How does a parent live, after watching their child die?

I’m sharing a business story of giving and growth. To prove that profit and purpose DO go together. To encourage more Australian business owners to intentionally add giving to their budget. To consider at least one of the innumerable social and environmental needs national or internationally and then work out what they’re going to give to that. To add giving as a budget line item with a dollar value next to it first, then budget from what’s left.

The biggest personal challenge I’ve had with the sacrificial nature of being a business owner is learning not to keep burning out.

I’ve been reminded of the fragility of life. In two so very different ways.

My youngest child is now somehow turning five. He’ll be starting school next year and I’ll be heading to my last ever kinder Christmas concert. I’ve been feeling such a mix of emotions, all tinged with a big dose of motherly guilty. But most of all, a deep sense of gratitude and contentment that I have been able to raise three children.

Yesterday has to have been a record-breaker for Australia. There was a grant that opened at 9:30am and closed at 12:30pm, with 3,000 applications received! In this episode, get my tips on how I managed to apply in time, and adopt them yourself to the next highly advertised, highly competitive, short timeframe grant program.

Grants fund organisations that help families like mine. As we edge closer to my 7-year-old's next Open Heart Surgery, I'm acutely reminded of the need for grants to keep supporting organisations that invest in supporting families living with critical and chronic health issues. With Carers Week coming up in October, I've highlighted 5 grants that support families and carers experiencing serious health issues. Thank you to the many funders and organisations who are investing in this space. We need you.

A $250,000 charity partnership opportunity for women and families caught my eye last week. As the managers of this particular EOI process, I invited Linda & Sharon from Stellar Partnerships on to Grants Uncovered to talk more about this opportunity and corporate partnerships in general.

Are you up for a high-level, fast-paced, challenging conversation about some of the limitations of grants? This episode is not for the faint-hearted! Tom Dawkins’ thoughts on grants and innovation is what led me to invite him onto Grants Uncovered. As a die-hard passionate Social Entrepreneur, Tom is the Co-Founder and CEO of StartSomeGood and Social Entrepreneur-in-Residence for Optus' Future Makers Accelerator. He shares some of the downfalls and frustrations of grants, specifically, around some of the limitations that funding providers place on providing grants for truly innovative, risk-taking, cutting-edge projects.

Grants have been a key driver of growth behind the highly respected not-for-profit organisation, St Kilda Mums. As a front-runner family support organisation in Victoria, learn from Founder Jessica Macpherson as she shares some of the foundational fundraising methodology and tricks of the trade that her and the team implemented from day one. When an organisation attracts grants from the likes of Perpetual, Bank of Melbourne, Ian Potter Foundation, Gandel Philanthropy and Give Where You Live, you know its worth listening!

This is a 101 of how to win grants as a Social Enterprise. If you’re launching a Social Enterprise or you’re looking to scale, this is a must-listen. Learn why Society Melbourne chose a Social Enterprise model rather than a Not for Profit model; how to structure your Social Enterprise for grants success; how to scale a grants program over time; how to build and maintains relationships with funders; how to win grants to cover salaries.

There are some very cool grants available at the moment to give you the space and funding you need to pursue a concept or dream that’s sitting in the back of your mind. The long Easter weekend tends to get people thinking and dreaming, so consider these grants as a sign that you should be taking action on that dream!

In this exceptionally busy grants period of the year, it's easy to become overwhelmed with the sheer number of grants that need to be reviewed and written. Here are five strategies you can implement to help you move past that feeling of overwhelm and submit not just great applications, but the RIGHT ones.

Want to know what’s going down in the grants world in 2021? Get the low down in 13 minutes.

Learn what it means to be grant ready and submit a competitive, not just eligible, grant application. This is an important conversation, particularly given the increasing sophistication of Australian funders, their funding application forms, and assessment processes. If you work in grants in any way, this 37 minutes of your life will be time well spent!

This Bonus Episode provides some excellent feedback from the frontline on how you as funding providers, can: Provide useful feedback to your unsuccessful, and successful, grant applicants; Receive higher quality grant applications; Provide a personal touch - it means the world to grant applicants.

If you are in early education, this is the episode for you. Tune in as Janene Rox, Director of the Cronulla Preschool in NSW, joins me for a mini-grants workshop on all things grants in early education.

"Our heroes are selected on their personal stories, their passion and their work. We don't want to see those scripted bios. What we want is for nominees and nominators to tell us in their own words what makes that hero tick, who benefits?"

Join me as Pam shares the heart and soul of the Local Heroes awards and recognition program, while diving into a funding provider's mind. You will get insights into how a funding provider thinks when creating and then assessing a funding program.