How to write grant applications that actually get noticed (even if you’re bootstrapped)
If you’ve ever stared at a government grant or funding application and thought, “who even reads this stuff?” - you’re not alone.
For bootstrapped businesses and community organisations, grants can feel like an impossible puzzle: high effort, uncertain reward, and filled with vague jargon.
But here’s the thing: grants are one of the few ways you can unlock serious capital without giving up equity or going into debt. And they’re often designed to fund exactly the kind of grassroots innovation and impact you're already creating.
So, how do you write a grant application that actually gets read - and more importantly, gets approved?
At SixSides, we just submitted a $97,000 grant application to help fund community engagement tools for event organisers. Here’s what we’ve learned (the hard way).
SixSides is a mobile-first platform helping community organisations grow through events. From grassroots to enterprise, we power connections that matter.
Start with their goals - not yours
Most people make this mistake: They treat the grant like a pitch deck and talk entirely about their own business goals.
But the people reading your submission? They care about their own mission. Their department has a specific mandate to achieve - jobs created, communities supported, innovation funded.
Do this instead: Before you write a single word, research the grant’s purpose. What is the government body really trying to achieve with this funding?
Then, structure your answers around how you help them succeed.
“I stopped writing from our perspective and started writing from theirs. We became the vehicle to help them achieve their mission.”
– Gavin Tye, co-founder of SixSides, on Our B2B SaaS Journey
Use GPT tools for framing (not fluff)
ChatGPT and other tools can be incredible when used well - not to write the whole application, but to:
- Understand government-speak
- Reframe your answers using the grant’s language
- Identify examples and metrics that fit their priorities
We used GPT-4 to summarise Advanced Queensland’s funding objectives and identify key phrases that should appear throughout our submission. That alone made our application far more aligned.
Tip: Paste the full grant guidelines into GPT and ask: “What are the 3 most important objectives of this grant from the government’s point of view?”
Show support from real people
Don’t just talk about the impact - show it.
We reached out to three of our early customers (community event organisations) and asked them to write letters of support explaining:
- How SixSides helps them today
- What impact new funding would have
- Why they believe in our mission
All three said yes, and we included their letters in the application. That third-party validation is incredibly powerful - especially for grants focused on community benefit.
If you can say "here’s what our customers think," it moves you from hypothetical to credible.
Be honest about what you’ll actually do with the money
It’s tempting to throw in buzzwords: AI, blockchain, gamification, digital transformation… but don’t.
Instead, be specific:
- Will you run free pilot events for under-resourced communities?
- Hire local students or interns?
- Fund accessibility upgrades or language support?
- Attend trade shows to meet regional organisers?
The more tangible your plans, the more trust you’ll build.
In our case, we:
- Outlined exact marketing strategies to raise awareness for community events
- Planned student internship programs for content creation
- Shared how grant funding would let us grow our impact faster - without losing our bootstrapped ethos
Don’t go it alone
Grant writing can be a solo slog - but it’s easier (and better) when you divide and conquer.
In our case:
- Gavin led the grant writing, aligning everything with the government’s mission
- Mitchell contributed technical details to help answer complex infrastructure questions
- Customers pitched in with testimonials
- And later, we plan to bring in our network to help test and validate the outcomes
If you’re a solo founder or small team, ask your network for help. A few hours from a customer or advisor can dramatically strengthen your case.
Remember that this isn’t just about money
Grant applications aren’t just about funding. They force you to:
- Think longer-term
- Articulate your mission clearly
- Define measurable outcomes
- Talk to your customers
- Build strategic partnerships
Whether or not you win the grant, you’ll come out with a clearer vision of what you’re building - and who you’re building it for.
Even if we don’t get the $97K, we’ve now got three customers who’ve gone on record about why they believe in what we do. That’s worth more than we realised.
Want to talk about funding your community event?
Whether you're a local nonprofit, a regional organiser, or a bootstrapped founder running your own events - we're here to help.