assessment reports and prepares a
assessmentrecommendations within
list of reports and prepares a list
of recommendations within their
their budget allocation.
Moderation by Arts Qld budget allocation. Recommendations
are moderated internally by Arts
Queensland before being submitted
through the Deputy Director-General,
Arts Queensland to the Minister.
Minister for the Arts
M&GSQ Securing Funding
Workshop 2009

19. Australia Council
CHECK
STAFF
Staff check eligibility but
Grant applications are assessed by
peers, defined by the Australia Council
as people who, by virtue of their
knowledge and experience, are
equipped to make a fair and informed
assessment of artistic work and grant
applications
ATSIA
LITERATURE
MUSIC
DANCE
THEATRE
ARTS
VISUAL
PARTNERSHIPS
COMMUNITY
INTER ARTS
M&GSQ Securing Funding
Workshop 2009

20. Australia Council: Arm’s Length
Before the meeting:
• Staff check eligibility and register applications on the Council’s
computer database.
• Staff prepare applications and support material for the Committee
assessment meeting. Applications are made into booklets and sent
to Committee members.
• Peers are invited to participate as advisers to the Committee at
the meeting bringing additional expertise and perspectives to the
assessment process.
• Staff also check and manage any conflicts of interest that
Committee members and peers have with applications.
M&GSQ Securing Funding
Workshop 2009

21. Australia Council: Arm’s Length
At the meeting:
• Committee members assess your application against the published
selection criteria.
• Committee members may examine support material at the meeting or by
prior arrangement. Committee members may also take into account
information from other sources such as:
- their attendance at performances and other events;
- reports from members of the Register of Peers who may be asked to
provide formal assessments of designated works;
- reviews, videos and recordings, referee reports and other material;
- any previous Australia Council grant acquittal reports and performance
agreements you may have had; and
- communication with State and Territory agencies.
See Example of Assessment Report in Resource Folder
M&GSQ Securing Funding
Workshop 2009

22. Gambling Community Benefit Fund
Applications
Assessed for Eligibility
The Gambling Community Benefit Fund Committee
Queensland Treasurer, Deputy Premier & Minister for Infrastructure
M&GSQ Securing Funding
Workshop 2009

23. Regional Arts Development Fund
Local & State Government partnership
Applications
Council reps Community reps
RADF
(appointed) Committee (elected)
Local Council Arts Queensland
Contributes $
M&GSQ Securing Funding
Workshop 2009

24. The funding cycle
Application lodged by the funding deadline
Administration check eligibility, statistics
may or may not fully fund
Assessment process
conditions of funding: may need
Funding agreement to do something extra;
must acknowledge funding body,
Grant awarded
any changes to the project
Project commences
must be negotiated
Project completed
Artistic Report & Financial Report
Grant acquitted
cannot apply again until this is done
M&GSQ Securing Funding
Workshop 2009

25. Designing a project
• Think of your funding application as a project planning
tool.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

26. Designing a project
• Think of your funding application as a project
planning tool.
• Think of your funding application as a business
proposal.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

27. Workshop Exercise: Designing a project
1. Name of applicant (group/organisation or individual):
2. Think about what you want to do and write it clearly in a short paragraph
3. Think about why you want to do this project:
For you, the applicant:
For your community
For the wider population
4. Give your project a name
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

28. Workshop Exercise
• 3 Volunteers to be the peer assessment
panel.
• Volunteer applicants to read their
project outline provided by Q1-4.
• “Assessors” listen to project outline
read by ‘applicants’.
• Assessors ask questions to find out
what else they’d like to know to help
them assess the application.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

29. Help the assessment
panel!
• Develop your project
ideas.
• Write your ideas for
people who don’t
know the nature and
value of your
project.
• Do a project plan.
• Talk to others- seek
their support.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

30. Exercise Post Workshop: Designing a project
5. Write up your thoughts; not just about your project, but about the
background to it; What’s been going on? For your group or your community.
What are the issues? What is the need the project will address?
This is a thinking exercise to help you formulate your thoughts and find the
right words to communicate your project ideas.
6. What will this project achieve? (Project aims)
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

31. Homework Exercise: Designing a project
7. Plan your project in stages:
Where
What needs What will they How much
When? Who will do it? will they
doing? need? will it cost?
get it?
M&GSQ Securing Funding
Workshop 2009

32. Exercise After the Workshop: Designing a project
8. Think about who else would support this project (community organisations,
other individuals, businesses, etc). Make a list:
Write a letter, based on your thoughts and project description, asking for a
letter of support.
What would be in this letter?
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

33. Exercise After the Workshop: Designing a project
8. Think about who else would support this project (community organisations,
other individuals, businesses, etc). Make a list:
Write a letter, based on your thoughts and project description, asking for a
letter of support. Ask them:
Do you think this is a good project? Why?
How would this project benefit you and your community?
How might you be involved in the project?
How could you support this project?
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

34. Designing a project
9. Think about what sort of funding body has aims that would match your
aims.
• Search for suitable funding bodies. Find out:
When their deadlines are
Who is eligible
What they fund and don’t fund
Their criteria for funding
What information they want (including budget details)
• TALK to the contact officer/s to see if they think your project is a good
match to their fund.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

35. Designing a project
10. Fill out the funding application form
Answer the questions. Don’t send them an essay.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

36. Designing a project
10. Fill out the funding application form
Answer the questions. Don’t send them an essay.
Think always about the person reading it.
Be clear, don’t waffle and don’t repeat.
If writing is not your thing, find someone to be your grant writer.
Get other people to read it for sense & to proof read.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

37. Designing a project
10. Fill out the funding application form
Answer the questions. Don’t send them an essay.
Think always about the person reading it.
Be clear, don’t waffle and don’t repeat.
If writing is not your thing, find someone to be your grant writer.
Get other people to read it for sense & to proof read.
Be selective about the support material you send.
Make sure it’s good.
Send them only as much as they ask for.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

38. Designing a project
10. Fill out the funding application form
Answer the questions. Don’t send them an essay.
Think always about the person reading it.
Be clear, don’t waffle and don’t repeat.
If writing is not your thing, find someone to be your grant writer.
Get other people to read it for sense & to proof read.
Be selective about the support material you send.
Make sure it’s good.
Send them only as much as they ask for.
Ask for what you need. No more, no less.
Budget accurately. Include the value of in-kind support.
If you don’t think the grant is enough, go elsewhere as well.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

39. Designing a project
10. Fill out the funding application form
Answer the questions. Don’t send them an essay.
Think always about the person reading it.
Be clear, don’t waffle and don’t repeat.
If writing is not your thing, find someone to be your grant writer.
Get other people to read it for sense & to proof read.
Be selective about the support material you send.
Make sure it’s good.
Send them only as much as they ask for.
Ask for what you need. No more, no less.
Budget accurately. Include the value of in-kind support.
If you don’t think they have enough, go elsewhere as well.
Do not rip off artists and other professional workers.
INCLUDING YOURSELF! (NAVA Fees schedule- Chapter 5)
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

40. Designing a project
10. Fill out the funding application form
Answer the questions. Don’t send them an essay.
Think always about the person reading it.
Be clear, don’t waffle and don’t repeat.
If writing is not your thing, find someone to be your grant writer.
Get other people to read it for sense & to proof read.
Be selective about the support material you send.
Make sure it’s good.
Send them only as much as they ask for.
Ask for what you need. No more, no less.
Budget accurately. Include the value of in-kind support.
If you don’t think they have enough, go elsewhere as well.
Do not rip off artists and other professional workers.
INCLUDING YOURSELF! (NAVA Fees schedule- chapter 5)
Get advice. Who else can help you?
Funding body staff can seldom help you design your project.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

41. Exercise:Finding THE Grant
for your project
• M&GSQ Grant Handouts in
Workshop Folder
• These and the application forms
and guidelines in the workshop
folders are your resources for the
Who funds what Quiz.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

42. RECAP:Who Funds What
Quiz
1. Gambling Community Benefit Fund/
Jupiters Casino Community Benefit Fund
2a. Eligibility?
2b. Like most funds NO retrospective
funding.
2c-d. How will this equipment benefit the
community?
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

43. RECAP: Who Funds What
Quiz
Q3.
• ARTS QUEENSLAND – REGIONAL
ARTS DEVELOPMENT FUND (RADF)
• ARTS QUEENSLAND – SECTOR
PROJECT GRANTS PROGRAM
Development and Presentation
Grants
Creative Communities
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

44. RECAP:Who Funds What
Quiz
Q3a:
• RADF Principle 5 Supporting the participation
of community members in arts development
projects run by professional artists and
artsworkers
• RADF Categories of Funding
2. Building community cultural capacity
• Objective — for community groups to engage
a professional artist or artsworker to work with
them on developing their arts practice or to
run arts development workshops or
community projects.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

45. RECAP: Who Funds What
Quiz
Q3a cont:
4. Cultural tourism
Objective – for projects and activities
that focus on communities’ locally
distinct arts, culture and heritage
both for members of the community
and for visitors.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

46. RECAP: Who Funds What
Quiz
Q3a cont:
5. Contemporary collections/stories
Objective — to preserve and provide access to locally
held collections of significance, and collect and tell local
stories from the past and the present that can
demonstrate state and/or local significance. Priorities
post 1960’s & Indigenous
RADF grants can support: Statement of Significance,
documentation, preservation, interpretation projects
and collection management training through
community-based workshops and community stories
documentation, including plays, videos, artwork, digital
exhibitions, education programs, oral histories and
publications.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

47. RECAP:Who Funds What
Quiz
Q3b:
Arts Queensland: Creative Communities
Goal 3: Cultural content with Queensland stories
Queensland stories:
This goal is focused on celebrating Queensland
content by developing work that supports
communities to tell a range of unique stories.
This goal supports community strengthening
through place-based, identity building
initiatives and encourages engagement with
museums, libraries and galleries.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

48. RECAP:Who Funds What
Quiz
Q4:
• Regional Arts Development Fund
5. Contemporary collections/stories
• National Library of Australia-
Community Heritage Grants Program
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

49. RECAP:Who Funds What
Quiz
Q5:
• DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT,
WATER, HERITAGE AND THE ARTS –
VISIONS OF AUSTRALIA
• Purpose: Provides funding to organisations to
develop and tour exhibitions of Australian
cultural material across Australia.
• Eligible projects: Exhibitions must tour to
venues across Australia, one of which must be
in different state or territory than the one the
tour originated from.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

50. RGAQ Member Funding
Q6:
• For a volunteer wanting $ to attend a
conference or a workshop
• For a paid professional wanting $ to
attend a conference or a workshop
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

51. RGAQ Member Funding
Q6 cont:
• Grants to assist public galleries/ museums to
undertake organisational initiatives. EG:
• improvements in the gallery/museum exhibition
program such as touring exhibition fees and display
improvements.
• An appropriate consultant to work with the institution
on skill development in areas such as Education and
Public Programs; Exhibition Development; or Strategic
Planning and Policy Development.
• On-site training workshops and seminars in specialist
areas such as volunteer recruitment, board
management and gallery/museum practice.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

52. SUM UP
• Design the project first. Then design the funding strategy.
• The project should be part of your strategic plan not an add
on because you’ve seen the funding advertised.
• Only work on projects that are genuinely important.
• Work with other people on the design of a project, polishing it
all the time, until it shines.
• Do a project plan that answers the questions: What, Why,
Who, Where, When, How.
• Talk to others- seek their support.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009

53. SUM UP
• Find the right funding bodies whose aims match your aims;
whose funding criteria match your projects outcomes.
• Talk to the contact officer/s to see if they think your project is a
good match to their fund.
• Write your ideas for people who don’t know the nature and
value of your project.
• Tell them how your project addresses the key words and
phrases in the fund’s criteria.
• Remember, funding applications are read and assessed by
human beings. Write well. Be creative.
• If writing is not your thing, find someone to be your grant
writer.
• Get others to read for sense not just to proof read.
M&GSQ Securing Funding Workshop 2009