the GRANT WRITING SYSTEM
STOP STARING AT THAT APPLICATION FEELING LIKE YOU'RE GUESSING. This mini-course teaches you what assessors are actually looking for. The whole system. So you can apply for funding throughout your career without that sinking feeling that you're probably doing it wrong.
This isn't just for your next grant. This is the system you'll use for your entire career
This isn't just for your next grant. This is the system you'll use for your entire career
who is this for?
This course is for individual Australian artists who are new to grant writing, or who've applied before and want to stop second-guessing every answer. If you've ever stared at an application form wondering what they're actually looking for, this is where you start.
What You’ll Learn
Think like an assessor (so you know what they're actually scoring)
Understand The SystemGrant writing isn't hard because it's complicated. It's hard because nobody teaches you how it actually works. This course fixes that — you'll learn exactly how applications are assessed, what assessors are scoring, and how to use that knowledge every time you apply.
Write With Confidence No more staring at a question wondering what it's really asking. You'll learn how to decode bureaucratic language, substantiate your claims, build a budget that holds up to scrutiny, and write responses assessors can actually score.
Apply The Tools To Any GrantEvery template, worksheet, and framework in this course is designed to be used again and again — for any grant, any project, any funding body. You're not just learning how to write one application. You're building a system.
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Learn how arts funding actually works in Australia — from how applications are assessed, to what happens in panel moderation, to why some applications succeed and others don't. This module demystifies the process so you can stop guessing and start writing strategically.
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The work that happens before you open the application form matters more than most artists realise. This module walks you through how to read guidelines properly, decode what's actually being asked, and gather the evidence and information you'll need so the writing phase doesn't become a scramble.
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Assessors are reading dozens of applications. This module helps you figure out what makes your project distinct, how to frame your artistic merit, viability, and impact so they land with a panel, and how to position yourself as someone who can deliver what you're proposing.
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The budget is where most first-time applicants lose marks — or money. Learn how to build a realistic, fundable budget using industry rates from MEAA, NAVA, and ASA, how to account for Value In Kind, and how to create a project plan that proves your project is viable.
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This is the nuts and bolts of actually writing strong responses. How to structure your answers, how to substantiate your claims, how to match your language to what assessors are looking for — and how to avoid the common mistakes that flag an application as underprepared.
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Letters of support can make or break your application, but most artists leave them to the last minute and let referees write them from scratch. This module shows you how to draft effective letters for your referees, send them early, and pull together supporting documentation that strengthens your case.
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What to check before you hit submit, how to navigate SmartyGrants without last-minute disasters, and what happens after — including how acquittals work and what to do if your application isn't successful. The process doesn't end at submission, and this module makes sure you're prepared for what comes next.
Meet Your Instructor
Cat Dibley
Arts Grants Consultant
Cat has spent over 13 years producing dance, theatre, tours, and festivals for major companies across Australia, Europe, and the US. She founded her own theatre company in 2011 and has secured over $3.6 million in grants and partnerships throughout her career. She's assessed grants for bodies including Create NSW, and worked there managing multimillion-dollar cross-government funding partnerships.
Cat now works as a creative business coach, arts strategist, and grant specialist. She helps individual artists get funded and build sustainable practices — and works with funding bodies to audit and redesign their funding programs. She built this course because she kept seeing the same mistakes cost good artists real money — and most of them were completely avoidable.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Lifetime. Once you purchase, the course and all templates are yours to come back to every time you apply for a grant.
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No. The course teaches you the full system, so you can work through it now and apply it when you're ready. That said, if you do have a project in mind, you'll be able to apply what you learn as you go.
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No. The system works across Australian arts funding bodies — Australia Council, state arts departments, local government, and independent foundations. The principles are the same.
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All guides and worksheets are PDF, and the templates are excel spreadsheets so you can edit and reuse them for every application.
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Because this is a digital product with instant access to all course materials and downloadable templates, refunds are not available. If you're unsure whether this course is right for you, feel free to get in touch before purchasing.
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Think about this as an investment in your career, not just one grant. If you'll be applying for funding throughout your career to make your work, learning the system properly now pays off repeatedly. The mini-course is $99 and you'll use it for every application you write.
STOP STARING AT THAT APPLICATION FEELING LIKE YOU'RE GUESSING. This mini-course teaches you what assessors are actually looking for. The whole system. So you can apply for funding throughout your career without that sinking feeling that you're probably doing it wrong.