Building Local Capability to Access Billions in Grants: The Greater Whitsunday Alliance’s Grant and Tender Writing Training Program

The Greater Whitsunday Alliance (GW3) recognised a critical gap in the region—businesses and community organizations were missing out on significant opportunities to access over $87 billion in grants and tenders available in Australia. Many local enterprises lacked the skills and resources to successfully navigate the complex grant and tender processes, resulting in lost investment opportunities that could drive regional growth.

CEO of GW3, Kylie Porter, noted, “Having grant and tender professionals will help businesses and community organizations access more than 5,000 grants available in Australia from both government and private sources.”

With support from the Local Buying Foundation, Win the Grant or Tender (formerly iClick2Learn) stepped in to fill this gap by developing and delivering an intensive 12-month training program. The program aimed not only to train local professionals in writing, managing, and acquitting grants and tenders but also to equip them with essential business skills such as financial management, quoting, and marketing. As a result, eight new professional grant and tender writing businesses were established across the Mackay, Isaac, and Whitsunday regions, forming the Grant and Tender Network.

“The local expertise built through this program is a game-changer for our region,” said Cindy Baker, Grant Program Coordinator. “This could not have been possible without. Win the Grant or Tender (formerly iClick2Learn).”

Program Success: The program was designed to ensure long-term sustainability, with a curriculum that blended hands-on training with real-world tools and systems. 100% of participants reported high satisfaction with the course, with many highlighting its practical application and real-world utility.

One participant shared, “The course was fantastic—practical, system-based, and gave me the confidence to write larger grants and tenders.” 

Another participant reflected, “The program was a valuable investment of my time and money. It equipped me to start my own business, and the support from experts was invaluable.”

By building local capability, the program has not only empowered individuals but also created a thriving local ecosystem for grant and tender professionals, which will continue to support the region’s growth for years to come.

Learn more about the programs success Grant and Tender Services video

When asked what was the best thing about this course this is what participants had to say:

• The process driven approach. The focus on developing a small service based business. The professionalism of the Course Coordinator and all the trainers.
• The Grant writing system is great because of the tools provided and the methodology behind it – giving a clear procedure to providing the best service. Also the facilitators were great – Natalie and Cindy were amazing, always providing support and going above and beyond to help.
• The training covered how to run a business as well as how to write grant and tender applications.
• Practical examples of grant writing and the tools to plan and work through the jobs.
• The high quality content.
• The knowledge, experience and patience of the facilitators.
• Processes and templates
• Networking with like minded professionals
• The real life experiences that flowed through the learning – the depth of training and easy to follow processes to set up a business – the trainers – supportive and engaging throughout the program.

Program Participant Testimonials:

“I have undertaken many courses of study in my adult life, and it’s always difficult to fit everything in. Everything about this course was designed to enable me to succeed. The content was easy to understand, the facilitators were so professional and knowledgeable, and the additional support provided was invaluable. I cannot recommend Natalie and GW3 highly enough”.

“The Grant and Tender Writing as a Service Course was extremely informative, insightful and engaging! Suitable for beginners and advanced professionals alike, it was targeted and relevant from beginning to end. The Course leaders and mentors were knowledgeable, enthusiastic and exceptionally generous with their time and commitment to all students. I highly recommend this course!”

“The course was fantastic – the trainers were amazing and not only knew their stuff but have a great system which they provide for practical use in the real world…….not just lectures. You come out of the course with a system and tools to use in the real world. I have been writing small grants previously but didn’t have a system to use and hadn’t really covered certain areas – now I do and I am way more confident to write larger grants and tenders ! “

“Through this program, I refined my skills in the art of effective grant and tender writing. I wholeheartedly recommend the program to any entrepreneur or business owner seeking to establish a service based business. The expertise, support, and insights provided are truly invaluable, and I am grateful to be part of this transformative program”.

“The Greater Whitsunday Alliance Grant and Tender Writing program was a valuable investment of my time and money. It has equipped me to start my own business in the area. Having access to experienced, knowledgeable experts in the field made the experience very beneficial”.

“From an overview of running a business, to the tools and training necessary to approach grant and tender writing, the course provided a solid foundation for professional grant and tender writing”.

Challenge:
Small businesses often struggle to access professional guidance and resources needed to establish and scale their operations. In the Greater Whitsundays region, it was identified that many small businesses were unaware of the Business Basics grant, a government initiative offering $5,000 to support business improvements in areas such as finance, business planning, and marketing. Previous rounds of the grant showed disappointing participation, with few businesses applying or succeeding.

Solution:
To bridge this gap, Win the Grant or Tender (formerly iClick2Learn) conducted a targeted training session designed to help local small business owners discover available grants and improve their grant writing skills. The session was tailored specifically to the Business Basics grant, providing participants with detailed, step-by-step guidance on how to successfully apply for this funding.

Implementation:
The training session covered:

• How to find and identify relevant grants.
• A focused, hands-on walkthrough of the Business Basics grant application process.
• Best practices for writing compelling grant proposals.
• Strategies for using grant funding effectively to boost business growth.

The session also emphasized the broader importance of grants in helping businesses build sustainable processes and systems that would contribute to long-term success.

Results:
The impact of the training was profound:

• 45 local businesses successfully received the Business Basics grant, a significant achievement that directly contributed to their growth and development.
• Many participants reported gaining the confidence to independently seek out and apply for additional grants, both locally and nationally.
• The tailored approach to grant writing not only led to a higher success rate for this specific grant but also inspired businesses to take a proactive approach to securing funding, enhancing their future prospects.
• 80% stated their understanding of how to write a good grant had increased a great deal.
• 100% stated they had a positive increase in confidence to write a grant.
• 90% rated the training as extremely beneficial. 
• Received an NPS rating of 80 compared to the national average of 47. 

Conclusion:
This case highlights the effectiveness of targeted grant writing training. By tailoring sessions to specific grants, small businesses not only learn how to write successful proposals but also gain the confidence to apply for a variety of funding opportunities. The Business Basics grant program, when paired with the right support, empowers businesses to improve their operations and scale in a competitive market.

This case serves as a model for how specialised training can lead to stronger outcomes for small businesses, helping them navigate complex funding opportunities and achieve lasting success.

What Participants Had to Say:

Highly recommend this excellent training to maximise opportunities for success.

Natalie was very engaging and generous with both her knowledge and experience. 

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to Nat! I found Nat to be really clear and easy to follow throughout the program!

Realistic approach providing actual answers and positive decision processes; presented in a passionate, engaging, enjoyable way; great information and resources provided to take away.

Challenge:

Many First Nations businesses and organisations are thriving with great potential but struggle to grow their ventures due to limited access to grants, tenders, and essential support systems. In Mackay, few knew where to find opportunities or how to navigate the complex processes involved. Additionally, training environments were not always tailored to accommodate the specific learning styles of the participants. There was a need for a structured learning approach that included simple tools, clear systems, and the opportunity to engage with like-minded individuals, but these resources were often hard to find.

Solution:

The Greater Whitsunday Alliance with Win the Grant or Tender (formerly iClick2Learn) to create a specialized masterclass designed specifically for First Nations peoples. This masterclass combined a proven method for grant and tender writing with a learning approach tailored to meet the needs of participants. The training was crafted to help business owners and community leaders grow their ventures, offering both practical tools and support that were directly relevant to their unique goals.

Implementation:

The training session began by allowing participants to share their stories and aspirations for their businesses or organisations. This provided valuable context and allowed the facilitator to address the specific challenges faced by each participant. The course then focused on essential tips and a step-by-step guide to successfully finding and applying for grants and tenders. Participants worked through real-life examples, giving them hands-on experience and immediate feedback.

A standout feature of the session was the guest speaker, Mr. Herb Smith, Founder and CEO of Dreamtime Tuka, who shared his personal journey of building a successful business and securing major contracts, including tenders with Qantas. His story not only inspired participants but also illustrated how to effectively navigate the process of securing large-scale tenders.

The combination of practical tools, real-world examples, and the chance to connect with a seasoned entrepreneur made the training session both engaging and highly effective.

Results:

The results were fantastic:

100% of participants reported a significant increase in confidence in preparing tenders.

75% felt a big increase in their ability to apply for grants, with the remaining 25% feeling slightly more confident.

100% of participants expressed a significant increase in understanding of both tenders and grants compared to their knowledge before the training.

Every participant rated the training overall as “excellent.”

The Net Promoter Score (NPS) for the training was a perfect 100, with all participants stating they would recommend the session to others.

Conclusion:

This case study demonstrates the power of creating the right learning environment—one that incorporates storytelling, practical guidance, and easy-to-follow tools. By addressing the specific needs of First Nations participants and providing real-world examples of success, the training had a transformative impact. The strong results led to further training opportunities, and due to high demand and positive referrals, the number of attendees for subsequent sessions more than tripled.

What Participants Had to Say:

Great session with great presenters. variety of knowledge and great resources.

Loved the structure, loved the lunch included and friendliness of all involved.

Highly recommend this factual, enjoyable and valuable grant writing training. I feel 100% more confident about writing grants to win after completing the workshop and re-reading excellent information resources provided.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Nat! I found Nat to be really clear and easy to follow throughout the program! Will be purchasing a ‘Win the Grant’ book!

Realistic overview approach providing actual answers and positive decision processes; presented in a passionate, engaging, enjoyable way; great information and resources provided to take away.

Nat is an inspirational and competent person with her fun loving personality to provide the learnings of this session.

When asked what was most valuable about the training:

• The whole training package was great.
• Networking and the course content.
• Criteria and information required per each grant.
• Having an understanding of the answer map.
• Structure in applications.
• Understanding of process.