Funding checklist for organisations

Can my organisation apply for grant funding?

Use this checklist to find out if your organisation can apply for grant funding.

1. How much money do you want to apply for?

under $10,000 - go to 2

$10,000 to $50,000 - go to 3

over $50,000 - go to 4

2. If you are seeking a grant under $10,000, can you provide an income and expenditure statement for your organisation’s most recent financial year approved by your organisation’s governing body?

Yes - go to 5

No - you may not meet one of the requirements to apply for a Lottery grant.  However, you may be able to apply to one of the Trusts or the Funding Information Service may have other funding options.

3. If you are seeking a grant from $10,000 to $50,000 do you have the most recent independently reviewed annual accounts signed by the reviewer?

Note: The reviewer must be a suitably qualified person who is independent of the organisation, and has reasonable knowledge of finance and accounting.

Yes - go to 5

No - you may not meet one of the requirements to apply for a Lottery grant.  However, you may be able to apply to one of the Trusts or the Funding Information Service may have other funding options.

4. If you are seeking a grant over $50,000, do you have audited annual accounts, including the auditor's report(s)?

Note: Independently audited accounts means that the financial accounts of an organisation have been examined by an accredited professional (such as an accountant) who is independent of the organisation.

Yes - go to 5

No - you may not meet one of the requirements to apply for a Lottery grant.  However, you may be able to apply to one of the Trusts or the Funding Information Service may have other funding options.

5. Are you a legal entity?

Yes - go to 6

No - grants over $10,000 in any given year (1 July - 30 June) can only be made to organisations that have legal status.  If your organisation is a branch of a national organisation that has legal status, you can apply for a grant over $10,000 if your application and the terms and conditions are agreed by an authorised person from the national body. Go to 6

6. Can your organisation show it has all of the following financial systems in place?

• A bank account with two signatories
• A regularly maintained and current cashbook or electronic equivalent
• A spreadsheet, journal or other system that tracks different funding sources
• A person responsible for keeping the financial records of the organisation
• A regularly maintained tax record (if applicable)
• The grant, and expenditure of grant funds, shown as separate entries in the cashbook or as a note to the accounts
• Regular financial reporting to every full meeting of your governing body

Yes - go to 7

No - you may not meet one of the requirements to apply for a Lottery grant.  However, you may be able to apply to one of the Trusts or the Funding Information Service may have other funding options.

7. Are you registered with the Charities Commission?

Yes - organisations that are registered with the Charities Commission, regardless of the amount of grant funding they are requesting, will also need to provide their last annual financial statement. go to 8

No - go to 8

8. If requested, can your organisation provide the following information?

• The frequency of financial reporting to your governing board
• Your organisation's process for approval of payments and signing of cheques
• The rules governing the operation of your organisation
• The regular meeting dates of your governing body
• An annual plan, statement of intent or other document outlining the intentions, objectives and workings of your organisation

Yes - go to 9

No - you may need to have this information available.  Go to 9

9. Do you have at least two people who can sign and commit your organisation to a grant application or grant conditions?

Yes - you probably meet the core requirements to apply for a grant.  These grant funding checklists will help your organisation to determine which fund is the right one to apply to, and if your organisation meets the requirements for the fund.

No - you may not meet one of the requirements to apply for a Lottery grant.  However, you may be able to apply to one of the Trusts or the Funding Information Service may have other funding options.