G R A NT S I N AU STR A L I A 2017
GRANTSEEKER ACTION LIST This list has been informed by analysis of the Grants in Australia 2017 research report, an output of Our Community’s Innovation Lab. The 2017 survey is the ninth conducted by Our Community since 2006. A total of 1227 people completed the survey, which was conducted online from November 2016 to February 2017. The survey, the biggest of its type in Australia, is part of an ongoing research project that charts the development of the field of grantmaking in Australia from the grantseeking community’s perspective. The production of this takeaway list reflects Our Community’s aim to ensure that the data we collect is not just interesting but useful. > Download the full survey report: www.ourcommunity.com.au/grants2017
1. Don’t waste your time and effort: get your forms in A huge amount of time is being wasted on applications that are started then abandoned. More than half (54%) of the organisations we surveyed said they’d started an application that they didn’t end up submitting. On the flipside of that trend, grantseekers who’d won six or more grants boasted the lowest rates of unsubmitted applications. Among those that abandoned an application, 38% cited “running out of time” as the main reason.
The takeaway: start early; hit the deadline
2. Do the reading (make sure you’re eligible) Another common reason that grantseekers cited for not getting their forms in was discovering that they were ineligible or that the program was unsuitable. Read more about that finding here.
The takeaway: the work you do early on to make sure you tick all the boxes will save you time later.
3. Build your relationships with grantmakers Successful grantseekers are much more likely than unsuccessful grantseekers to form relationships with grantmakers. Almost 80% of groups that had won six or more grants in the previous 12 months said they had “sometimes” or “often” developed a connection with the grantmaker.
The takeaway: Pick up the phone.
4. You’ve got to be in it to win it It’s clear from the survey results that those who apply for more grants get more grants. It seems obvious, but the message is clear.
The takeaway: apply for more, get more.
An enterprise of: