Many small business grant applications fail for avoidable reasons: the business wasn't eligible, the answers didn't address the assessment criteria, or a detail didn't match official records. This guide walks through how to apply properly, in the order that saves the most time.
1. Decide whether it's worth applying
Eligible isn't the same as competitive. Before writing anything, check three things: you meet every eligibility criterion, your project is the kind the grant funds (most fund new projects, not running costs), and you can pay your share. Of the 38 cash grants we currently list, 9 need a co-contribution, and many pay only after you've spent the money.
2. Check your business details match official records
Your legal name, ABN, entity type and GST status should match the ABN Register exactly. The Victorian Ombudsman found businesses refused over small errors such as typos in a Victorian business support program, and around 12,000 rejected applications had to be reconsidered.
3. Read the guidelines, then the assessment criteria
The guidelines say who can apply and what's funded. The assessment criteria say how you'll be scored. Answer each criterion directly, under its own heading, with numbers: costs, jobs, sales, customers and timelines.
4. Get quotes and build the budget
Use real quotes, separate the grant-funded share from your share, and leave out costs the guidelines exclude (often GST, existing staff wages, and consultant or success fees).
5. Gather the attachments early
- Quotes for each budget line
- Recent financial statements or BAS
- Proof of your co-contribution (a bank statement or accountant's letter)
- Lease or landlord approval for building works
- Permits, insurance certificates and letters of support where asked
6. Lodge early and keep a copy
Portals get slow near deadlines and most funders don't accept late applications. Check every file opens, save the submitted version and the receipt.
7. If you win: the agreement and acquittal
Read the funding agreement before signing. Keep every receipt and photo, and diarise the progress and final reports. Missing an acquittal can mean repaying the grant.
Where to find grants
We list 90 open federal, Victorian and council grants, checked daily: see closing soon, council grants and grants by industry.
Want a grant applied for, without the paperwork?
We find the grants your business qualifies for and write the whole application. You read it, sign it and submit it. Nothing to pay unless you win.
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How long does a grant application take?
Small business owners commonly report anywhere from about 12 hours to more than 80 hours for a single application, depending on the grant's size and how much evidence it needs.
What are common reasons applications fail?
Not meeting an eligibility criterion, not answering the assessment criteria directly, and simple errors such as business details that don't match the ABN Register or attachments that won't open.
Can someone apply on my behalf?
Often. Many funders let an authorised contact or adviser prepare and lodge an application, but your business is the applicant, must sign the declarations, and usually submits it. We prepare the whole application for you to review, sign and submit.
Can I use the grant to pay for help writing it?
Usually not. Most guidelines exclude consultant and success fees from eligible project costs.
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Grant rules change; always read the official guidelines.