Advocating for women & girls since 1985

Our Community Grants Progam

Since 1985, our grants have been helping Victorian women and girls to thrive.

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1985
1989 - 1993

Guaranteed Loan Fund

Our first major public initiative made banks change their policies and start lending money to low income women.
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Completing the Picture: the Lost Women of the Heidelberg Era

100,000+ visitors to this exhibition, recognising the invisibility of Victorian women artists saw the market value of their work rise to reflect their intrinsic value, and was a turning point in the casual discrimination against female artists.

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1991 - 1993
1992 – 2000

Women’s Enterprise Connection (WEC)

Gave practical support to several hundred women struggling to make ends meet through job training and mentoring.

Celebrating partnership between Indigenous and non-Indigenous women

We have been in active partnership with Koorie Women Mean Business for over 20 years, working together in the pursuit of justice for Indigenous Australians.
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1994
1997-1999

The Purple Sage Project

In this ground-breaking exercise in participatory democracy, 6000 Victorian women and men were engaged in dialogue around governance, policy and their experiences, in community groups led by women 75% of the time.
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Business Matrix

The first and only dedicated women’s start up incubator in Australia, housing 40+ businesses in 8 years and contributing approximately $2.3 million to the City of Yarra economy.

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1997-2005
2000-2001

Ordinary Women Extraordinary Lives (OWEL)

21,000+ visitors witnessed this tribute to the contributions and lives of 264 nominated Victorian women from 1900-2000, validating and recognising their common and extraordinary experiences.

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The Watermark Australia Project

A timely and innovative response to the urgent policy problem of a one-sided water debate. 220+ community groups were formed throughout Victoria, meeting regularly and identifying key community issues and concerns, and bringing women’s voices into the water debate.

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2002-2007
2005-2010

Provocation and Defensive Homicide Law Reform

The Trust was actively involved in campaigning to abolish provocation from the Victorian State’s statute books. Provocation was abolished in 2005 and replaced by new defensive homicide law. The Trust revisited this law and critiqued it arguing that in the absence of provocation as a defense, defensive homicide was being used as it’s replacement by men instead of being used as a defense by women. Our opinion piece was replied to by the Attorney-General Rob Hulls who then instituted a review into homicide legislation two weeks later.

Be The Hero!

Violence prevention program that has reached thousands of young boys and men, now partnered with Melbourne Storm Rugby League Club.

2005
2008

Celebrating the Centenary of Victorian Women's Suffrage

A series of public forums, highlighting women’s suffrage and their ongoing activism.

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Love & Justice Women's Anthem

450 women joined voices to perform an anthem heard worldwide, celebrating strength in unity.
Love and Justice Women's Anthem

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2008
2009

Paradox of Service

World-first research that exposed the mistreatment of former religious women when they left their Orders.

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A Gender Lens for Inclusive Philanthropy

Gave organisations the tools and encouragement to recognise and address funding with a gender- lens.
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2009
2010

Vida's Voices

A student-run, girl-only, Victoria-wide public speaking competition. The grand final at Federation Square was opened by the World President of YWCA, and saw the six finalists deliver passionate and articulate speeches on the positive changes to women’s status in Australia.

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A Switch in Time

A national publication calling on the restoration of respect to Australia’s democracy, and untangling sexist and gendered attacks on Australia’s first female Prime Minister.

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2012
2012

Here She Is!

A directory of 350+ successful and capable women, elevating women’s voices while addressing the lack of gender parity on panels, at public forums and conferences.

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Sheilas

Monthly online magazine featuring bold, feminist and thoughtful contributions from Ruby Hamad, Kerry- Anne Walsh, Angela Pippos, Susan Mitchell, Amal Awad, Karen Pickering and many others, as well as cartoons by Judy Horacek.

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2012
2013

Credit Where Credit is Due - national advertisement

A tribute to the efforts and achievements of Australia’s first female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, was put on the public record, reaching 3.5 million people.

VIctorian Womens Trust Credit Where Credit is Due - Julia Gillar

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Credit Where Credit is Due - Melbourne Town Hall Event

Following on from the success and support of the ‘Credit Where Credit is Due’ ad, speeches by Julia Gillard and Tony Windsor at Melbourne Town Hall were live streamed to venues nationally and overseas.Credit Where Credit Is Due - Tribute to Julia Gilliard at Melbourne Town Hall

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2013
2014

Rosie

Online harm- prevention initiative helping to grow the resilience and strength of teenage girls. Expanded to include a video series, app, and school resources.

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Monster Climate Petition

Government inaction on climate change prompted the VWT and supporters to collect 72,000 signatures and table the fifth-largest petition ever delivered to the Federal House of Representatives.
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2014-2015
2016

Breakthrough 2016: The Future is Gender Equality

Happening over November 25 + 26 at the Melbourne Town Hall, Breakthrough is a new gender equality event bringing big ideas, leading thinkers and passionate change-makers to the fore.

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Menstrual Workplace Policy

Our menstrual workplace policy, co-written by Casimira Melican and Grace Mountford in 2016, and supported by About Bloody Time research allows staff members who are experiencing symptoms of menstruation or menopause the option to work flexibly. The result? Exactly what you’d expect; greater productivity and a happier work environment. Media attention around our menstrual workplace policy has attracted an audience of over 6.2 million people.

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2016-2019
2019

About Bloody Time book published

About Bloody Time makes the case for menstrual revolution as an essential key to unlocking gender equality. Thousands of women and girls shared their experience of menstruation and menopause.

All women and girls are entitled to respect, dignity and a belief in the integrity of their bodies. In this work, we build on these goals, multiply he solutions, and share our plan to revolutionise menstrual culture and transform our society as a whole.

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so that in this lifetime we will be:

  • equally paid for the same work
  • safe on the streets and in our homes
  • equally represented in our parliament and leadership positions
  • in charge of our own bodies

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