Applying for Grants

Grants are available from state and federal government departments, and private foundations, for a range of museum activities and projects. Become familiar with what is available and approach an application in a methodical and thoughtful way for a successful grant bid.

Find out what is available

Become familiarised with the range of grant programs available through the local council or library – in particular check the WA Grants Register. This is an annual publication which lists most state and federal grant schemes available to community cultural heritage organisations.

Keep up to date with grants available and their priorities and guidelines – these can change from year to year.

Before you get started

• Assign one member of the group with the responsibility of coordinating the submission. Preferably someone who has written a successful submission previously or someone who has a good writing style.
• Maintain a grants file so that all the things likely to be required are on hand – eg. constitution, annual report, statistics about visitors or other activities, publicity documents such as brochures and media articles. If there is a strategic plan keep a copy of this in here; and very importantly, the collection policy.
• Never start on a grant submission the week before it’s due. To maximise chances of success, get started several weeks prior to the due date. Ensure the proposal is thoroughly researched.
• Decide which grant / grants are most appropriate for the project and make contact with the granting body – discuss the proposal and find out whether or not it meets their criteria.
• If appropriate, build community consultation into the project. Assessment panels like to see that there has been a broad level of consultation and that the proposal reflects the needs / wishes of the community.

Administrative information

• The basics: name, address, contact details
• Most grants request a statement relating to the museum’s broader aim / purpose. This should be a concise statement about why the museum exists and not a list of services. If there is a mission or vision statement, it is usually appropriate to put this in here.
• Always include the collection policy with the submission. It demonstrates that the collection is managed according to established guidelines. Eg. It is unlikely funding will be granted for a project just because the collection is growing. The assessment panel needs a sense of whether there’s any plan or vision for its growth.

Project information

This is where the museum puts forward a persuasive argument for the funding. This section will consist of a project description and budget breakdown. Address the following:

• Meeting the priorities - Read the guidelines very carefully and reflect the priorities or selection criteria of the grant scheme in the submission.
• Benefit – It is usually vital to describe how the organisation and its activities benefit the community. If it cannot be defined how the project will benefit the community then the whole idea should be questioned. It is usually an advantage to demonstrate collaboration with other organisations.
• Need - It is really important to place the project within the context of the organisations vision for the future or strategic plan if there is one – this demonstrates that the organisation has a sense of where it is going, how it is going to get there and how this particular project fits into that plan.
• Responsible management – demonstrate that the project will be well managed. Provide a curriculum vitae of the project supervisor indicating relevant experience. Give examples of other successful projects the museum has completed on budget and on time. Provide a schedule or timeline of activities.
• Budget - Break the project down into its parts and make sure that the budget submitted relates exactly to the description of the project. Figures must be backed up with further information. If you factor in 358 hours of research or $2000 worth of archival boxes there needs to be some breakdown or justification of this. For example, the assessment panel will want to see that there has been an assessment of storage needs and therefore how many boxes are required. Ensure that the museum’s contribution to the project is reflected in the budget – grant bodies usually expect this.

Other tips

• Keep the language and the format simple and remember that the assessor knows nothing about the organisation and its activities. The trick is to provide enough information so that the panel has a clear understanding of what the organisation is about and what it’s proposing to do, without overwhelming them with massive detail or flowery language. Bullet points are often a good way to lay out the information and include a list of the attachments accompanying the submission. Preferably the application should be typed.
• The old adage is true – a picture is worth a thousand words. Pictures/ diagrams are an essential tool in helping describe the proposal.
• Never underestimate the value of in-kind support. This is a crucial component to most submissions from community bodies and can take the form of volunteer labour, equipment, materials or administration.
• Letters of support from the right stakeholders are vital. It is usually good to show that the local council supports the proposed project. If the plan is for a collaborative exhibition with a local school or another community body, include a letter of support from a representative.
• The application will be taken more seriously if it is apparent that relevant professional advice has been sought. For example,if a collection storage area is being redeveloped, consult with a conservator. The resultant submission should reflect this advice and should not be tacked on the end.
• If the project relates to the collection or a particular interpretive theme of the museum, make sure the significance of the material to be conserved or displayed is established and, if possible, its connection to the locality / town / region. If it is proposed that conservation work is undertaken on a garment in the collection - explain what is important about it and what it reveals about the district.
• A spin-off from the project may be that it is an opportunity to attract new volunteers and/or develop volunteer skills. A new project can provide stimulus for an article in the local newspaper letting people know what the organisation is proposing to do and giving contact details for anyone interested in participating.
• Hardware / furniture that is part of the project expenses must have flexible use. In other words, purchasing display furniture which will only accommodate a very specific exhibition is not a viable long term plan.
• Be realistic about what can be achieved – especially if contract staff are required, such as a curator. Ensure it can be shown that they will have at least some money to work with, or the scope of what they can achieve will obviously be very limited.
• Check carefully that every question has been completed, the right attachments are present and that the right number of copies are being sent in.
• Get feedback on a draft submission.
• It is essential to acquit the grant appropriately, or future applications may be jeopardised.
• Always get feedback if the submission is unsuccessful. Learn from mistakes to maximise the chances next time.

References and further reading:

Museums Australia Inc (NSW). Museum Methods: A practical guide for managing small museums. Section 1.18 Applying for grants

Lotterywest grants

Grantsearch Australia

Department of Local Government Grants Directory

Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal