ARTS GRANTS MADE EASY
Grant packages & processes
Explore how it works, what it costs, and everything you need to know.
Grant Packages
This page gives you everything you need to choose the right grant‑writing package — what’s included, how each service works, pricing, timelines, and what you’ll need to provide.
Whether you want expert feedback on a draft or full support shaping and writing your application, you’ll find a clear, step‑by‑step breakdown of the process.
Category
Grant Clarity
$110.00
Grant Writing Essentials
$380.00
Grant Writing Complete
$460.00
Best For
Artists with a completed draft who want expert, actionable feedback before submitting.
Creatives with a fully developed project plan who want a polished, professionally written application.
Creatives with projects still in development who need help shaping plans and a fully written application.
What’s Included
- Detailed written feedback
- Checklist‑based recommendations
- Budget review
- Support material check
- Full writing of all grant responses
- Budget prepared to funder requirements
- Templates/examples for you to create supporting documents
- Letter of support suggested content
- Guidance for initial funder conversation
- Support navigating the grant portal
Everything in Essentials, plus:
- Guided development of key project documents (project plan, risk plan, evaluation plan)
- Custom templates + content support for letters of support and letters of confirmation
- Advice on sourcing competitive quotes and industry‑standard fees
- Suggestions to strengthen community engagement strategies (including touring projects)
- Clear direction, structure, and expert feedback throughout the process
What you’ll need to supply
- Completed draft application
- Draft budget
- All supporting documents
- Access to your grant portal
- Fully developed project plan
- Timelines, deliverables, income, expenses
- Required supporting materials (as listed by the funder)
- Biographies
- Samples of work
- Letters of confirmation
- Letters of support
- Quotes
- Any additional documents specified in the guidelines
- Your project concept, goals, and key details
- Any existing plans, notes, or drafts (even if incomplete)
- Initial budget information
- Required Supporting Materials (as listed by the funder)
- Biographies
- Samples of work
- Letters of confirmation (with Applause Genie support)
- Letters of support (with Applause Genie support)
- Quotes (with Applause Genie support)
- Any additional documents specified in the guidelines
Level of project development required
Fully drafted application ready for review.
Project must be fully developed before writing begins.
Project may still be in development — you’ll receive guidance to shape key documents.
Turnaround time
Submit at least 1 week before the grant deadline.
Requires 8+ weeks before the deadline.
Requires 8+ weeks before the deadline.
Submission included?
No — you revise and submit yourself.
Yes — Applause Genie submits on your behalf after approval.
Yes — Applause Genie submits on your behalf after approval.
Support with documents?
No — review only.
Limited — you prepare documents; guidance provided.
Yes — guided development of 2–3 key documents, plus advice for broader plans.
Payment
Full payment is required upfront to secure your place in the schedule and ensure dedicated time for your review.
Full payment is required upfront to secure your place in the schedule and ensure dedicated time for your application.
Full payment is required upfront to secure your place in the schedule and ensure dedicated time for your application.
Book Now
Book an eligibility call
Book an eligibility call
The Grant Clarity process.
Step 1: Book your review
Book your Grant Clarity review online. You’ll receive a link to pay, and once payment is confirmed, your review is officially scheduled. This locks in dedicated time for your application.
You’ll be emailed a contact form which will grant you access to the Applause Genie client portal. This portal is where all communication, uploads, and feedback will take place.
Once your account is active, you’ll receive a link to complete your assigned tasks and instructions.
Step 2: Upload your application materials.
You’ll receive access to your Applause Genie client portal, where you can upload your full application, budget, support letters, and all required documents. Please merge related files into a single PDF to keep everything streamlined and easy to review.
Step 3: We review your application.
Once all materials are submitted, we complete a thorough review of your written responses, budget, support materials, and portal presentation.
You’ll receive clear, actionable feedback designed to strengthen your application and give you the clarity and confidence to submit your strongest possible version.
The Grant Writing Essentials process.
Step 1: Get started.
New clients complete the online Grant Writing Assistance Form and attend a Zoom meeting to discuss the project, timelines, and requirements.
Returning clients can skip this step and move straight to Step 2.
Step 2: Confirm your booking
To secure your place in the schedule:
- Review and sign the service contract
- Pay your invoice (booking is confirmed once payment is received)
Prompt completion is essential due to tight grant deadlines.
Step 3: Share your project information
You’ll receive a Google Drive link to upload all required project details and supporting documents, including your project plan, timelines, budget, and any funder‑required materials.
Uploading everything directly into your Drive folders keeps the process organised and ensures nothing is missed.
Step 4: We draft your bespoke application
Using the information you’ve supplied, we write your full grant application and prepare your budget.
All collaboration happens in Google Drive, with comments and tags used for clarification or additional details.
To protect accuracy, we do not gather information via phone or email once drafting begins. Timely responses keep your application on track.
Step 5: Final review, approval & submission
When your draft application and budget are ready, you’ll be notified to review and approve the final version.
Once approved, Applause Genie submits your application through the funder’s portal and compiles all final documents for your records.
Step 6: Access your final documents
You’ll receive a link to a secure folder containing all submitted materials. These files support project delivery, future applications, and grant acquittal if your project is funded.
The Grant Writing Complete process.
Step 1: Get started.
New clients complete the online Grant Writing Assistance Form and attend a Zoom meeting to discuss the project, timelines, and requirements.
Returning clients can skip this step and move straight to Step 2.
Step 2: Confirm your booking
To secure your place in the schedule:
-
Review and sign the service contract
-
Pay your invoice (booking is confirmed once payment is received)
Prompt completion is essential due to tight grant deadlines.
Step 3: Share your project information
You’ll receive a Google Drive link to upload your initial project details, any existing plans or notes, and all funder‑required supporting materials. This ensures we can begin shaping your project and preparing your application efficiently.
Uploading everything directly into your Drive folders keeps the process organised and ensures nothing is missed.
Step 4: We develop your project & draft your application
We write your full grant application and budget, and — unlike Essentials — we also guide you through developing key project documents such as your project plan, risk plan, evaluation plan, and community engagement strategy.
You’ll also receive custom templates and content support for letters of support and confirmation.
All collaboration happens in Google Drive to maintain accuracy and avoid lost information. To protect accuracy, we do not gather information via phone or email once drafting begins. Timely responses keep your application moving.
Step 5: Final review, approval & submission
When your draft application and budget are complete, you’ll be notified to review and approve the final version.
Once approved, Applause Genie submits your application through the funder’s portal and compiles all final documents for your records.
Step 6: Access your final documents
You’ll receive a link to a secure folder containing all submitted materials. These files support project delivery, future applications, and grant acquittal if your project is funded.
Read the FAQ's.
Who Can Apply
Do I need to be an established artist?
Not always. Many grants support emerging artists and first‑time applicants.
Can community groups apply?
Absolutely - many grants are designed specifically for community arts organisations, collectives, and not‑for‑profits.
Do you work for individuals or only for organisations?
We work for both. We have many years of experience writing individual applications, as well as applications for groups and organisations.
Can you help with business grants for creatives?
Yes, many business grants apply to creative industries, especially for digital upgrades, marketing, equipment, and innovation.
Are there activities arts grants will not fund?
Yes, there are. As a general rule, arts grants do not fund:
- Fundraising activities, awards, competitions, eisteddfods, prizes, private tuition
- Tertiary education
- Educational institutions seeking funding for core business
- Personal expenses (except for a limited number of Fellowships and Scholarships)
- Purchase of equipment
- Projects or activities that do not involve or benefit Australian practicing artists or arts professionals
- Projects or activities that do not have a clearly defined arts component
- Projects that have already taken place
- People who not completed an acquittal for a prior grant
- Staff or former staff of the funding body (there will be a time limit for former staff - usually will have to cease employment no less than six months before applying)
About Applause Genie
What types of grants do you specialise in?
We specialise in writing grants for arts and cultural projects and for individual artists, groups, businesses and organisations. These can be a project, an event or conference, a recording, for career development or more.
What if I’ve never written a grant before?
If you’ve never written a grant before, you’re in the right place. I offer two packages - Grant Writing Essentials and Grant Writing Complete — so you can get expert help crafting a strong, competitive application.
Will you read over and give feedback on a grant application I have written?
Applause Genie has a service where we will read and provide feedback on your self written grant application. If you are interested in this service, the package you would choose Grant Clarity.
Does Applause Genie find the grants for us?
In most cases, clients come to Applause Genie with a project and a particular grant in mind. Sometimes we may advise a better fit of funder or grant, based on the project, your readiness and your industry experience.
We do supply funding suggestions in our Grant Writing Complete package and also to selected clients that have a long term ongoing relationship with Applause Genie.
Pricing & Payment
How do you charge?
Applause Genie charges by invoice before the writing work begins. This allows you to secure guaranteed time with us and to make sure you have enough time to be guided by us in securing essential supporting documents for your application. Once the invoice is paid in full, work will begin on your project.
The cost of a grant writer cannot be included in your brant budget, as it is a retrospective cost, which if included, means your funding application will be deemed ineligible.
Will you work for commission, or a percentage of a successful grant?
The success of a grant application depends on many factors, with the grant writer’s expertise in crafting your proposal only one of those factors. Other factors are also essential, such as the applicant’s industry experience, reputation, the strength of the project, the strength of support material, how much money the funding body has in the round, and how many other requests the funder has received, and from whom.
I spend a large amount of time and expertise working with you to craft your grant submission. I consistently deliver a stress-free and quality product for each client, saving you time and increasing your chances of success. If I charged a commission-based fee, the commission would have to be high, up to 50% of your grant budget, leaving you short of money to fund your project.
Having your grant writer work for commission could ruin your chances of gaining your grant. Arts grant funding bodies frown upon contingency or commission-based fees, and many will not fund your project or organisation if they find out you pay consultants on this basis.
Funders also rarely allow general administration, including a grant writer’s fee, to be included in the program budget, and hiding the fee as another line item in the budget would be dishonest.
Since a grant writer's work is completed before the grant application is submitted, their fee is not included in your project costs. Instead, it is an upfront business expense. This means the payment is made at some risk, as securing a grant is never guaranteed. It is solely the client's decision whether to take on this business risk.
Timelines & Process
How long does it take to complete a grant application?
It is best to have at least EIGHT to TEN weeks to work on the application. The part that takes the longest of any application is securing quotes and letters of support, as you are relying on outsiders to complete the tasks.
As more and more arts grants have become extremely oversubscribed, assessors are now looking at HOW EARLY BEFORE GRANT DEADLINE you submit the grant, as they believe early submission is one key indicator of how well you can manage a project. It is best to plan to submit at least two weeks before the grant deadline date.
There are also peak times when Applause Genie is completing large volumes of grant and other project work, and cannot take on rush clients. In our Grant Writing Complete package, we can work with you to create a strategic plan for funding so your needs are met.
Ready to move forward with confidence?
Address
PO Box 1393 Capalaba QLD 4157
Business Details
ABN: 43 558 004 682
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Applause Genie acknowledges the traditional owners of the land we trade upon - the Quandamooka People. Always was - always will be.
Applause Genie is a female‑owned sole trader business, driven by the passion, creativity, and dedication of its founder. Built from the ground up with a commitment to excellence and empowerment, it reflects the strength and vision that women bring to entrepreneurship.