I’m so thrilled to be working at The Grants Hub! For years I have been on the other side of the grants directory due to my connection to various community organisations. I have regularly scoured the website and weekly emails looking for new and exciting grant opportunities. In fact, grants have been part of my life for the past 24 years. I have searched and applied for grants while working for a variety of organisations including academic, government, not-for-profit and private business. More recently, since having kids, I have been heavily involved in volunteer work and I have applied for grants on behalf of community groups such as schools, kindergartens and sporting clubs.
Assisting these particular groups to access grant funding has proven to be very rewarding. I love what grants can offer – financial assistance outside the normal realm of fundraising options for these groups. Activities such as cake stalls, trivia nights and fetes require enormous effort and volunteer hours. The past 18 months have also been extremely challenging for these traditional types of fundraising, as face-to-face efforts have not been possible. Grants provide a relatively easier and more efficient way to access funding: funding that is also not from the pockets of the hardworking volunteers!
In addition, grants can provide opportunities to access financial amounts that are unattainable with normal fundraising efforts. I remember applying for a large grant for crucial renovation works on behalf of my son’s kindergarten many years ago and we received a figure that would have taken more than 12 years to accrue via our normal yearly fundraiser, a fete. Grants, although potentially overwhelming at the start to those not familiar with the process, can open up numerous possibilities for your particular organisation. You just need to be able to find the right one!
One of the most challenging aspects of grant seeking is trying to find a grant that is applicable to your project. The search is time consuming – and that’s before writing a single word for your application! Grants can be difficult to find. Fresh funding rounds and new opportunities continually emerge throughout the year and application windows are often short. This is why I love The Grants Hub directory - we spend the time searching for grants so that you don’t have to.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my first few weeks at The Grants Hub. The team consists of an amazing group of passionate people working from locations across Australia. They have been warm and welcoming and are a pleasure to work alongside. I want to do the best I can in the Grants Researcher role and I will do this by continuing to bring you the most comprehensive and accurate grants directory possible.
Start your journey with The Grants Hub as well by signing up for a FREE 14-day trial and gain access to over 1000+ grants!
Tracey Talko
Grants Researcher