Lisa Hannett has posted some very helpful advice about applying for grants from Arts oganisations.
Have no illusions: there’s not a huge pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and there are a LOT of other writers, artists, etc, applying for the same pool of money.
I have no doubt that within a few generations, we’ll made to fight it out in a kind of “artsgrantsdeathmatch” thing when we will all be Poindexters with Flamethrowers, but until then a well written and comprehensively argued grant application may put you ahead of the competition.
Personally, I’m voting for a kind of Skyrim-themed “artsgrantsdeathmatch”. On the right, you can see the Literature Board coming in to land. 
T’is here.
Oh and part deux is here.