Project snapshot
Region
Hills, Fleurieu & KI
Project contact
Steve Shotton
Director of Regional Development
Alignment with RDA strategy
- Skills
- Economic development
Region
Hills, Fleurieu & KI
Project contact
Steve Shotton
Director of Regional Development
Alignment with RDA strategy
- Skills
- Economic development
Helping our communities compete for funding
Strong grant writing is more than filling out forms. It’s about knowing how to tell your story in a way that gets noticed – and funded.
Building skills to turn innovation into reality
Across our region, great ideas don’t always get the support they deserve. Not because projects aren’t worthy, but because putting a compelling case on paper is a skill most of us were never taught.
Our Grant Writing Masterclasses were designed to change that, by helping lead attendees through the grant process and better understand what assessors are looking for.
We engaged grant writing specialist, Victoria Kardasis, to deliver six full-day Grant Writing Masterclasses across the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island throughout 2025 and 2026. Around 130 people took part on behalf of sporting clubs, community groups, small businesses, health services, arts organisations, local councils and more – many having never written a grant application before.
With the support of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions’ Regional Leadership Development Program, we were able to reduce the cost of each Masterclass to $50 (valued at $200) and deliver sessions in place throughout the region, making them available to as many people as possible.
What the grant writing masterclasses covered
Participants spent the day exploring everything from how to find the right grants in the first place, to the techniques that make a submission stand out. The focus was firmly on practical, take-home skills including frameworks, tools and templates people could put to work straight away.
By the day’s end, attendees knew what assessors value, how to align their projects with funding criteria, and how to present their case convincingly on paper.
Feedback from participants
“A great day. Far more enjoyable and survivable than I
anticipated. Excellent handouts worked through efficiently and
effectively.”
“Given that I am totally uninitiated in the grant writing space, everything included in the course was informative and very helpful.”
“From going from no prior knowledge of grant writing, I feel
confident in writing my first submission. Victoria was incredible. Super engaging.”
“The Hills & Coast Grant Guru Finder website is a fantastic resource. Checklists and templates provided from the workshop are also great tools to work with.”
The response from participants was outstanding. Across all six sessions, 97% reported an increase in their knowledge and confidence, the program received an average rating of 4.65 out of 5, and 92% said they would recommend it to others.
Many participants described it as a turning point, arriving uncertain about where to even start, and leaving with both the skills and the confidence to back themselves.
Need help with a grant?
Here’s how we can help with your application:
- Economic modelling to show community benefits
- Letters of support
- Access to the Hills & Coast Grant Finder to discover, save, and manage grants
This initiative is supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions’ Regional Leadership Development Program.
