Most grant applicants ask us for too little

Something happens in almost every conversation we have with our Double the Goodness grant applicants.

They arrive asking for a thing. A logo. A refresh. A bit of marketing help. A budget they have pulled out of the air because they do not yet know what things cost or what they really need.

And somewhere in the conversation, as they describe what they do and why it matters, something shifts. The real picture emerges. The business is doing real good in the world. The story is not carrying it. The thing they thought they needed was a fraction of what is actually possible.

They start to feel what their business could be. Not what it looks like. What it means.

That moment is the reason the Double the Goodness Grant exists.

This guide is for the people who are about to apply. Or who know someone who should. It is also for anyone who wants to understand what this grant actually unlocks before assuming it is a discount on a logo.

Why this grant exists

Sponge is a rebranding agency based in Brisbane, specialising in brand strategy and culture transformation for founders and seasoned business owners across Australia and New Zealand. We work with purpose-led businesses and organisations to rebuild their brand foundations so their story does the heavy lifting their business deserves.

But there is a pattern we kept running into.

The organisations doing the most meaningful work often had the least resources to tell their story well. Their impact was real but invisible. Their brand was underselling them. And the depth of rebranding they needed was out of reach because the budgets simply were not there.

We did not want that to be the reason a good business stayed small.

So in 2018, we created the Double the Goodness Grant. A way to use the profits from our paying client work to match the investment of purpose-led businesses who could not otherwise access the depth of rebranding they needed. It is one part of our broader impact model.

Alongside the grant, we also run GoodNorth, a community for purpose-driven businesses doing good in the world.

What the Double the Goodness Grant actually is

Our Double the Goodness Grant is a matched-funding program funded and run by Sponge.

For every dollar an applicant invests in branding and marketing services with Sponge, we match it in kind. Up to a maximum of $10,000 matched per project. Services only, not hard costs like printing, ad spend, or third-party software.

So a $5,000 investment becomes a $10,000 project. A $10,000 investment becomes a $20,000 project. And a $40,000 scope becomes a $30,000 investment with the full $10,000 match applied. The intent is to expand the scope of what is possible for the applicant, not just discount the smallest version of the work.

The matching is designed to double the value of what applicants can access without doubling what they have to pay.

We launched the grant in mid-2018. Since then, we have committed over $130,000 across impact-led organisations across Australia. The grant is funded by a portion of profit generated from our paid client work, which means every paying client indirectly supports a purpose-led organisation further along the chain.

Applications are always open via the Double the Goodness Grant page. Grant funds are refreshed and additional allocations made each quarter to support as many good businesses as possible.

The grant we built after pro-bono broke our hearts

The match is intentional. And it came from hard experience.

In our earlier years, we did pro-bono work. Good projects. Meaningful organisations. Our team poured their hearts and souls in.

And time and again, the work was shelved. Incomplete. Indefinitely. Really good work done. No result.

It was devastating. For the team especially. Watching brilliant work sit unused because the recipient moved on to the next urgent thing. Or the internal champion left. Or the rituals did not get built. There was always a reason things dragged and stopped.

So we changed the model.

Real brand work is challenging. It surfaces things. It asks for hard decisions. It requires rituals that keep the new story alive after the work is done. When recipients have skin in the game, the work gets completed. And the results follow.

That is why we match rather than give. Your dollars in. Our services in. Both of us committed to the outcome.

Who this grant is for

The Double the Goodness Grant is for purpose-led businesses and organisations across Australia. Not-for-profits. Social enterprises. Profit-for-purpose businesses. Ethical small businesses. Charitable initiatives. Any organisation genuinely creating positive impact in the world.

We are based in Brisbane and work Australia-wide. Past grant winners have come from Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory. We are actively interested in supporting impact organisations from any state or territory.

When we assess applications, we look at four things.

Positive impact

The organisation must be actively creating social or environmental benefit. This is the foundational requirement. Sometimes the impact is clear from the outset. Sometimes the intent is strong but the articulation is not there yet, which is where we help drive clarity as part of the work.

Viability

Branding is a multiplier. For it to work, the underlying business model has to be sustainable. The grant is not designed to prop up organisations that are not ready for the lift branding can provide.

Fit

This is about commitment to the journey and to building sustainable impact. Real impact only comes from the foundations being strengthened, and that requires applicants who are open to the depth of the work. Strategic conversations. Foundation thinking. Cultural alignment. If that is not the kind of engagement the applicant is looking for, we are probably not the right match.

Energy

The project has to light the team up. Top to bottom. Everyone committed. This is not a transactional criteria, but it is real. When a project genuinely excites us, the work is always better.

If an applicant meets those four criteria, we want to hear from them.

What most applicants do not see yet

Here is the pattern we see most often.

Applicants arrive thinking they have a marketing problem. A brand problem. A logo problem. A budget problem. They have mapped their need to the smallest, most affordable version of what they think will help.

But when we sit with them, we almost always discover something bigger. A story that has not been told yet. Craft and depth and care that nobody outside the business knows about. A purpose that has never been made legible. An impact that is felt by those closest in and invisible to everyone else.

That is not a logo problem. That is a brand strategy problem. Sometimes a full rebrand. Sometimes a repositioning. Sometimes a naming project. Sometimes a complete foundation rebuild.

The grant is designed to meet applicants at what they actually need, not at what they first thought they needed.

Which is why we encourage applicants to come in open. Not to pre-decide what the project should be. Bring the business. Bring the story. Bring the challenge. We will work out together what the right version of the project is.

Applicants who arrive with a fixed idea of the smallest possible ask often leave having done something far more meaningful than they imagined was available to them.

Who we are working with right now

We are currently working with Lani from Brisbane on her Calmer rebrand. Meaningful work. Work that will change what is possible for her business in the next five years.

We are also working with Trevor and his team in New South Wales on WNSWCLC, deep in the foundations to refresh their website.

And we are kicking off next week with Sharron from Lara, Victoria. A new brand and launch for her impact business. Another founder who arrived thinking she needed something smaller than what is actually possible.

These three projects are alive, in motion, and showing what the grant unlocks when applicants and Sponge are committed together.

You will see the fruits of this work here in the very near future. More recipient stories will be shared as projects progress and launch.

The organisations we have partnered with

Since 2018 we have been privileged to work with a diverse range of impact-led organisations through the Double the Goodness Grant.

Past grant partners include ELP, Detour House, Cancer Wellness Support, Scriibed, Ocean Mind, Together For Humanity, IMAAP, Redwoods Work Collective, Growrs, and Stop Male Suicide. Alongside our current recipients Calmer (with Lani in Brisbane), WNSWCLC (with Trevor and team in Western New South Wales), and a new brand launching soon in Victoria with Sharron.

The Detour House rebrand. one of the transformations made possible by the Double the Goodness Grant. Read the full story.

Each of these organisations is doing genuinely important work in their communities. Across mental health, education, social inclusion, environmental protection, and community wellbeing. The grant has helped rebuild brand foundations, redesign websites, craft new stories, and position these organisations for the next chapter of their impact.

We are grateful to every one of them for trusting us with their work.

How to apply

The application process is designed to be simple.

Start with our online application form. It asks about the applicant’s organisation, the impact it creates, and the kind of work being considered.

If the application is a potential fit, we schedule an alignment call. This is not a sales call. It is a conversation. We are looking to understand the organisation properly, and applicants get to see whether Sponge is the right partner. We ask questions that reveal what the real project might be, not just the stated ask.

If there is alignment, we send a formal grant offer and begin the work. The project runs through Sponge’s normal process. The same quality, attention, and care we give to our regular full fee clients.

Applications are always open. Grant allocations are refreshed each quarter, with additional funds made available to support new recipients.

An invitation

Our commitment to impact is not tied to external certification. We chose not to recertify as a B Corp because the work itself matters more to us than the badge. The grant is one of the places that commitment shows up most visibly.

If the applicant is doing real good in the world, and the brand is not yet doing the heavy lifting, this grant is worth applying for.

If you are reading this and know a founder or organisation that fits that description, send this to them.

Applications are open now. More funds have just been allocated for this quarter.

Start a conversation by replying to hello@thesponge.com.au or visit the Double the Goodness Grant page to apply directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Double the Goodness Grant?

The Double the Goodness Grant is a matched-funding program run by Sponge. For every dollar a purpose-led business or organisation invests in branding and marketing services with us, we match it in kind up to a maximum of $10,000 matched per project. The grant is funded by profits from Sponge’s paid client work and has committed over $130,000 to impact-led organisations since launching in 2018.

Who is eligible to apply for the Double the Goodness Grant?

The grant is open to purpose-led businesses and organisations across Australia that are actively creating social or environmental impact. This includes not-for-profits, social enterprises, profit-for-purpose businesses, charitable initiatives, and ethical small businesses. Applicants must have a viable underlying business model and be open to strategic branding work.

How much can I get from the Double the Goodness Grant?

The grant matches up to $10,000 of services. So a $10,000 investment becomes a $20,000 project. Smaller investments are also eligible. A $5,000 investment becomes a $10,000 project, and so on. The match covers services only, not hard costs like printing, ad spend, or third-party software.

Why does the grant require applicants to invest their own funds rather than being fully funded?

Because pro-bono work rarely creates the outcomes anyone is hoping for. In our experience, when recipients do not have financial skin in the game, the work is more likely to be shelved, deprioritised, or left unused. The matched model keeps both parties committed to completing the work properly. Your dollars in. Our services in. Both of us committed to the outcome.

How do I apply for the Double the Goodness Grant?

Start by filling out the application form on the Double the Goodness Grant page at thesponge.com.au. If your application is a potential fit, we will schedule an alignment call to discuss your organisation and the kind of work being considered. Applications are always open, and grant allocations are refreshed each quarter.

Is the Double the Goodness Grant still active in 2026?

Yes. The grant has been active continuously since its launch in mid-2018. As of April 2026, we are working with current recipients and have newly allocated funds for this quarter. Applications are open now.

Luke Faccini is the founder of Sponge, a rebranding agency based in Brisbane, specialising in brand strategy and culture transformation. He has spent 27 years helping founders and seasoned business owners build ElectroMagnetic brands that do the heavy lifting before anyone says a word. He is the author of The Humming Team and the creator of Ember, a diagnostic built on the proprietary ElectroMagnetic Brand Analysis framework.