Resources | Turnstone Projects

Grantlines: Guides and Workshops

Partnering People and Projects for Good

Partnering Local Projects Community Guide

Grantlines: Partnering Local Projects is a guide for community groups who are interested in developing partnerships for local projects within and beyond their communities.

It provides practical and proven ways for a community group with a local project to develop the foundations for effective partnerships with companies, business, organisations, associations and the philanthropic sector who share an interest in their community.

Locally-based volunteer groups and associations who seek to bring about positive, long-term change will often benefit from establishing partnerships with others within and beyond their community.

Collaboration can bring additional energy, publicity, expertise, resources, profile and connections. It is particularly useful when the issue being addressed requires a long-term commitment, is complex or relies on others to help bring about change. It is also useful when the initial project being proposed can be a catalyst for ongoing work that will help the community and communities further afield.

The focus is very much on the community group taking the lead. To do this, the Guide identifies some of the key elements that prospective partners will want to know about the project and those proposing the work.

It blends a workbook approach with ideas, activities and further references. In this way, it can be either a toolkit or a reference, depending on the skills and experience of the group.

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Turnstone Projects Grantlines Community Guide Brochure

An asset-based approach

This Guide uses an approach to partnerships that is about leveraging from existing assets within the community.

Assets can mean any business, organisation, association or individual already connected to or interested in the community. People and organisations with a connection to or interest in your community are often keen to contribute.

In many cases they will already be contributing but they may also be looking for new, different or more sustainable ways to engage. This Guide aims to help community groups identify these groups and make these connections.

The benefits of undertaking an asset-based approach include:

Providing a detailed and systematic approach to identifying potential partners;
Ensuring all members of the community group are clear about who is being approached and what is being requested;
Identifying those potential partners who share similar values, culture and focus with the community;
Informing the broader community about your project by preparing clear and compelling information about what you are doing and why; and
Providing consistent and regular material about your project to all interested parties; and
Establishing partnerships to: bring resources, networks and connections that advance your project.

Benefits

The Guide can help community groups in the following ways:

Developing the skills for forming partnerships within the community;
Making relevant companies, organisations, service providers, government agencies and the philanthropic sector aware of your work in a planned and consistent way;
Promoting your community / town / region to a wider audience;
Enabling the community to engage in discussions early on with potential partners and help bring projects to life more quickly;
Providing consistent and regular material about your project to all interested parties; and
Establishing partnerships to: bring resources, networks and connections that advance your project; add value for the partners in the work they do; and through this, supporting your community’s viability and sustainability.

Download Grantlines Community Guide

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Turnstone Projects Grantlines Community Guide

For interested community groups Rebecca Iliffe can provide up to 30 minutes of consulting time (pro bono) to discuss on any aspect of the project to help it come to fruition.

Grantlines Community Workshop

To complement the Guide, a workshop presenting the two modules, About the Project and About the Partners, has been developed. Download the brochure for information or contact us.

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Turnstone Projects Grantlines Community Guide Workshop Brochure

Grantlines:

practical support for companies, organisations and communities
to realise local projects together for positive and sustained social benefit.

Workshop for community grant seekers

As part of its Grantlines service, Turnstone Projects runs grant seeker workshops. The workshops are for community groups looking to develop and fund their project by partnering with locally based companies, organisations, associations and councils. To assist grant seekers do this, participating companies and organisations usually give financial support to local community groups to attend the workshops.

Common topics for workshops include:

Planning a project where funding / grants are sought;
Deciding on and detailing project outputs and outcomes;
Undertaking a review for the project (what is being addressed, what will the project do, why is it needed, who will do it, how will it be done, when is it needed);
Considerations for preparing a project budget;
Appreciating aspects related to social impact for grant seekers and grant makers;
Identifying possible sources of funding;
Reviewing the guidelines and accountabilities should the grant be made;
Preparing a one page overview statement about the project to be funded;
Writing an application;
Supporting information, what and how to include in your application;
Preparing a covering letter; and
Project reporting.

Workshop duration

Workshops are tailored. Usually they are a half day (three hours) or up to six hours. They are offered at times that suit those attending. This may be in the evening, a weekend morning or afternoon or during a week day.

Who should attend?

Participants may be experienced or new grant seekers, hold an executive position in their local community group or association, be members of a community group, assist with administration or have recently become involved with the community and volunteering. Workshops are tailored to meet the needs of attendees and held with 8-10 participants.

Workshop cost

The workshop cost is usually met by the sponsoring company and organisation and often provided free of charge to attendees. Costs per person depend on the scope, length and requirements. It includes take home resources.

About the presenter:

Rebecca Iliffe

MA IntRel UNSW, BAppScAg Melb

Rebecca Iliffe is an experienced trainer and facilitator. She has developed and led workshops as part of her professional life for 20 years. She has had a special interest in philanthropy since 1990 giving her a sound understanding of its culture and practice. Her involvement is both as a grant seeker and grant maker.

As a grant seeker, she has prepared submissions for and successfully won grants of up to $500,000 to assist with the delivery of on-the-ground education and development projects.

As a grant maker with her husband James, and the involvement of their two young sons, their small family trust supports innovative education-related projects in metropolitan and rural areas across Australia.

Rebecca is based in Sydney, having lived, worked and travelled widely in Australia.

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Turnstone Projects Grantlines Grant Seeker Workshop Brochure