Van Munster Boats Secures Close to $1 Million in Government Funding

When Van Munster Boats decided to pursue government funding to expand our defence manufacturing capabilities, we knew we needed expert guidance. Engaging Christine Artis from The Funding and Grants Collective was one of the best decisions we made.

Christine guided us through every step of a complex and detailed application process, ensuring our submission was strategic, accurate, and compelling. Her follow-up throughout was exceptional — she kept us on track, answered every question, and made sure nothing fell through the cracks. But what really set Christine apart was her support beyond the application itself. She guided us through the funding deed process with the same care and attention, which has set us up perfectly for the acquittal process ahead.

The result speaks for itself — we secured close to $1 million in government funding, which is genuinely a game changer for our business and our team. This investment will allow us to significantly grow our production capacity and our workforce and it simply would not have happened without Christine’s expertise and dedication.

I would not hesitate to recommend Christine and The Funding and Grants Collective to any business considering a government funding application. If you’re serious about giving your application the best possible chance of success, she’s the person you want in your corner. A Real Government Funding Success Story for Australian Manufacturing.

 

The Van Munster Boats team standing together at their Morisset manufacturing facility after securing close to $1 million in government funding with support from The Funding & Grants Collective.

The Van Munster Boats team following their successful government funding outcome supported by Christine Artis and The Funding & Grants Collective.


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The Van Munster Boats team standing together at their Morisset manufacturing facility after securing close to $1 million in government funding with support from The Funding & Grants Collective.
Brett Van Muster, Managing Director, Van Munster Boats

Youth Hub Funding Success

As CEO of Regional Youth Support Services (RYSS), engaging Christine Artis at the Funding and Grants Collective has been transformative for our community organisation and the young people we support across the Central Coast. Christine immediately integrated into our team, providing strategic guidance and one-on-one grant writing mentorship that significantly elevated our funding approach and strengthened our long-term funding readiness.

Her extensive Government experience, particularly across the Central Coast region, proved invaluable in refining our stakeholder messaging and translating our vision into compelling, data-driven proposals aligned with Government priorities and policy frameworks.

Christine’s mentorship supported our staff to confidently navigate complex grant guidelines, strengthen strategic project alignment, and identify additional Government data sets, policies, and funding opportunities we had not previously considered.

Through Christine’s collaborative partnership with Kellie Brown at StoryKeller Productions, we also developed a powerful advocacy video highlighting the youth crisis on the Central Coast alongside a corporate pitch deck that immediately strengthened our stakeholder engagement efforts.

Within one week of receiving these materials, RYSS secured our first major corporate sponsor.

Following Christine’s grant writing mentorship and strategic funding guidance, RYSS successfully secured $988,650 in Federal Government funding for our new Gosford Youth Hub.

This Youth Hub Funding Success ensures permanency for our services in Gosford and will significantly expand support for at-risk young people across the Central Coast. The Youth Hub will address the root causes of youth antisocial behaviour by providing mentorship, engagement opportunities, skill-building programs, and early intervention support designed to break cycles of disadvantage.

The expertise, mentorship, and strategic guidance provided by The Funding & Grants Collective have been instrumental in securing the future of RYSS and strengthening our ability to support young people when they need us most.”

 

Kim McLoughry
CEO
Regional Youth Support Services (RYSS)
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Youth Hub Funding Success achieved by Regional Youth Support Services with support from The Funding & Grants Collective.
Kim McLoughry, CEO – Regional Youth Support Services

Grant Writing and Capacity Building Success Story

We recently partnered with The Funding & Grants Collective for Grant Writing and Capacity Building support, at Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council and we couldn’t be more impressed.

Their team’s expertise and commitment to empowering local communities truly set them apart. They took the time to understand our goals, crafting compelling grant proposals that significantly strengthened our funding opportunities and increased our confidence throughout the process.

The personalised attention and strategic insights made all the difference.

Their one-on-one grant guidance was a game changer, providing us with practical skills and knowledge to confidently navigate future funding opportunities independently.

We highly recommend The Funding & Grants Collective and Christine to any organisation looking to strengthen their grant writing capability, improve operational capacity, and position themselves more strategically for long-term funding success.

Their support has been genuinely transformative, and we’re excited about the future ahead.

 

Brent Ellis
Chief Operating Officer
Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council
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Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council sharing their experience with Grant Writing and Capacity Building support from The Funding & Grants Collective.
Brent Ellis, Chief Operating Officer, Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council

Local Government Grant Management Success Story

Our Council engaged Christine to conduct a comprehensive review of our local government grant management processes and to provide strategic recommendations at a critical time for our organisation. While our staff has shown remarkable dedication to securing grants over the years, we recognised the need to assess whether to establish a dedicated Grants Officer position or invest in enhancing our existing systems and staff capabilities.

Christine’s thorough review process, which included extensive stakeholder consultations and a systematic analysis of our current practices, identified key areas requiring immediate attention. Her assessment revealed that our challenges were not due to a lack of expertise but stemmed from working within systems and processes that could be improved.

What impressed me most was Christine’s insight that investing in strengthening our corporate systems, digital literacy, and staff capabilities would yield better results than creating a new dedicated role and ultimately saving Council money. Her recommendations provided a clear pathway toward more efficient, compliant, and sustainable grant management practices. Importantly, the review recommendations were  also fully supported and endorsed by the Executive Leadership Team and the elected Council.

In addition to the internal review, Christine facilitated an exceptionally well-received community grant-writing workshop in April 2025. With 35 participants from our community, the workshop featured digital activities designed to improve digital literacy skills alongside practical exercises. Christine’s delivery was professional, personable, and engaging, earning enthusiastic feedback from all attendees.

The work of The Funding & Grants Collective has been transformative for our Council. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, Christine recognised that our organisation is rich in subject matter expertise and focused on integrating stronger technology and well-designed corporate systems to maximise our existing resources.

I look forward to continuing our partnership with The Funding & Grants Collective. I highly recommend their services to organisations looking to build internal capabilities and better support their community. Their approach goes beyond temporary fixes to create sustainable, long-term solutions that empower staff and community members.

As the General Manager of Dungog Shire Council, I am pleased to provide this testimonial for Christine Artis and The Funding & Grants Collective (FGC).
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Local Government Grant Management support provided by The Funding & Grants Collective for Dungog Shire Council.
Gareth Curtis, General Manager of Dungog Shire Council

Engaging the Funding and Grants Collective to assist the team with our Building Women’s Careers Program grant application was one of our best decisions. With just one week before the submission deadline, Christine, the Director, immediately integrated into our team and provided invaluable expertise.

Christine helped us refine our project plan, clarify budget inclusions and exclusions, and guide us through the entire grant process. Her ability to translate our vision into ‘Government speak’ was remarkable—she identified additional government strategies and policies that aligned with our project beyond those we typically reference.

What impressed me most was Christine’s ability to identify opportunities for collaboration. She already had a strong relationship with Coast and Country Primary Care, which had recently relocated to our complex. Recognising the synergies between our organisations, she suggested exploring a partnership, which made perfect sense. Christine then coordinated a meeting and secured a letter of support and commitment to our program within the same day. This significantly strengthened our application and enhanced the referral services available to our clients.

Having an external perspective with Christine’s expertise helped us develop a high-quality submission that was ultimately successful. We secured $1 million in funding for ManufactHER, our initiative to increase women’s participation and leadership in manufacturing. This groundbreaking program will implement inclusive recruitment and flexible employment models, provide leadership training and career pathways, and help businesses embed gender-inclusive policies.

With women comprising just 29% of the manufacturing workforce, this initiative will create new opportunities and establish the foundation for a more diverse and innovative industry. We couldn’t have achieved this without the Funding and Grants Collective’s expertise and partnership approach.

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Alison Cook, General Manager, Central Coast Group Training
I reached out to Christine Artis at the Funding and Grants Collective in July 2024 after multiple people recommending her – and I’m so glad I did! During our first Discovery session, she helped clear up all my confusion about the grants space. Instead of wasting time chasing every funding opportunity out there, I could finally zero in on the grants that would make a real difference in Native Botanical Brewery’s growth.
Christine’s been an absolute game-changer. She’s not just helped with developing our projects and putting us in touch with the right people – we actually just landed our first grant last week! (Thank you RAPP 2 program NSW Government) But it’s more than just the funding – she’s helped us get smarter about our overall business strategy, which has made achieving our goals much easier than it was a few months back.
I think of Christine as part of our team now, and she’s my go-to person whenever I need advice on business development. If you want to grow your business and need help navigating the funding landscape, I couldn’t recommend Christine and the Funding and Grants Collective enough. They really know their stuff and actually care about helping your business succeed.

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Native Botanical Brewery
Corey Grech, Founder, Native Botanical BreweryDirector, Native Botanical Brewery

Christine alerted me to a possible funding opportunity and I took up the invitation for a free consultation. This led us to engaging the team to assist us with submitting the grant application and we were successful! I had worked with Christine before, but she took nothing for granted and ensured that she met our needs and was very clear about what she could do and what we needed to do so that there was no confusion. Being a small team, you get personalised service to suit your needs and I appreciate that. Thank you Christine, for your caring and considerate approach I am looking forward to the next project!
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Gary Murphy, CEO at Liverpool Plains Shire Council

A Partnership Rooted in Respect and Shared Goals: What sets the Funding & Grants Collective apart, through Christine’s leadership, is not just the technical support or the insight into grant acquisition strategies. It is her ability to connect on a human level, to understand the nuances of our needs, aspirations, and the communities we aim to serve. This connection paved the way for a partnership that has since grown from strength to strength. Christine’s support has been instrumental in enabling us to compete with high-level organisations, thereby closing significant gaps in service and support for our communities. Her dedication goes beyond mere professional consultancy; she has become a part of our extended family, working closely with our team as we navigate the complexities of securing critical grants from government bodies.
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Malcom Jnr SmithYakuway Indigenous Corporation

Surfest Newcastle, Australia celebrated its 38th anniversary in 2024. The event is the largest surfing festival in the southern hemisphere. Organisers were concerned that we wouldn’t be able to secure funding to hold the Indigenous Classic Round in 2024.

This event has been held for over 24 years and with the event quickly approaching, we feared we might have to cancel altogether. That’s when Christine Artis came to our rescue. With her determination and business network, she managed to secure a sponsor in a really short turnaround. But she didn’t stop there. She went above and beyond, helping us raise the event to the next level. Under her guidance, we added the First Nations Business and Careers Expo, providing an incredible experience, not just the surfers but for their families and the whole community.

Christine is Surfest family now. We’re very grateful to have had her in our corner this year and look forward to working with her in the future to secure sponsorships and funding as well as broaden the appeal of Surfest to the business community.
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Warren Smith, Surfest NewcastleSurfest Newcastle, Coordinator