Grants guide: creating a project budget
Learn how to create a clear grant budget for City of Sydney application including income, costs, value-in-kind support, templates and practical tips.
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This guide explains what to include in your budget and how to prepare one that supports your grant application. It also includes a template you can download.
A clear budget shows you’ve planned your project and know how the funding will be used.
What you need to include
All grant applicants must submit a budget. You’ll need to:
- show the total cash amount you’re requesting (excluding GST)
- list all income for your project (both cash and in-kind support)
- list all project costs including:
- what you want City of Sydney funding to cover
- what your value-in-kind support will be used for.
You total income and total costs must match so your budget balances.
You can also attach your own budget file and quotes for items over $1,000 to show good value for money.
Using the template
If you don’t have your own system, you can use our grants budget template. Enter your project details and amounts – it will calculate totals for you. The template can help you organise your budget and check it is balanced.
Grants budget templateXLSX · 16.11 KB · Last modified
Completing the budget section in SmartyGrants
You can use the budget template or upload your own financial documents, but you’ll still need to enter your income and expenses information into the budget section of your SmartyGrants application. This makes it easier for assessors to review your information in one clear, consistent format.
Screenshots of the budget section of a SmartyGrants application form.
Types of income
Cash income
Money coming into your project, such as:
- your own funds
- ticket sales or other activities
- grants or funding from others (approved or pending).
Value-in-kind income
Non-cash support given an estimated dollar value, such as:
- volunteer time
- donated materials
- free or discounted venue hire.
Include value-in-kind support in both:
- income (where it comes from)
- costs (what it’s used for).
What assessors look for
- Clear realistic budgets
- All income sources listed – not just what you’re requesting from the City of Sydney
- Quotes or evidence for larger costs
They want to see how the whole project is funded and that the numbers add up.
