Empowering Women and Girls Grant Program – Australia

Deadline: 16-Aug-2024

The Northern Rivers Community Foundation (NRCF) is inviting applications for the Empowering Women and Girls Grant Program.

The NRCF Empowering Women & Girls grant is an annual program that offers funding to grassroots initiatives in the Northern Rivers that focus on empowering women and girls to overcome inequality and disadvantage. The objective of the grant is to provide seed funding to pilot new programs and services to empower women and girls, or enable existing programs and services to pivot, scale or build their evidence base.

The program is unique to other grants because the funds raised come from women in the Northern Rivers, through the NRCF Women’s Giving Circle. By bringing together passionate women from the Northern Rivers, the Circle aims to promote equality, human rights and an environment free from discrimination and violence for women and girls through collective giving and participatory grant making.

A unique aspect of the grant is the opportunity for Women’s Giving Circle members to participate in the selection of successful grantees by attending a “Pitch Night”, where shortlisted applicants present their idea to Circle members who vote on their favourite project. Applicants that are invited to pitch night are assigned a mentor to support them to prepare their pitch.

The program is specifically focused on addressing inequality among vulnerable and marginalised cohorts of women or those who experience the compounding burden of intersectional disadvantage and discrimination, including:

• First Nations women
• LGBTIQ+ women
• Young women and girls
• Women living with disability
• Refugee and migrant women
• Rural women
• Women experiencing homelessness and housing stress
• Single mothers
• Women experiencing income inequality, including those in low-paid professions (childcare workers, aged care workers etc.)
• Older women
• Victims and survivors of gender-based violence

Applications are encouraged for new projects or existing projects looking to pivot, scale or build their evidence base. Organisations may also apply for funding to enable existing projects operating elsewhere to expand into the Northern Rivers.

Funding Information

• There is a total pool of $50,000. Previous grants under this program have been between $5,000 and $35,000.
• They recommend a maximum funding request of $35,000. Your project should also be supported by other in-kind, volunteer, and/or funding contributions.

Eligible Projects

• Examples of eligible projects include those that:
  • Prevent and respond to violence against women (e.g. respectful relationships behaviour change programs)
  • Support survivors of violence (e.g. crisis support for women leaving violence)
  • Recognise and celebrate women’s achievements (e.g. events and awards programs, noting that the grant cannot be used to fund prizes)
  • Address social isolation and expand social networks (e.g. women’s support groups)
  • Raise awareness about issues affecting women and girls (e.g. arts installations or productions)
  • Developing the leadership capacity of women and girls so that they can play a bigger role in their communities (e.g. leadership programs)
  • Supporting women’s financial independence by creating or promoting diverse and flexible job opportunities or better work conditions for women.
  • Improving mental and physical health outcomes for women and their children (e.g. improving access to antenatal or postnatal care or raise awareness of conditions affecting women and girls).
  • Promote gender diversity and inclusive communities, including addressing discrimination and stigma (e.g. projects that combat ageism, transphobia, racism).

Eligibility Criteria

• There are four basic criteria for being eligible for the Empowering Women and Girls grant:
  • Locally based: The grant supports not-for-profit community organisations working within the 7 LGAs of the Northern Rivers (Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley, Clarence Valley, Ballina, Byron and Tweed).
  • Locally governed: The implementing organisation demonstrates local government, through a board or committee based in the Northern Rivers.
  • Women-Centred: The organisation is informed by women and women’s organisations, including lived experience and technical expertise (e.g. in the form of a partnership or endorsement).
  • Not-for-profit: NRCF can only grant funds to organisations holding Deductible Gift Recipient 1 (DGR1) status.
• Note: If you do not have DGR1 status (e.g. you are an Incorporated Association without DGR1) then you should look for a DGR1 organisation to accept the funds of your behalf (also known as an “auspice”). If you would like NRCF’s help with this, please let them know in the appropriate question in the application.

For more information, visit NRCF.