grant program design & review
What if it turns out even better..?
What if it turns out even better..?
Is your grants program actually serving the artists and communities you want to support? I review, redesign, and build funding programs and assessment frameworks that are clearer, fairer, and easier to run — grounded in 13+ years as an applicant, assessor, and program designer.
how i can help
→ Audit current funding programs for clarity, accessibility, and effectiveness
→ Redesign application processes to reduce barriers for applicants and improve overall application quality
→ Develop an application support kit including templates and info sheets to support stronger applicant understanding and applications
→ Develop assessment frameworks that are fair, transparent, and aligned with your priorities
→ Create guidelines and criteria that attract the right applications
→ Improve feedback mechanisms so unsuccessful applicants can learn and improve
Whether you're launching a new funding program or refining an existing one, I'll help you create systems that work for everyone.
How We'd Work Together
→ Initial consultation to understand your program, constraints, and goals
→ Research, analysis, and stakeholder consultation (where relevant)
→ Development of recommendations, frameworks, or documentation
→ Presentation and workshopping with your team or board
→ Implementation support and training (if needed)
→ Follow-up review and refinement
Recent Project
Comprehensive Cultural Grants Program Review & Redesign
Currently consulting to Inner West Council on a comprehensive review and redesign of their cultural grants program—one of their most popular and heavily applied-for funding rounds. This includes auditing the existing program, developing new assessment frameworks, and redesigning application processes to improve clarity and accessibility while maintaining alignment with council priorities.
Client
Inner West Council
Year
2026
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Local councils, state government bodies, funding agencies, and cultural institutions across Australia — ranging from small regional arts organisations to large government agencies.
-
I've spent over 13 years managing arts organisations, running major programs, and securing millions in funding and partnerships across Australia, Europe, and the US.
Highlights include managing a $2.5 million program serving artists and young people across NSW, developing and delivering multiple mentorship programs for councils and arts organisations and sitting on both sides of the grants table as an applicant, assessor, and program designer.
Commitment to equity: I design systems and policies that work for everyone, especially underrepresented artists and communities.
-
I've been on both sides of the table. I've written the grants, assessed the grants, designed the programs, managed the budgets, and dealt with the bureaucracy. That means I understand what actually works—not just what looks good in a strategy document.
I focus on practical, implementable solutions that account for your actual capacity and resources. And I genuinely care about strengthening the creative sector—this isn't just consulting work, it's about building systems that serve artists and communities better.
-
I work on a project basis with fees tailored to scope, complexity, and your budget.
After our initial conversation, I'll provide a clear proposal outlining the scope of work, deliverables, timeline, and fees. I'm transparent about costs upfront—no surprises.
For government and larger organisations, I can work within standard procurement processes.
Get in touch and we'll figure out what makes sense for your project.
“Cat, it was a pleasure to meet you and we really appreciated your generosity in sharing valuable information and knowledge! The work was very enagaging and super informative! ”
— Former Organisation Client
lets talk
If you're looking for a funding review, strategic support, or program development, I'd love to hear about what you're working on.
Contact me via the form here to discuss your needs, timeline, and how I can help.