I was thrilled to make my first visit to the Gladstone region in late 2024 and again in February 2025 to deliver four arts professional development workshops for Gladstone-based creatives. Over four engaging sessions, these workshops focused on building fundamental skills and confidence in grant writing and artist biography development, empowering local creatives to grow their business acumen and take their careers to the next level.

According to the Grants in Australia report (2018), 62% of grant applicants don’t hit the ‘submit’ button after they start an application. I’m on a mission to change this!

In this (long overdue) post, I’m pleased to share my recap and reflection on a recent series of grant writing workshops held across the North Burnett region in regional Queensland.

This is one of the most common questions that come across my desk! Like many aspects of the grant funding landscape, there is no “one-size-fits-all” answer. Here are the 3 most common payment models I’ve seen grant writing consultants and firms use across Australia.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, contingency means a provision for a possible event or circumstance. So what does that mean in a grant writing context? When planning your project and crafting your grant application, consider contingencies in your project timeline, grant budget, and as part of your overall risk management.

Did you know that for the typical grant seeker in Australia, 62% don’t submit their grant application after they start one? As part of my Grant Writing for the Arts workshop program, I’ve developed a new, one-page resource sheet - 10 Tips for Top Grants! Whether you’ve a beginner grant writer or a seasoned pro, this resource is your secret weapon to strengthen your next grant application.

As far as we know, only 11% of organisations in Australia are using external grant writers. But as grants become increasingly more competitive and staff/volunteer time is already stretched, many organisations are seeking external support to navigate the increasingly complex grants landscape. So, why work with a professional grant writer?

Maternity leave updates. Grant writing projects at the end of 2022 and start of 2023 came in thick and fast, and I thank those organisations and businesses who chose to work with me. My clients during this period secured $907,899.76 in grant funding to support numerous projects - congratulations to you all!

Last month I hit the road and visited four communities across the South Burnett and Gympie regions delivering a half-day Grant Writing for the Arts workshop - what a blast! Thank you to the 54 participants who joined me in Goomeri (1 February), Kingaroy (3 February), Gympie (14 February) and Murgon (15 February), it was a pleasure to meet you all and hear your project ideas.