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MEDIA STATEMENT

September 29, 2020

Grant workshops hosted by Helen Haines MP attracted 880 participants in the past two months, showing that community organisations, not-for-profits and businesses are hungry for information and skills that equip them to make the best possible applications.

The Independent Federal Member for Indi said she had been surprised and delighted by the number of attendees from Indi’s nine local government areas and beyond who flocked to four, free, 150-minute online workshops.

“In a year where traditional fundraising activities had been severely restricted, the number of participants demonstrated so clearly to me that community groups are continuing to look for grant opportunities to maintain services and enable new projects” Dr Haines said.

“Many more are now making use of grant-seeker resources and videos used in the workshops at www.helenhaines.org/resources/grants.

“Grants strengthen our communities, create opportunities for the next generation and make the place where we live better and more beautiful.

“I want to see our communities prosper. And so do the many people and organisation representatives who came to these workshops with fantastic ideas for projects they want to get off the ground.

The workshops covered:

  • Where to find grants
  • How to prepare for grant success
  • What a grant application looks like
  • How grant writers decide which projects get funded
  • How to acquit your grant project successfully

Participants also learned about ways to use the Indi Funding Finder, a free grant search website Dr Haines has set up to help community organisations discover and apply for the most appropriate grant.

Bonnie Doon’s Peppin Hub community group said the workshop was “highly informative and the feedback we received was extremely positive”.

“‘We believe the session gave us some invaluable knowledge, tips, and skills which we fully intend to put to good use soon,” Hub president Trish McCune said.

South East Mallee Landcare facilitator Marissa Shean said the workshop, tips and tricks and Indi Funding Finder website were timely.

“I can’t wait to get back into grant writing tomorrow armed with all this newfound knowledge,” she said.

Dr Haines said there had been a spike in requests for her to write letters of support for grant applicants following the workshops.

She encouraged anyone seeking grant opportunities to use the full range of workshop resources, including ‘how-to’ guides, supporting videos and links to Indi Funding Finder, at www.helenhaines.org/resources/grants.

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