Grant Writing - Adapting to face the challenge of 2020
It has been quite a challenging start to 2020 as a whole, as well as on the grants front. Starting the year off with bushfires, we saw some funding bodies redirecting their funding efforts to the bushfire victims and the recovery process at local and state levels. Not-for-Profit organisations and groups around Australia are currently witnessing a reduction in donations. It is a stressful time for all.
Now we are facing a new threat, in the form of a virus, creating a global pandemic. The impacts of the virus and associated precautions are changing rapidly. It is early days yet, and we are yet to see a negative impact on any grant programs specifically. Positively, there have been new grants made available and an economic stimulus package from the Federal Government, to assist households and businesses.
The current risks for Not-for-Profits organisations and grant recipients is the further reduction in donations, and modifications that will have to be negotiated and included in funding agreements for such things as:
l Events that will need to be cancelled or postponed
l Capital works programs that will be delayed
l Local community programs that do not have staff or volunteers available to operate them
l Less participants and beneficiaries than were predicted in the grant applications and the finalised funding agreements
l Unavoidable delays on project milestones as well as project completion dates.
If you are considering writing a grant application, it is advisable to:
l Review the funding agreements to see if allowances have been made for possible delays and setbacks caused by pandemic restrictions
l Consider how current advice regarding public gatherings as well as staff and volunteers restricted to staying at home, will impact on your project delivery.
l Review your forecasted participant numbers, and consider whether there will be a reduction in this number
l Consider if further restrictions will impact your project and how will it change
As before the challenges of 2020, there are some tried and true grant writing tips.
l Read the eligibility criteria carefully to make sure you are eligible to apply. No good will come of wasting the funding body’s time.
l If you have questions, ask the funding body directly rather than guess what they are after. Ensure you do this before writing your grant application.
l NEVER attempt to change the format of the grant application. Funding bodies do not like this at all.
l Do not use fancy language or technical jargon just for the sake of it. Keep the grant applications clear and concise.
l Make sure you respond to each and every question. If you really do not think a question applies to you, the absolute minimum you should respond is N/A.
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