Grants supporting innovative, evidence-based projects that advance economic opportunity, health and wellbeing, and participation and empowerment for diverse women and girls across New South Wales.
On this page you will find
What is the Investing in Women (IIW)?
The Investing in Women (IIW) Funding Program funds innovative projects aligned with the NSW Women’s Strategy 2023–2026, with a strong focus on:
- Pillar 2: Health and Wellbeing
- Pillar 3: Participation and Empowerment
Projects aligned with Pillar 1 (Economic Opportunity and Advancement) may also be funded; however, priority may be given to Pillars 2 and 3.
The program uses a two-stage application process:
- Expression of Interest (EOI)
- Full Grant Application (shortlisted applicants only)
A total of $1 million per annum is available for funding.
Investing in Women level of support
Minimum Funding Available:
- $25,000 (for 12-month projects)
Maximum Funding Available:
- $100,000 (12-month projects)
- $250,000 per annum (multi-year projects)
- Up to $750,000 total (3-year projects)
Co-Contribution Requirement:
- Applicants must contribute a minimum of 10% of the total project cost
- May be cash or in-kind
- Must be calculated on total project cost (not the funding requested)
- Applications requesting 100% funding from Women NSW are ineligible.
Investing in Women important dates
- EOI Closes: 13 March 2026 (3:00pm AEDT)
- Full Application Opens (shortlisted only): 13 April 2026
- Full Application Closes: 24 April 2026
- Register your interest with GrantHelper
Project Delivery:
- 1 July 2026 – 30 June 2027 (12-month projects)
- Up to 30 June 2029 (multi-year projects)
- Late applications will not be accepted.
Investing in Women objectives
The program aims to fund projects aligned with the three pillars of the NSW Women’s Strategy 2023–2026:
Pillar 1: Economic Opportunity and Advancement
- Increase women’s workforce participation
- Reduce gender pay gap
- Reduce gender segregation in workforce
- Increase financial wellbeing
- Increase women-owned businesses
- Improve work readiness and skills
Pillar 2: Health and Wellbeing
- Improve mental and physical health
- Increase access to health services
- Increase actual and perceived safety
- Improve life satisfaction
- Increase safe and stable housing
Pillar 3: Participation and Empowerment
- Increase education completion
- Increase women in leadership
- Increase social connectedness
- Increase participation in sport and creative industries
- Increase volunteering
- Increase consultation and co-design with diverse women
Projects and expenditure eligible for Investing in Women support
Projects must be designed with and for one primary focus community, including:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls
- Carers
- Young women (18–24)
- Women experiencing domestic, family or sexual violence
- Women facing homelessness
- Women with disability
- Women with mental illness
- CALD women
- Women in regional/rural/remote NSW
- Women veterans
- And other identified focus communities
Projects must:
- Deliver high-quality engagement and participation
- Demonstrate evidence of need
- Align clearly with one of the three pillars
- Be located in areas of greatest need
- Show measurable outcomes
Ineligible Expenditure
The following costs are not eligible:
- Business capital or start-up funding
- Infrastructure or capital works
- Permanent equipment (e.g. computers, phones)
- Ongoing operational expenses (rent, utilities, insurance)
- Permanent staff salaries
- Conferences and conference attendance
- Prizes and giveaways
- Interstate or overseas travel
- Research projects
- Political activities
- Gambling-related events
- Retrospective costs
- Debt repayments
- Activities requiring more than nominal participant fees
Other Investing in Women important details that you will need to know
Organisations eligible for Investing in Women support
Eligible applicants include:
- Incorporated not-for-profit organisations
- Certified social enterprises (Social Traders or People & Planet First certified)
- Majority women-owned and managed NSW small businesses
Women-owned small businesses must:
- Be located in NSW
- Have <20 FTE employees
- Have aggregated turnover ≤ $10 million (past 3 years)
- Be majority owned and managed by women
- Provide ASIC extract
Ineligible applicants include:
- Individuals
- Unincorporated organisations
- Government agencies
- Partnerships or trusts
- Organisations requesting 100% funding
- Organisations not compliant with National Redress Scheme
Investing in Women assessment criteria
All criteria are weighted equally at 20% each.
1. Organisational Capacity (20%)
Applicants must demonstrate:
- Established connections with the focus community
- Local delivery capability and partnerships
- Relevant skills and expertise
- Prior experience delivering similar projects
- Capacity to evaluate and report on outcomes
- Documentary evidence (required at full application stage)
2. Effective Delivery (20%)
Applicants must demonstrate:
- Clear description of supports (type, frequency, intensity)
- Defined project timeline with milestones
- Risk mitigation strategies
- Clear participant benefit
- Evidence project is located in area of greatest need
3. Relevant and Evidence-Based (20%)
Applicants must:
- Identify specific issue or barrier
- Provide credible, current, adequate evidence
- Align strongly with NSW Women’s Strategy
- Demonstrate feasibility
- Show intervention is fit-for-purpose
4. Value for Money (20%)
Applicants must:
- Provide clear budget
- Demonstrate optimisation of resources
- Justify cost per participant
- Ensure eligible expenditure only
- Show outcomes justify funding requested
5. Outcomes (20%)
Applicants must:
- Demonstrate practical benefits to women and girls
- Align outcomes with Women NSW Outcomes Framework
- Include measurable indicators
- Provide evaluation approach
- Show sustainable impact beyond funding period
How do I get the Investing in Women support?
To successfully receive funding, applicants should demonstrate:
- Clear alignment with Pillars 2 or 3
- Strong evidence base supporting need
- Genuine co-design with focus community
- Measurable, realistic outcomes
- Clear theory of change and evaluation plan
- Geographic justification (particularly regional need)
- Strong partnerships and delivery capability
- Value for money and efficient resource allocation
- Sustainable impact beyond the funding period
- Compliance with all eligibility requirements
Multi-year applicants must additionally demonstrate:
- Proven track record
- Ambition and scale of impact
- Ability to deliver measurable long-term change
Information to prepare for the Investing in Women support
Applicants should prepare:
- ABN and incorporation details
- Public liability insurance certificate
- Evidence of community need (ABS, research, local data)
- Letters of support or partnership documentation
- Budget breakdown (including 10% contribution)
- Project timeline and milestones
- Evaluation framework
- Evidence of prior delivery success
- Focus community engagement strategy
Applying for the Investing in Women support
Applications are submitted via SmartyGrants.
Register your interest with GrantHelper to explore your alignment with this grant and how we can assist you to increase your chances of success.
Investing in Women resources
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