Ever wondered what makes a successful grant application?
In this practical and myth-busting four-part online workshop series, Helpmann Academy and Carclew will take you behind the scenes of the funding process and unpack the key elements of applying for grant money and opportunities with arts organisations. Book into all sessions or just the ones you need!
Session 1: What Funders Actually Want (45 mins)
Thursday 2 July 2026 – 6pm
Get in the head of the assessment panel, find the right opportunity for your idea and decode grant guidelines.
In this session, we’ll take you through the funding pathways available through Helpmann Academy and Carclew, we’ll share the resources and support services available to help you, and reveal some of the common pitfalls.
Whether you’re new to grants or looking to improve your success rate, we’ll share hacks and insider knowledge to make the best use of your limited time.
Session 2: Write Your Way to Success (45 mins)
Thursday 9 July 2026 – 6pm
Grant assessors don’t expect you to be a literary genius but they do expect clarity.
Being able to communicate the what, when, where, when, who and how of your idea/project/proposal is paramount.
In this session, we explore common grant application questions and how to demonstrate the impact and value clearly and concisely.
Using AI? No problem. We’ll talk about how AI can support your writing process while keeping your unique artistic voice.
We’ll provide hacks to get you one step closer to funding success.
Session 3: Prepping a Solid Budget (45 mins)
Thursday 16 July 2026 – 6pm
Build a budget that stacks up. Give assessors confidence in your proposal and prove you can deliver what you’ve proposed.
In this session, we get busy with numbers. We’ll provide you with hacks on how to balance income and expenses, how to calculate artist fees and in kind contributions and why total project costs are not the same as the grant funding amount.
We’ll talk through common budgeting mistakes, industry rates, contigencies and when to get quotes.
Whether numbers are your thing or not, you’ll build confidence in creating realistic, balanced budgets that support your creative vision.
Session 4 – Support Material and Submission Tips (1 hour)
Thursday 23 July 2026 – 6pm
A good timeline and project plan shows your attention to detail and boosts the feasibility of your application.
Support material is the icing on the cake of a grant application. It’s where you can show off the artistic merit of what you’ve done and who backs your career and vision.
We’ll talk you through choosing the right material to support your application. We’ll cover editing and proofreading techniques, common submission mistakes, and the final checks that can make all the difference before you hit submit.
Rounding out the workshop series, in this final session, we’ll hang around a little longer to hear from two successful applicants who will share their experiences on getting funded and the importance of asking for feedback when unsuccessful.
Presented as a collaboration between Helpmann Academy and Carclew.
