Empowering Queensland Women grant program aims to improve the economic security of women and girls.  Community organisations continue to be the front line for responding to and working with women in Queensland and we are seeking applications that increase the financial capability, security and empowerment of Queensland women and girls.

Step 1: Getting started

  • Ensure you read the grant guidelines first.
  • Check eligibility, applications that do not meet all eligibility criteria will not be assessed.  Eligibility is an important first step in the application process, take time to review the guidelines and understand what applications and which organisations are eligible.
  • Talk with your team and organisation about what kind of project, initiative, or activity you want to implement within your community.
  • Review the application form via SmartyGrants, see what information the form is asking you to provide.
  • Check the due date for the grant application and put a reminder in your calendar, start early to ensure you do not miss the deadline and have time to work through any issues. Late applications will not be accepted.
  • Ensure you have approval from an authorised person in the organisation (i.e manger or chief executive officer) to apply.
  • Think about what support is needed for community groups and organisations across the state to develop and deliver projects, resources or events that will assist women and girls across Queensland to improve their economic security.

Step 2: Planning

  • Have a brainstorming session with your team to discuss what the aims, goals and purposes are for your proposed initiative.
  • Check out the examples page for ideas.
  • Developing a brief project plan can help to focus your initiative to answer the questions but is not required for the grant application.
  • Review each separate selection criteria and make some dot points.
  • Prepare a detailed budget, as the budget is an opportunity to demonstrate that your proposed initiative is well planned and cost effective, ensure all items are eligible items under grant expenditure.

Step 3: Start writing your application

  • Make sure that you have all the relevant information you will need to complete the application including:
    • Your organisation's ABN
    • Organisation’s address
    • The applicants contact details
      • When registering with SmartyGrants, please also consider using an administration email or registering a secondary email in case the main contact is away and doesn’t receive notifications via SmartyGrants.
    • Authority from your executive to submit the application. This is outlined in the application form (not the same as the applicant).
    • If you experience technical issues with SmartyGrants call their help desk (03) 9320 6888

Step 4: Review

  • Make the time to thoroughly review your application.
  • Check your responses are succinct and clear.
  • Check your budget: does it meet the grant guidelines? (Check eligible and ineligible items).
  • Have you included all the required information? For example, evidence of partnerships or auspicing arrangements in the form of support letters and/or written agreements between you and the partnering organisation
  • If possible, have someone new review your application or review it again.

Step 5: Submit

  • Applications will only be accepted via SmartyGrants.
  • Be sure to have your submission completed on time. Late applications will not be accepted.

Grant writing pitfalls

  1. Failure to read the Guidelines thoroughly: Applicants overlook important eligibility criteria increasing risk of application not meeting eligibility.
  2. Planning: Applicants failed to clearly define the scope of planned activities, focusing on benefits without detailing what would be delivered.
  3. Unrealistic goals: Proposed initiative was overly ambitious, objectives did not align with the timeframe or available budget.
  4. Lack of impact: Applicants failed to articulate the programs intended impact or failed to demonstrate the need for the cohort/region.
  5. Poor budgeting: Budgets are unclear, inclusion of ineligible items
  6. Target audience: Failure to adequately detail how they will engage participants.
  7. Last minute preparation: Rushed applications result in incomplete or poorly explained responses, reducing quality of application.
  8. Attachments have not been included.

Further tips on addressing selection criteria can be found here

Grant Writing resources

There are a number of resources available online to help you write your grant application.

Last reviewed:10 October 2025

Last modified:10 October 2025

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence