The Pacific Tourism Organisation recently hosted a virtual two-part Fundamentals of Grant-Writing Workshop.  The workshop introduced participants to writing quality grant proposals and guided them to avoid the most common grant proposal writing mistakes.

Over seventy-five tourism stakeholders from National Tourism Organisations, tourism businesses, and other government agencies responsible for sourcing, writing, and reporting on grants participated in the initial workshop. The training was delivered via two virtual workshops, the first Getting Started was on September 13^th & 19^th with the Write for Impact taking place in October/November.

The aim is to boost participants’ confidence in grant application processes. Participants will also learn about crafting unique value propositions to differentiate their submissions and gain insights into planning and preparing effective proposals, including drafting tips and layout strategies. Additionally, the workshop delves into the intricacies of creating proposal objectives and budgets, examining project costs and overheads.

The training was facilitated by Leora Hirsh, a New Zealand volunteer from Volunteer Services Abroad (VSA). She is supporting SPTO until November 2023 as a Grant Development Advisor and assists with proposals for grants. Part of her work includes sharing insights through these trainings with NTOs.

In acknowledging the importance of the Grant Writing Workshop, SPTO Chairman Petero Manufolau stated that grant writing proposal training is the engine of change, propelling towards a world where challenges are met with solutions, and communities thrive with newfound possibilities. And would assist individuals in acquiring and developing new skills and knowledge and a way for individuals or organisations to communicate their goals and plans to potential funders and to demonstrate why their project deserves support.

“Participants will also gain insights into stakeholder management, specifically in terms of donor expectations and requirements, as well as methods for finding suitable donors and funders. The training is SPTO’s response to requests from the NTOs and tourism industry to aid their resource mobilisation efforts.  This opportunity has given us the NTOs and owners of small businesses the space to articulate our visions, demonstrate our impact, and build relationships with potential funders. Grant-writing skills serve as the compass guiding us toward sustainable development, preserving culture, and empowering communities, “Mr Manufolau said.