Navigating the WA Grant System - From Eligibility to Impact Assessment

The Western Australian grant landscape offers enormous opportunity. This includes, for example, Lotterywest's $300m annual community funding pool, and the Regional Economic Development (RED) Grants program - which has committed $55.85m over ten years.

Yet notwithstanding the funding available, many applicants do not succeed, often because of a failure to navigate the increasingly rigorous requirements that are in place.

The WA Government has recently introduced the 2025 Grants Administration Guidelines and is signalling the expectation that applicants demonstrate not just vision, but also accountability, alignment and impact.

The first hurdle - eligibility

Often, submissions are ineligible because they overlook basic requirements such as incorporation status, auspicing arrangements, or location / geographic restrictions.

A disciplined eligibility review using a checklist appraoch is the simplest safeguard against failure.

Preparing proposals that align with strategic priorities

Funders are generally explicit about priorities - including community wellbeing, regional diversification, sustainability, and inclusion. The WA Government's Grants Administration Guidelines (2025) place emphasis on value for money and community benefit.

This requires applicants to do more than describe what they will do - they need to prove why it matters. High-performing applicants integrate local data, community consultation and clear evidence of need. For example, a successful RED Grant in the Kimberley supporting agribusiness development succeeded not only because of forecast economic returns, but it clearly demonstrated measurable benefits for local employment, Indigenous participation and supply chain resiliance.

How funders make funding decisions

While every program has its own criteria, evaluation frameworks tend to be consistent. Assessors are guided by three key questions:

1. Is the project feasible? (Strong governance, realistic budgets, and clear delivery plans.)

2. Will it create lasting impact? (Evidence of community benefit, sustainability, and alignment with strategic goals.)

3. Does it represent value for money? (Efficient use of funds compared to expected outcomes - with non-financial considerations also taken into account here.)

   I have been privileged to work with regional businesses to demonstrate value for money by demonstrating social benefits - successfully securing outcomes that deliver the best outcomes for all stakeholders, including customers, Government, communities, healthcare systems, and the environment. I can personally attest that cost is not the only driver, and this is exactly the way it should be.

   
   

Impact assessment - the new standard of accountability

Increasingly, funding is tied not only to outputs but to outcomes. The 2025 Guidelines evidence the importance of measurable impact and post-funding accountability. Businesses that build evaluation into their project's design, whether through surveys, economic indicators, or social return on investment frameworks, are positioned as lower-risk and higher-value partners.

This is not just a bureaucratic formality. Projects with robust evaluation frameworks are demonstrably more likely to receive follow-on funding, and in a WA context this means that embedding impact measurement is not just a compliance requirement - it also builds strategic advantage.

From application to partnership

The lesson for Western Australian grant seekers is clear - funding is no longer a one-off transaction. It works best for everyone when thought of as a strategic partnership between funder and recipient, built on trust, evidence, and accountability.

Businesses that succeed and are awarded funding consistently are those that treat the process as more than just form-filling. They invest in eligibility checks, tailor proposals to WA's strategic priorities, employ rigorous governance proceducres, and integrate impact evaluation into every stage of their work.

These practices are not just optional - they really form the basis for establishing credibility and building the funding funnel.

Final word

Western Australia and its grant making machine is evolving, and applicants need to do the same. For community groups, businesses and NFPs, the challenge is to move beyone merely chasing funding and instad focusing on demonstrating a capacity to deliver measurable and lasting value to the State.

Funding should then follow.