Day 1 - Grant Writing Workshop (9.00am - 3.00pm)
Grant funding can provide financial assistance to your local government for a variety of different projects and outcomes. It is often essential to ensure local government projects and initiatives can not only go ahead but go ahead successfully for the benefit of the local community. However, grant applications can be daunting, time-consuming and stress-inducing. With this tailored workshop, we will help you understand the process of applying for grants, breaking it down to ensure you meet all the requirements of the application and increase your chances of securing crucial funding.

This workshop will include:

• An introduction to grants, including what they are and information on where to find them.
• The process of best-practice project planning to prepare for grant success.
• Information on how to address grant criteria.
• An explanation of the grant writing approach: what are assessors looking for and how do you give them what they need?
• Answers to specific grant writing questions you may have.

Participants will be provided with a Grant Writing Checklist and a Project Plan template to use for planning projects and grant writing applications.

Day 2 - Business Case Development Workshop (9.00am - 3.00pm)
Having a brilliant concept is not enough to secure financial backing. You need a strong and strategic business case to demonstrate your project is needed and viable. Describing your vision in a clear and concise way and demonstrating the value and benefits of your project is no easy task but is essential if you want to secure larger grant funding.

This workshop will include:

• An introduction to business cases, including what they are, what they can be used for and what needs to be included.
• Detail on how to conduct a Needs Analysis for your project to the business case standard.
• An exploration of the WA State Government's Strategic Asset Management Framework and how that needs to be considered in business case for state government funding.
• An explanation of common attachments to business cases and what they are and when they may be needed, including a Cost Benefit Analysis and Asset Management Plan and a Risk Management Plan.

Participants will be provided with a Business Case template and a Project Plan template to use for planning projects and writing business cases.

Whitney Consulting specialises in working with organisations and businesses to develop robust project and business solutions, then sourcing funding to turn those ideas into a reality. The Whitney Consulting team has the knowledge and experience, backed up by great writing skills and business acumen, to support clients to craft compelling funding applications and proposals.

Prior to establishing Whitney Consulting, Principal Tara Whitney spent the past 7 years assessing and providing feedback on business cases for the State Government's Royalties for Regions program, the biggest grant funding program in Western Australia. During this time, Tara managed in excess of $1 billion worth of grant fund projects across a variety of sectors, including aged care, recreation, tourism, health, housing and transport and specialised in community infrastructure projects.

Given her role in conducting due diligence, assessing and providing feedback on areas for improvement on applications, Tara's knowledge of what assessors are looking for provides a unique and leading edge to her clients. Throughout her time at DRD, Tara provided assistance to numerous LGAs and organisations to elevate their business cases to a quality standard.