The aim of Women’s Week Grants is to support the conducting of events which empower women, uplift focus communities and challenge gendered norms, roles and expectations during Women’s Week in March.
Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: From $10,000 to $50,000
- Application opened: 19 August 2024
- Application closed: 2 September 2024, 3:00 pm
Program objective
Women’s Week Grants seek to fund innovative events that increase the empowerment and participation of women and girls in our communities, thereby advancing gender equality in the longer term. The funding provides Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisations, local councils and not-for-profits with an opportunity to give back to their communities by delivering events or activities that benefit local women and girls.
NSW Women’s Week events must align with at least one of the 3 pillars of the NSW Women's Strategy (2023-2026), these pillars are:
- Pillar 1 - economic opportunity and advancement
- Pillar 2 - health and wellbeing
- Pillar 3 - participation and empowerment
This program is funded and administered by Women NSW.
Eligibility
Applicants must be a legally constituted Australian-based entity from one of these three categories:
- Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO).
- NSW Local councils and shires (who must be listed on the Office of Local Government), including regional organisations of councils and consortia of councils.
- Incorporated, not-for-profit organisations, including community organisations.
- If successful, applicants must obtain appropriate public liability insurance (minimum of $10 million).
- Applications must provide a budget outlining proposed funding of eligible expenditure items, including a minimum of 10 per cent funding from other sources (monetary or in-kind).
- An application must be made by a single organisation that will accept responsibility for the delivery of the project if the application is successful.
- Applicant must be based within NSW, unless they can demonstrate that the project will be run in and for the benefit of women and/or girls in NSW and that the organisation meets all regulatory, business requirements.
- Projects must be held during Women’s Week in March 2025.
Types of projects funded under this grant
Applications for funding to run an event in Women’s Week are required to be designed with and for one of the focus communities in the NSW Women’s Strategy 2023-2026.
To ensure an even spread of events across NSW, applications from regional, rural and remote locations will be prioritised.
Focus communities:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls
- carers
- girls and young women living in, or who have lived in, out-of-home care
- lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, queer and/or asexual (LGBTIQA+) women and girls
- older women
- women and girls experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage
- women and girls facing homelessness
- women and girls from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities
- women and girls in contact with the criminal justice system
- women and girls living in regional, rural, remote and cross-border areas
- women and girls with disability
- women and girls with a mental illness
- women and girls who have a history of, or are currently experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence
- women veterans (and the women partners of veterans and service members)
- young women
Applications that focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, women from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities, women with disability and LGBTIQA+ women are strongly encouraged including those that will be held in regional, rural and remote areas of NSW.
When the project can start and end
Projects must be held during Women’s Week in March 2025. NSW Women’s Week will be celebrated between Sunday 2 March and Saturday 8 March 2025 to coincide with International Women’s Day on 8 March 2025.
The project should be started by 2 March 2025 and the project must be completed by 8 March 2025.
Who can’t apply
Funding will not be provided to:
- Individuals or groups of individuals, including sole traders.
- Unincorporated organisations.
- For profit commercial organisations and entities.
- Sub-contractors – either for program management or for project delivery on behalf of non-eligible organisations.
- NSW Government or Australian Government agencies or their entities (including public trusts).
- Applicants requesting 100 percent project funding from Women NSW.
- Projects which already receive NSW or Commonwealth Government funding.
- Applicants with outstanding acquittal requirements with Women NSW
- Applicants with an obligation under the NSW National Redress Scheme who have not joined the Scheme (further information outlined in section 5.6).
Note: NSW Government schools, Area Health Services and public hospitals are ineligible to apply, however, an associated incorporated not-for-profit body, such as a Parents and Citizens Association or hospital auxiliary will be eligible to apply for funding.
What costs you can apply for
Items eligible for grant expenditure:
- resource materials and publication costs including art supplies, workbooks
- equipment, transport and venue hire
- publicity, communications and marketing activities and materials
- catering costs, food and non-alcoholic beverages for community engagement activities
- Staff, contractors and consultants, where the costs are for direct event delivery only
- guest speaker fees
- travel costs within NSW exclusively for the purpose of the event
- evaluation activities
What costs you can't apply for
Items not eligible for grant expenditure:
- business capital or start-up funding
- purchase of, or cost of infrastructure, assets and/or capital equipment and works
- permanent equipment purchases (e.g. computers, phones or iPads or other items not specific to the event)
- operating costs of the organisation or recurrent expenses (e.g. insurance, leases, bills, general office consumables and disposables)
- permanent wages, salaries and on-costs for ongoing staff
- organisational development costs for internal staff (e.g. staff training, conferences, workshops, planning days)
- prizes, competition or awards (e.g. cash giveaways, lucky door prizes, raffle prizes)
- interstate and/or overseas travel allowances or costs associated with membership of boards/councils
- retrospective costs (any money spent before a grant is approved)
- fundraising events that are for the purposes of fundraising for charities or for the organisation’s personal use.
- events that are run solely for commercial purposes to the benefit of the delivery partner but not the program participants
- events and activities coordinated by NSW Government Departments and Statutory Authorities
- research projects which are co-funded by State or Federal Governments and/or other organisations
- purchase of promotional/awareness raising merchandise that will be sold for profited on
- acquittal, auditing or reporting costs
- fees associated with an auspice agreement
- existing debt or loan repayments
- events that encourage gambling (e.g. raffles, bingo) or the consumption of alcohol
- Non-essential costs which are not related to the proposed core activity
Types of projects not funded under this grant
Applicant must be based within NSW, unless they can demonstrate that the project will be run in and for the benefit of women and/or girls in NSW and that the organisation meets all regulatory, business requirements.
What co-contributions are required
Expressions of Interest and applications must include a minimum of 10 per cent funding from other sources (monetary or in-kind).
Additional eligibility requirements
Requirements for Aboriginal / Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled Organisations:
For the purpose of this grant, an eligible Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisation builds the strength and empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and people, and is:
- Incorporated under relevant legislation;
- Not-for-profit (see further requirements below);
- Controlled and operated by Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander people;
- Connected to the community or communities in which they deliver services; and
- Governed by a majority Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander governing body.
Applicants will be required to provide documentation to support their ACCO status such as:
- an Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations certificate of registration,
- a constitution/rule book which shows the organisation requirements,
letters or surveys from other local Aboriginal organisations, groups or relevant community stakeholders or outcomes from community feedback.
Requirements for Not for Profits:
Eligible not-for-profit organisations must be registered and approved as a not-for-profit body with a current and up-to-date record in at least one of the following categories:
- Charities, trusts, and cooperatives that are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
- Organisations with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.
- Organisations with Public Benevolent Institution
- Associations (registered under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 and with NSW Fair Trading).
- A Local Aboriginal Land Council under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW) and registered with the NSW Aboriginal Land Council.
Indigenous Corporations registered with the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations.
Bega Valley Shire Council
Bomaderry Australian Football Club Incorporated (BFC)
Business Mudgee
C3 Victory Centre
Camden Council
CCA New South Wales Ltd
Children's Medical Research Institute
Coffs Harbour Older Women's Network
Cooma Pastoral and Agricultural Association - Cooma Show
Country Women's Association of NSW - Woy Woy branch
Cowra Information And Neighbourhood Centre Inc
Destructive Steps Dance Association
Dubbo Neighbourhood Centre Inc
Fairfield City Council
First Steps Count Inc
Forbes Business Chamber Inc
Hunter Community Legal Centre Inc
Kiama Municipal Council - Destination Kiama
Milparinka Heritage And Tourism Association Inc
Multicultural Council Of Wagga Wagga
Northern Rivers Women And Children's Services Inc
Orange Aboriginal Corporation Health Service
Ride Dungog
The Flagstaff Group Limited
For event details see NSW Women's Week events
Bega Valley Shire Library
Boambee East Community Centre
Jaanymili Bawrrungga Incorporated
Broken Hill City Council
Byron Youth Service
WILMA Women's Health Centre
Firstchance Inc.
Murrumbidgee Council
Coonamble Shire Council
Ride Dungog
Country Women's Association of NSW - Tamworth Evening Branch
Greater Hume Council
Home Grown Business
Central North Coast Agricultural Society Ltd
University of New South Wales
Leeton Shire Council
Early Links Inclusion Support Service
Narrabri Shire Council
The Social Outfit Incorporated
Islamic Women's Welfare Association
Tarcutta Valley Landcare Group
Ausrelief Limited
SEVENmile Ltd
Kempsey Neighbourhood Centre
Atholwood Country Women's Association
Wagga Aboriginal Women’s Group Incorporated
Illawarra Women's Health Centre
For event details see NSW Women's Week events
Tranby National Indigenous Adult Education & Training
Central West Women's Health Centre
Gunnedah Shire Council
Tamworth Family Support Service- New England Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service
CareWays Community
Sisters' Cancer Support Group Inc.
Riverina Community College
Young Change Agents Limited
Winmalee Neighbourhood Centre Inc.
YWCA Australia
Ethnic Community Services Cooperative
headspace Miranda
Braidwood & Villages Business Chamber
Country Women's Association of NSW - Tilba Branch
Snowy Monaro Regional Council
NSW Farmers' Association
Women's Housing Company
Central West Farming Systems Inc.
Coonamble Chamber of Commerce Inc
Forbes Shire Council
Lower Lachlan Community Services
Community Migrant Resource Centre
Cumberland Council
For event details see NSW Women's Week events
Most recent recipients
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
Eligible organisations can submit one (and only one) Expression of Interest (EOI) through SmartyGrants from 19 August to 2 September 2024. You will receive an automated email via SmartyGrants when Women NSW receives your EOI.
If an organisation submits multiple EOIs, only the first submitted EOI will be assessed and all others will be deemed ineligible.
Your EOI will require you to provide an event overview and must include the following information:
- A description of the event, how it will be delivered and how it will be of benefit to participants;
- Details about your organisation and your experience delivering events;
- The focus community you are targeting with your event and your connection to them;
- The location you plan to deliver the event in;
- An overview of the funding you are seeking.
A submitted EOI in written form, can be reopened upon request until 15:00 AEDT 2 September 2024. To reopen an EOI, email wnswgrants@tco.nsw.gov.au.
We recommend applicants submit forms in SmartyGrants at least two hours prior to the deadline to ensure any required documents upload properly. Applicants have been caught out in the past being unable to submit their form in time due to slow upload times. Late applications will not be accepted.
Address the eligibility criteria
Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria.
Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion.
Address the assessment criteria
Criterion 1: Organisational capacity
The organisation is well-placed to run an event
- The applicant demonstrates well-established connections with the focus community (for example by listing when and how often the organisation has delivered services or projects to the community previously).
- The organisation has the appropriate skills and expertise to deliver the event (for example by citing prior experience delivering similar events).
Criterion 2: Effective service delivery
The way the event will be run is appropriate
- The event is designed with and for participants from one of the focus communities (applications list particular considerations for the target focus community. Applications that can demonstrate the need to deliver events for their focus community will score higher).
- To ensure an even spread of events across NSW, applications from regional, rural and remote locations will be prioritised.
- The event is participatory and fosters connections amongst participants.
- The event considers accessibility and safety requirements (by listing the accessibility and safety considerations that will be undertaken).
- The event includes effective promotion and marketing (by explaining what promotional activities are planned).
Criterion 3: Relevance
The event aligns with Women’s Week objectives and the NSW Women’s Strategy
- The event aligns with the objectives of the Women’s Week Grants Program (events which empower women, uplift focus communities and challenge gendered norms, roles and expectations will score more highly);
- The event demonstrates alignment with one of the three pillars of the NSW Women’s Strategy.
Criterion 4: Value for money
The event budget is cost effective
- Costs are clearly outlined in the budget including:
- expenditure items are detailed and clearly link to activities and outcomes
- funding sought from Women NSW
- in-kind contributions
- Benefits to participants are clear and the cost per participant justifies the funding sought.
Criterion 5: Outcomes
Participants are recognised, empowered and gender equality promoted
Successful applicants could demonstrate that the event participants reported:
- They feel their diversity has been recognised as a result of the event (for example the presenters are from their community or the activities were designed for their particular needs).
- They were able to participate freely and safely (considerations and adjustments had been made to allow all participants to engage).
- They have access to increased opportunities and choices as a result of the event (for example they have learnt of additional services, they have had an opportunity to try a new sport/hobby, they have seen someone from their community in a role they would not have normally considered).
Start the application
To streamline the application process, this year Women NSW will use a two-stage process for Women's Week Grants.
The first stage involves completing a short Expression of Interest (EOI) form through SmartyGrants. Applicants will not be able to apply for a grant without submitting an EOI.
Women NSW will select a shortlist of organisations based on the EOI Assessment criteria and invite shortlisted organisations to complete a full grant application form in the second stagr of the process.
Full grant applications will go through a comprehensive assessment process to determine the successful events.
Please refer to the Women's Week Guidelines (Word version or pdf version) and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to assist with completing the EOI and Full Grant application.
Note: If you are a new applicant to SmartyGrants, you will need to register and create a password. If you are already registered, you can log in with your existing username and password.
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Minister for Women
Expressions of Interest will be shortlisted against the following questions:
- The organisation’s connection to one or more of the focus communities (organisations showing long-standing and deep connections and evidence to support the need for events for their focus communities will score more highly);
- The organisation’s capacity to run an event for one or more of the focus communities (organisations which can demonstrate previous experience running inclusive events for their chosen community will score more highly);
- Location of the event (events in rural, regional and remote locations of NSW will be prioritised);
- The nature of the event (events which are original, participatory, educational, fun and which foster connections between participants will score more highly);
- The likely value for money of the event (based on the number of anticipated participants for the funding requested and the likely benefits from attending for those participants).
- Alignment with the objectives of the Women’s Week Grants Program (events which empower women, uplift focus communities and challenge gendered norms, roles and expectations will score more highly);
Due to the competitive nature of the Women’s Week funding program, not all EOIs that meet the assessment criteria will be shortlisted.
Key dates
Stage of the grant process | Date |
---|---|
Expressions of Interest open | 19 August 2024 |
Expressions of Interest close | 2 September 2024 |
Shortlisted organisations contacted | 23 September 2024 |
Full grant applications open | 30 September 2024 |
Anticipated date for funding deed execution with successful applications | December 2024 |
Women's Week funded event or activity | 2 March - 8 March 2025 |
Support and contact
Resources
The following resources are provided to applicants preparing an application for the 2023 Women’s Week Grant Program.
- program guidelines (DOCX 704.22KB)
- frequently asked questions (DOCX 77.16KB)
- toolkit for accessible and inclusive events (PDF 2.44MB)
If you have any questions about this grant please contact WNSWGrants@tco.nsw.gov.au
For queries about the online grant management system, Smarty Grants, please contact the support team at:
- Email: service@smartygrants.com.au
- Phone: (03) 9320 6888
Available to help Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (Australian Eastern Standard time).