NSW Women’s Week Grants

Women's Week Grants 2025

The aim of Women’s Week Grants is to support events which empower women, uplift focus communities and challenge gendered norms, roles and expectations during Women’s Week in March.

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Key information

  • Status: Closed
  • Grant amount: From $10,000 to $50,000
  • Application opened: 5 August 2025
  • Application closed: 19 August 2025, 3:00 pm

Program objective

Women’s Week Grants fund innovative events that increase the empowerment and participation of women and girls in our communities, which advances gender equality in the long term. Funding provides Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisations, rural, regional and remote-based organisations 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:

  1. Pillar 1 - economic opportunity and advancement
  2. Pillar 2 - health and wellbeing
  3. Pillar 3 - participation and empowerment

This program is funded and administered by Women NSW.

For Further details, including the Grant Guidelines:

NSW Women's Week 2026

 

Expressions of Interest

Open: 5 August 2025, 10:00am

Close: 19 August 2025, 3:00 pm

This program is funded and administered by Women NSW.

Eligibility

Applicants must be a legally constituted Australian-based entity from one of these two categories:

  1. Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO).
  2. 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 2026. 

Who is the grant targeted towards

Projects must target and support one of the following 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. 

Past Recipients

2024 recipients

2MFM - Muslim Community Radio

ACON

Accessible Arts

Carrathool Shire Council

Greater Hume Council

Hay Trees On Plains Landcare Group Inc.

Lake Macquarie City Council

Master Builders Association of New South Wales

Melkite Charitable Foundation

Murrumbidgee Council

NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce Inc

Narrabri & District Community Aid Service Inc

People with Disability Australia

Settlement Services International

University of Newcastle Students' Association

WestWords

For event details see NSW Women's Week events

2023 recipients

LIVEFree PROJECT

Manly Business Chamber

Melkite Charitable Foundation

Murrumbidgee Council

Muslim Community Radio

NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors

One Giant Leap Australia Foundation

Parkes Shire Council

Picnic Point Public School Parents and Citizens Association

Resilience Together Association Incorporated

Rotary Club of Bellingen Inc

Scone Chamber of Commerce

Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Cooperative Ltd

Supported Accommodation & Homelessness Services Shoalhaven Illawarra (SAHSSI)

Tablelands Farming Systems

Tamworth Family Support Service Ltd

Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club

The Reconnect Project Limited

Tomaree Neighbourhood Centre

Watershed Landcare Group Incorporated

WestWords

Wingecarribee Shire Council

Wollondilly Women in Business

Young Crisis Accommodation Centre

Zonta Club of North Sydney Inc

out(fit) auspiced by Newcastle University

For event details see NSW Women's Week events

2022 recipients

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

2021 recipients

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

2020 recipients

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

All recipients (76)

What your application needs to include

1

Prepare your application with this checklist

Eligible organisations can submit one (and only one) Expression of Interest (EOI) through SmartyGrants from 5 August to 19 August 2025.  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. 

2

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. 

3

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.

Apply now

After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by Minister for Women or her delegate.

 

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 free or low-fee, original, participatory, educational, fun and which foster creativity and connections between participants will score more highly.  Also, events where the work of female artists is paid fairly and which showcases women performers, artists, athletes or leaders, particularly women from target focus communities.);
  • 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 are apolitical, 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. 

Support and contact

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: 

Available to help Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (Australian Eastern Standard time)

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