Our services

Grant writing workshops

There's no boring death by Powerpoint in these training sessions! Our Principal Consultant Renée Madsen is a Certificate IV qualified trainer, delivering interactive grant writing workshops that leave people feeling positive and inspired to give it a go. Our workshops are proven to help people get more grant funding - read testimonials below or watch a free video. Attendees say the training gives them a huge confidence boost, and many of them go on to write a successful grant application soon after. We use real-life examples with plenty of time allowed for questions, discussion and sharing of information and ideas. We've presented to over 400 people so far, including sold-out workshops for small business, not-for-profits and volunteer groups across Queensland. Contact us for a quote - we offer: - standard half day workshop covering the basics of grant writing. - fully tailored workshop for a specific grant program, to encourage applications and improve the quality of applications received. - tailored workshops for leadership teams to create a strategic approach to grants and build organisational capacity. If you're keen to join our next public workshop, contact us or follow us on LinkedIn and we’ll let you know when the next one is.
Volunteering North Queensland members getting hands-on at our workshops.
Renée delivering a grant writing workshop to a full house in Ayr. Photo: Emma Rush
"I've been successful with 4 grants so far as a result of doing Renée's grant writing workshop [over $11,000]. It's also given me a huge confidence boost - I've been applying for grants left, right and centre! Couldn't have done it without Renée's training! Renée provided follow-up support after the workshop so I was able to get some advice on grants that I've written."
Jean BarnettFamily Support Hub Coordinator, Community Gro
"Our business was successful in receiving a grant for almost $10,000 which will allow us to release a new service that I have been dreaming about for the last two years. Honestly I would have not been successful without the skills that Renée taught me. She facilitated an excellent workshop that equipped me with the correct language and content for the application. That was what made us successful with this particular grant. Go and do Renée's workshop, you will not regret it!"
Deni Knuth Business Owner, Roofguard Roof Painting
"Our club was successful in receiving a $10,000 grant for domestic violence awareness raising in Townsville. We would not have received the grant if it wasn't for Renée's grant writing workshop. When we attended Renée's workshop, our group was about 3-5 days away from submitting a grant application, but I was worried that our application wouldn't have a good chance of success. After attending Renée's workshop, we rewrote our entire application based on what we learned at the workshop, and we were successful! Keep running these workshops Renée, you're doing wonderful things for the people of Townsville!"
Anneli HaipolaZonta Club of Townsville Metro
"We engaged Renée to deliver a series of workshops as part of our training program to equip community groups. I was impressed by Renée's communication, preparation, and flexibility to accommodate all our needs while ensuring that the workshops were engaging for the participants. I highly recommend Renée to anyone looking to engage her services."
Shane HarrisFormer Manager, Volunteering North Queensland
"A huge thank you for the incredible work that you have done creating the grant writing master classes for the Volunteers and Events Training Program study tour. It was a huge success and I am so glad that we got you to work with the project. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and energy with the group, it's been inspiring. I look forward to working with you again in future." [The study tour won the Training Excellence Award at the 2022 Australian Business Awards.]
Katie CoeProject Manager, TAFE Queensland
"I thoroughly enjoyed Renee's Grants Workshop. Well worth every penny spent. It gave a great overview of what's involved in grant applications, where to find them, and practical examples of how to answer application questions thoroughly. I feel the workshop clarified the process and has given me the confidence to apply for grants in the future. Thanks Renee."
Bonnie WestonBusiness Owner, The Avid Organiser
Multiple grant success!
Thank you to Jean Barnett for sharing the fantastic results she got from attending our grant writing course!
Small business grant success!
Thank you to Deni Knuth for sharing how our grant writing course helped her win $10,000 for her small business!
Successful funding application!
Thank you to Louise Ashford Steine for this wonderful testimonial about the power of our grant writing course!

Our grant writing training is trusted by

These organisations engaged Renée to deliver grant writing training for their clients, members and communities.

About the trainer

Renée Madsen is a consultant and Certificate IV qualified trainer based in Townsville, North Queensland. Renée has helped small business, not-for-profits and volunteer groups bring in over $9 million in grants since 2019 – and that’s just the ones she knows about!
Renée has seen the grants process from both sides, as the person assessing the applications and the person writing them. Renée’s own grant writing experience ranges from successful million-dollar government funding applications to small community grants.
Renée believes that training should be fun, practical and help you to succeed. Learn more about Renée and connect with her on LinkedIn.

Free resources

Our Experience

Our grant writing training is trusted by hundreds of past participants and the following clients:
  • Workshops attended by over 150 people across regional North Qld and North West Qld, funded by the federal government's Recovery and Resilience Agency [now the National Emergency Management Agency] and North Queensland Sports Foundation.
  • Tailored workshops and 1 on 1 mentoring sessions to for North West Qld regional councils to apply for Qld Government Department of Communities grants.
  • Grant writing masterclasses for the Queensland Government's award-winning Volunteers & Events Program delivered through TAFE Qld (the program won the Training Excellence Award at the Australian Business Awards 2022).
  • Tailored grant writing workshop for the Queensland Indigenous Women Rangers Network.
  • Tailored grant writing workshops and 1 on 1 mentoring sessions for the Defence veteran community at The Oasis Townsville.
  • Grant writing workshops for community groups commissioned by Townsville City Council.
  • Several sold-out grant-writing workshops for small business and not-for-profits at Co. Habitat Co-Working Space.
  • Online grant workshops for clients of Strategic Media Partners, a successful marketing and advertising business in Mackay.
  • Online training sessions to help Traditional Owners apply for grants funded by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
  • A popular series of grant-writing workshops for members of Volunteering North Queensland. Read the case study.
  • Grant writing workshops for community groups organised by Townsville City Council.
  • Extensive experience in writing successful grant applications, from multi-million dollar government funding applications to small community grants.
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