Australian Grants for Women: Funding Opportunities

Women across Australia face unique challenges in accessing funding and resources for their initiatives, businesses, and professional development. Whether you're a female entrepreneur with a groundbreaking business idea, a woman seeking to advance your career or leadership skills, working to re-enter the workforce, or supporting initiatives to prevent gendered violence, we're committed to helping you find the funding needed to continue your vital work.

Below are current grant opportunities specifically designed for women-focused initiatives and female applicants. These represent just a small selection of the 90+ grants currently available through The Grants Hub's Grants Directory.

Current Grant Opportunities for Women

WLA Attendance Grants

Provider: Women & Leadership Australia (WLA)
Amount: Ffull ticket price
Applications close: Rolling — 7 weeks prior to each Symposium
Location: National

Provides full attendance grants to women and gender-diverse people who play active leadership roles in their community but are unable to attend the Australian Women's Leadership Symposiums due to lack of funding or employer support.

Selection criteria prioritises:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women
• Women of colour, culturally and racially marginalised women, and women from diverse backgrounds
• Women with disabilities (WLA will support attendance arrangements if successful)
• Non-binary, agender, and gender non-conforming applicants
• Emerging and aspiring leaders active at community, local, and state levels, and within the not-for-profit sector
• Applicants must be 18 years or older from the date of the event

Save to Favourites/Calendar | Apply Now

Play Like A Girl Scholarships

Provider: Play Like A Girl Australia
Amount: Unspecified Amount
Applications close: Rolling — check website for upcoming cohort dates
Location: National

Provides fully funded leadership scholarships for women and girls in sport, offering six places per cohort in the flagship six-week Empowered to Lead online program covering mindset, communication, systems, empowerment, and resilience.

Eligibility:

• Must identify as female or non-binary, aged 15 or older
• Must be a free advocate member of Play Like a Girl Australia
• Must demonstrate a connection to women's sport or leadership (players, coaches, officials, volunteers, administrators, parents, or advocates all welcome)
• Open to all sporting codes and levels

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Opportunity Knox

Provider: The Zahra Foundation
Amount: Up to $500
Applications close: Always Open
Location: National

Supports women impacted by domestic abuse who are experiencing financial hardship or facing barriers associated with the costs of gaining and sustaining education or employment. Grants of up to $500 are available over a two-year period to families connected to a domestic and family violence service.

Grants can be used for:

• School uniforms for children
• Laptops or technology for study
• Exam and course fees
• Certifications to re-enter the workforce

Eligibility:

• Must be a current client of a Zahra Foundation Member Organisation or approved like organisation
• Must be financially disadvantaged as a result of domestic or family violence
• Applications must be submitted by a support worker (self-referrals are not accepted)

Save to Favourites/Calendar | Apply Now

Motherland Village Scholarship Program

Provider: Motherland Australia
Amount: Unspecified
Applications close: Always Open
Location: National

Offers scholarships to rural and remote mums to access Australia's first online mothers group program — a six-week program designed to combat geographic and social isolation, with cohorts available for mums of children aged 0–3, 4–10, and 11–18 years.

You may be a good fit if you are:

• Geographically or socially isolated
• Unable to access a local mothers group
• Connected to the land or agriculture (directly or through family — isolated mums without an agricultural connection may be considered on a case-by-case basis)
• Genuinely in need of financial support to access the program

Commitment required:

• Weekly online activities throughout the six-week program
• Attendance at all four live Zoom sessions (held on evenings in weeks 1, 2, 4 and 6)

Save to Favourites/Calendar | Apply Now

Institute of Community Directors Scholarships

Provider: Institute of Community Directors
Amount: $1,000
Applications close: Always Open
Location: National

Offers $1,000 part-scholarships for not-for-profit leaders to complete the ICDA Diploma of Governance — the only Diploma-level governance course specifically designed for the not-for-profit sector. The full course costs $4,500, with scholarship recipients responsible for the remaining $3,500.

Scholarship rounds include:

• Women
• Cultural Diversity
• First Nations Affairs
• LGBTQIA+
• Disability, Neurodiversity, Faith-based, Health and Mental Health, Rural and Regional, Sports Arts and Culture, Under 30s, Change Makers, and Leaders

Applicants may apply for multiple rounds where they meet the eligibility criteria. Places are strictly limited and decisions are made within 10 business days of submission.

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Additional Grant Opportunities

AMA Coaching Grants

Provides state and territory sporting associations with up to $1,000 per financial year towards coaching costs for male and female athletes aged 30 and over (50% co-contribution required).
Applications close: Always Open
Save to Favourites/Calendar | Apply Now

Female Founders Co-Investment Fund

Supports innovative women-led Queensland startups preparing for early-stage capital raise, with grants of $50,000–$200,000 matched at a 1:3 ratio.
Applications close: 30 June 2027
Save to Favourites/Calendar | Apply Now

Grant Writing Tips for Success

1. Demonstrate Your Intersectional Approach

Highlight how your program addresses the diverse needs of women across different backgrounds, ages, and circumstances. Funders value inclusive approaches that recognise women's varied experiences and the unique challenges faced by different communities.

2. Showcase Clear Outcomes and Impact

Be specific about how your initiative will create measurable change for women. Use data and evidence to support your case, and clearly articulate both short-term outputs and longer-term outcomes.

3. Highlight Collaboration and Community Engagement

Many successful women-focused grants demonstrate strong community partnerships and genuine engagement with the women they aim to serve. Show how you're working with women, not just for them.

4. Present Realistic and Detailed Budgets

Ensure your budget reflects the true cost of delivering quality programs. Don't undersell your work — funders appreciate realistic costings that demonstrate professional planning.

5. Plan for Sustainability

Whenever possible, outline how your initiative will continue beyond the grant period. Funders want to see that their investment will create lasting change. When a grant serves as a catalyst for longer-term sustainability, absolutely highlight this approach in your application.

6. Tailor Your Application to Regional Opportunities

Many grants target specific states or regions. Pay attention to location-specific requirements and emphasise your local connections and understanding of community needs. For example, Queensland has several women-specific programs, while national rolling programs like WLA and Play Like a Girl are open year-round.

Finding More Opportunities

Remember that many general community, equity, and social justice grants also welcome women-focused applications, even if not explicitly stated. Our Grants Directory contains hundreds of opportunities that could help fund your work across various sectors and focus areas.

When searching for grants, consider looking beyond women-specific funding to include:

• Community development grants
• Social innovation funding
• Sector-specific opportunities (health, education, technology, sport)
• Innovation and entrepreneurship programs
• Professional development and leadership scholarships
• Violence prevention and gender equality initiatives
• Small business and startup funding
• Regional development programs

Ready to Get Started?

Visit The Grants Hub today to access our complete Grants Directory and take your women's empowerment initiatives to the next level. Our directory is updated daily with new opportunities, and you can filter by location, sector, funding amount, and application deadlines to find the perfect match for your project.

Whether you're launching a new business, developing a community program, seeking professional development opportunities, re-entering the workforce, or working to create safer communities for women, there are funding options available to support your goals. The key is knowing where to look and how to present your case effectively.

Need help with your application? Consider working with a professional grant writer through our Find a Grant Writer service, or explore our Grant Resources for tips, templates, and guidance on creating compelling applications.