Building Confidence Through Grant Writing
By Enoli Tsitsi, Chief Events Officer – Pacific-Australia Youth Association Inc.
On Saturday 17th of May, I had the opportunity to attend a grant writing workshop at the Garden City Library in Brisbane, hosted by Brisbane City Council and open to all individuals and organisations. PAYA was invited to attend by Multicultural Affairs Queensland, and I was proud to participate alongside our Chief People Officer, Annclan Kuk.
Enoli and Annclan during the Grant Writing Workshop.
The workshop ran for nearly five hours and was packed with useful, practical content. From the very start, it was clear that this wasn’t just a technical session — it was an empowering experience designed to demystify the grant writing process and make it accessible to people from all backgrounds and levels of experience.
We explored the fundamentals of strong grant applications and how to approach the process strategically. One of the key messages was that good grant writing starts before you even begin filling out the application. We learned that contacting the funding body beforehand can give you deeper insight into the funder’s priorities, clarify any doubts, and start building a relationship — something many people overlook.
Some of the most helpful tips we received included:
Ensuring eligibility before spending time on an application.
Contacting the funding body to gather useful guidance and build rapport.
Aligning your objectives with the funder's goals—understanding what they want to support.
Keeping your language clear and accessible, avoiding jargon or overly complex words.
Asking someone external to review your application—fresh eyes can spot things you might miss.
Balancing passion with precision—it’s important to show enthusiasm, but your goals and solutions need to be presented clearly and concisely.
Grant Writing Material.
The facilitator also broke down the four essential components of a standard grant application, which are:
Issue/Needs Statement – Clearly defining the problem or gap your project will address.
Project Description – Explaining what you plan to do, how, and why.
Budget – Outlining how the funding will be used, ensuring transparency and feasibility.
Organisational Information – Demonstrating your organisation’s capacity to deliver the proposed project.
Enoli and Annclan with the Event Organisers.
For me, the most rewarding part of the workshop was how much more confident I felt by the end. I left with not just new knowledge, but a better understanding of how to frame and communicate our ideas in a compelling way.
As PAYA’s Chief Events Officer, I know that effective grant writing is essential to bringing our programs and events to life. This workshop has equipped me with tools that I’ll use to strengthen our funding proposals and increase our impact — whether it’s for youth leadership summits, local community engagement, or international collaborations.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to attend and would highly recommend similar workshops to anyone involved in community work. Knowledge truly is power — and in this case, it’s the power to fund dreams and turn ideas into action.
