Applying for Designer Fashion funding

How to Apply: A Step-By-Step Guide

Step 1 — Find the Right Program

In order for the Department of Culture and the Arts to potentially provide funding, we need you to ask yourself some questions:

•  What is it I want to do?
•  Can I match my project with a Designer Fashion Grants category?
•  Am I eligible to apply?
•  When are the grant round closing dates?
•  Does this leave me enough time to get my application together?
•  Have I checked the Grants section to see what the Designer Fashion Panel has funded previously?

If the answer is ‘I don’t know!’ to any of the above, then call the Designer Fashion Senior Project Officer on (08) 9224 7310 or Freecall 1800 199 090 (country WA callers only).  We’re happy to provide advice.

Good to go? Then...

Step 2 — Get the Application Form

You’ll need a copy of the Designer Fashion Application Form.  

Having trouble?  Don’t worry, we’ll post you a copy.  Just call the Department of Culture and the Arts on (08) 9224 7310 or Freecall 1 800 199 090 (country WA callers only).

You’ve got the form, so...

Step 3 — Identify the Outcomes

Applying for a grant is a competitive process.  Your application is going to be assessed by professionals working in the Designer Fashion industry.  So to ensure the best chance of success, make sure your project clearly demonstrates significant, achievable outcomes.

Your project’s aims need to be in line with what the Designer Fashion Grants Program is seeking to achieve.  Go back and review the Designer Fashion Assessment and Funding Priorities section to ensure you’re including all the elements needed to make your project a priority for the Designer Fashion Panel.

You’ve got a good handle on what you want to do, for who and why. So...

Step 4 — Prepare A Draft

Using the Designer Fashion Grant Application Form, prepare a first draft of your application (including a budget).  Don’t worry if it’s rough, but try to provide as much detail as you can. 

Less is more.  Be as concise as possible.

Think of this as a story.  Essentially, you’re telling us who you are, what it is you want to do (a description of your project/event as well as the development processes involved), who you’re doing it for (your target market) and why (the outcomes that your project will provide).

Step 5 — Meet With Us!

You’ve done your homework.  Now it’s time to discuss your application with the Designer Fashion Senior Project Officer.  Call us on (08) 9224 7310 or Freecall 1800 199 090 (country WA callers only) and make an appointment to see us.

Try and do this as early as possible prior to the grant round closing date.  We’ll be able to spend more time with you and you’ll have more time to refine and develop your application.

Step 6 — Budget Time

Having met with the Designer Fashion Senior Project Officer, it’s time now to refine your application and budget.

REMEMBER!

The Department of Culture and the Arts will not meet 100% of the cost of any activity.  So your budget should clearly indicate the shortfall between your project’s expenditure (what it’s going to cost) and income (examples here include product sales and/or ticket sales, in-kind or self-funded contributions).

It’s the shortfall or gap between these two figures that will be the amount you will be requesting from Department of Culture and the Arts.

Further information on preparing budgets, as well as a sample budget, is provided in the Information For Applicants attachment to the Grant Application Form.

Step 7 — Assemble Your Support Materials

It is now time to assemble all of your support materials.  It is essential that applicants only submit current support material that directly relates to their application and readily enhances the Panel’s understanding of the proposed activity.  Ask the Designer Fashion Senior Project Officer if you are unsure about what material is appropriate.

Quality, not quantity, is the key.

Support materials can include:

• CVs, biographical outlines of designers and/or company profiles (restrict these to one page each as additional pages will not be photocopied);
• letters confirming participation in the project by all parties involved including other key participants, collaborators, venues, events, sponsors and funding agencies.  Confirmation letters require a signature;
• a business plan;
• a marketing strategy;
• current letters of support from relevant individuals in the designer fashion industry.  All support letters require a signature and emails are not acceptable.  Where possible provide samples of past projects undertaken by key participants;
• a precise outline of the schedule/itinerary of the activity;
• a small selection of current editorial and articles dealing with relevant previous work;
• images of recent work (not to exceed ten in number).  These can be photographs, digital images or professional support material such as samples of past catalogues and look books.  All work must be fully labeled and a list of images on a single page provided.  Images on CD-ROMs should be saved in JPEG format at 72dpi.  Images of garments and collections only available after the deadline can be submitted after the closing date.  A statement with a precise description of the images, and the date when the images will be available should be included within the application.
• CD-ROM or DVD material (nominate the parts you most want the Panel to see) or video (segments of no more than five minutes placed at the beginning of the tape);
• track-record of your business, including sales figures from previous collections, stockists’ details or other market research;
• notes about your budget and quotes for services where necessary; and
• a statement of skills development outcomes (for mentoring and skills development applications).

Step 8 — A Final Check

Congratulations!  You’re almost done.  But before you submit your application to the Designer Fashion Grants Program prior to the grant round closing date, run through this final checklist:

• you’ve checked your eligibility and have matched your project to the most appropriate grant category;
• you’ve discussed your application with the Department of Culture and the Arts’ Designer Fashion Senior Project Officer;
• your application is clear and concise.  Remember, the peer-assessment Panel needs to know who you are, what it is you want to do (a description of your project/event as well as the development processes involved), who you’re doing it for (your target market) and why (the outcomes that your project will be able to provide the people of Western Australia);
• the time-frame you’ve chosen is realistic;
• your budget is as accurate as possible;
• you have letters confirming the participation of all key project personnel;
• all your support materials are in order.

Step 9 — Submit!

Submit your finished application (along with all your support materials) to the Department of Culture and the Arts prior to 5pm of the date of the grant round deadline.  Applications should be sent by post or hand delivered to the Department of Culture and the Arts.  Submissions via fax or e-mail are not permitted.

Posted applications must be postmarked and posted to the Department of Culture and the Arts by the date of the grant round deadline.  The Department’s postal details are located on the inside back cover of this handbook.

Late applications will not be accepted and will be deemed ineligible.

Step 10—Notification

Turn-around time on grant applications is approximately 6-8 weeks from submission to notification of outcome.

If you wish to withdraw your application or make major changes to it at any time, you’ll need to notify the Department of Culture and the Arts’ Designer Fashion Senior Project Officer in writing.

The Department of Culture and the Arts will notify you by letter as to whether or not your application has been successful.  If successful, the Department will supply a contract that you’ll need to sign and return to us so that a cheque or EFT transfer can be provided to you.  If unsuccessful, we’ll outline the reasons why in writing.  If you’d like to discuss the reasons why you weren’t successful in more detail, then contact the Designer Fashion Senior Project Officer.