Applying too early
The project is not approved, costed or quoted.
Grant System
Do not write grants before the project is grant ready.
Use grants for eligible projects with clear evidence, quotes, controls and reporting. A good application starts with a clean project file.
A grant-ready project has
- Correct legal applicant
- Specific project scope
- Evidence of need
- Reconciled budget and quotes
- Named delivery owner
- Risk controls
- Reporting and committee approval
Can't answer the application yet?
Use the guided grant planner. It asks smaller questions, helps identify missing information and creates draft answers you can transfer into the application form.
Grant readiness
| Area | Ready means |
|---|---|
| Legal identity | The exact applicant name, bank account, rules and registrations match. |
| Committee approval | Minutes show the project, amount, application authority and cost centre. |
| Budget | Quotes, totals, GST, co funding and exclusions reconcile. |
| Need | Photos, participation numbers, safety evidence or access barriers show why the project matters. |
| Delivery | Named people can buy, deliver, install, use and report on the funded items. |
| Reporting | The club can track invoices, photos, participation, outcomes and acknowledgement. |
Grant application mistake list
Wrong cost type
The funder excludes the item, supplier, applicant or activity.
Vague benefit
The application says the club needs help but does not explain community impact.
No delivery owner
Nobody is accountable for purchase, installation, use and reporting.
Mixed money
Restricted funding is mixed with general club cash or unrelated team costs.
Weak acquittal
The club leaves reporting evidence until months after the project.
Choose your route
Build the project before writing the application
Start with the guided planner when the need, budget, beneficiaries or delivery plan are still unclear.
Guided planner
Work out the grant answers
Break the project into legal applicant, need, beneficiaries, budget, delivery, risk and reporting questions.
Open grant plannerApplication worksheet
Draft the application
Use this once the project is approved, costed and supported by evidence.
Open applicationEvidence
Check the proof folder
Confirm legal, financial, quote, outcome and approval records before submission.
Open evidence checklistDo not submit estimates as facts. Assign missing quotes, approvals and legal details to a named person and update the application before submission.