Tips and Tricks for Grant Writing

Grants can be a brilliant way to turn a fresh idea into reality, enhance your visitor experience, or finally tick off that long-standing 'wouldn’t it be nice' project. And if you’ve ever opened a grant application and felt instantly overwhelmed, you’re definitely not alone.

Because every grant program has its own rules and quirks, this isn’t a strict step-by-step manual. Instead, think of it as a friendly field guide, designed to help you spot the right funding opportunities, understand what grant makers tend to look for, and shape an application that’s clear, confident, and truly reflects your business and the community you’re part of.

Understand what the funding body is trying to achieve

Every grant program exists for a reason. Some are designed to drive regional development, while others focus on infrastructure, workforce and skills, accessibility, innovation, sustainability, or events. Before you write a single word, spend some proper time with the guidelines so you can answer with confidence:

• What is this program trying to deliver?
• Who’s eligible to apply, and who isn’t?
• What does a strong project look like in their eyes?
• What evidence or supporting documents do they need?

Most importantly, make sure your project idea genuinely aligns with the program goals. If you find yourself twisting and stretching your concept just to fit the criteria, it may not be the right grant for this particular project, and the time you invest in the application could end up going nowhere.

Where to find grants for the Yarra Valley, Dandenong Ranges and the surrounding region?

Grant opportunities pop up throughout the year, and they come from more places than you might think. It’s worth checking a few regular spots frequently.

Local councils: Look for tourism, events, community, and business programs.

State programs: Business Victoria, Regional Development Victoria, Visit Victoria.

Federal programs: GrantConnect, Austrade, Tourism Australia.

A helpful habit is to subscribe to updates wherever you can and keep a simple calendar of grants and when they open so you don’t miss out.

Use data to turn a good idea into a strong application

Funding organisations don’t just want a good concept, they want confidence that it’ll make a real difference. So back your story with evidence about impact on visitors, your business, and the region.

Useful proof points can include: visitor insights and trends, customer feedback and demand indicators, evidence of a gap or need (what’s missing right now?), economic impact, jobs, training, or local spend, results from past initiatives (even small wins count).

You don’t have to gather everything alone. Local tourism and economic development contacts local councils and tourism organisations can often help with relevant insights, and sometimes letters of support, especially if your project aligns with broader priorities.

Show alignment with strategic priorities.

Your business matters, of course, but assessors are far more likely to back projects that clearly contribute to a broader goal, not just a single operator. Where it makes sense, connect your project to local council plans, regional visitor economy priorities, state tourism strategies, and outcomes such as accessibility, sustainability, First Nations tourism, experience development, or workforce capability.

Put simply: help the assessor join the dots between what you’re proposing and what the funding program is trying to achieve.

Common mistakes to avoid

A lot of applications fall short for reasons that are surprisingly easy to fix. Watch out for these usual suspects:

• Not directly addressing the assessment criteria (the biggest one)
• Keeping things too general, without enough detail or proof
• Budget holes, missing information, or incomplete supporting documents
• Not clearly spelling out the visitor or community benefit
• Overly complex or vague language. Keep it simple and confident: what you’ll do, why it matters, what it will change, and how you’ll measure success.

Reach out early for support

You don’t have to tackle grant applications on your own. Getting help early can save you a lot of time and a lot of last-minute panic. Local tourism contacts can help you sense-check whether the project is a good fit and point you towards useful local data. Regional tourism organisations may also be able to offer general guidance and, in some cases, provide a letter of support.

If you’re requesting a letter of support, it helps to include:

• Key dates and deadlines
• A short overview of the project
• Expected outcomes and benefits
• Any relevant plans or supporting documents
• Approvals (especially if you’re applying as a group or committee

Build confidence over time.

Grant writing gets easier the more you do it. Even if you start small, you’ll build a toolkit of phrases, evidence, budgets, and impact measures you can reuse and refine. Funders sometimes share feedback or examples from past rounds, too, which can help you level up next time.

The main thing is to keep an eye out for opportunities that genuinely fit your goals, and back yourself when the match is right.

**adapted with thanks, from resources created by Murray Regional Tourism