With grid power a significant cost on dairy farms, when Bridget Johns began talking about grants for solar panels, she had the attention of the audience at the Cream of the Crop conference.
Bridget is a professional grant writer, and as one of the conference speakers, she shared her own experience of an 11-month delay between applying for grant funding for solar panels, and receiving approval. There were further delays before the money was disbursed.
“This makes it difficult for businesses to action projects if they are relying on grant funding for immediate needs,” Bridget said.
Her recommendations to conference attendees are applicable for private and public applicants.
Using local government as an example, what are called ‘shovel ready’ projects are applications for funding where all the information and quotes have been gathered and are waiting for a grant opportunity to be published.
Bridget recommended preparing a prioritised “wish list” of projects, to align with funding opportunities.
She suggested an online folder that contains commonly requested documents such as financial statements, business or strategic plan, and insurance and legal documents — proof of company, sole trader, partnership or incorporation certificate — depending on whether it is a business or a non-profit seeking funding. These documents are then easily available to be added to the online funding application.
Bridget also recommended adding a contingency amount to quotes, given that sometimes there is delay and cost increases between funding application and receipt.
“Once a grant amount is approved, no additional funding will be available if costs increase,” she said.
“It can also be an advantage to provide copies of bank statements to the grant organisation to prove you have matching funds in the bank and the project is ‘shovel ready’.”
Sometimes applications for funding are actioned as they are submitted, and funds are allocated on a “first in, best dressed” scenario, Bridget said.
One of her examples centred on a butcher with high energy bills, who applied for a Federal Government energy efficiency grant as one-to-one funding, to construct a cool room.
The timeline for the funding turnaround was short and applicants were assessed as they submitted. With all the documents in place, the butcher’s application was lodged early and was successful.
“Their application was submitted within 15 minutes of the grant opening, making them one of the first applicants to be considered,” Bridget said.
The ‘first in, best dressed’ scenario was increasingly common.
“There are similar on-farm drought assistance grants available now where applications are assessed in order of submission,” Bridget said.
She stressed the importance of understanding the tax implications of receiving any particular grant, carefully reading contracts, and adhering to reporting timelines.
She said it was also important to keep in contact with the fund auspicing organisation about any project changes.
When it came to professional development, Bridget suggested looking for funding opportunities specifically aimed at women.
She was a finalist in the 2023 South Australian AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, which enabled her to complete the Australian Institute of Company Director’s diploma.
“Look for scholarships, awards with cash prizes, funded training and even angel investors,” Bridget said.
The state government sector has funded a large number of TAFE-delivered qualifications, and the regional dairy authorities also provide free training in certificates as varied as Cups On Cups Off and farm management.
Bridget also recommended contacting Regional Development Australia to receive monthly grant updates, which can be modified for relevancy to specific regions and funding focus.