As the year moves towards its final stretch, we’re delighted to announce our latest cohort of grantees. Each successful Victorian organisation shares our commitment to grassroots feminism, an ethos that has defined us for over 40 years.

For the 2026/2027 round, our Trustees approved $163,659 in grants towards 23 projects, selected from a pool of 133 applications. Narrowing the shortlist down was no small task, and every organisation earned its place.

The diversity of projects funded is striking — from a survivor-led writing and boxing program helping people reclaim their stories (Reclaim, Rewrite, Release from Left Write Hook) to a regional roadshow bringing financial and legal know-how directly to rural women (WIRE’s Regional Roadshow). Each project meets community wants and needs, and we’re proud to support such a broad spectrum of gender equality initiatives. 

None of this happens without our donors, particularly those who’ve taken the meaningful step of establishing their own Sub-Fund. Thank you for backing this work, round after round.

Congratulations to all 2026–2027 grantees:

Alma & Albert Tivendale Sub-Fund

Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds
The Venny Inc
$3,850

Introducing playful, non-competitive physical activities like dance and circus skills into an established girls’ program, helping to build lifelong body confidence.

“For a small community organisation like The Venny, this funding makes it possible to introduce new experiences within a trusted, safe space where girls already feel comfortable being themselves. We’re excited to see where the girls take the program and, most importantly, to help them develop a positive relationship with movement, health and wellbeing.”
– Russell Shields, CEO, The Venny

Christine Friday & Kathleen Pooley Sub-Fund

Sustaining First Nations Women in Racial Justice Spaces
Dhadjowa Foundation
$6,000

Embedding culturally grounded healing practices and personal wellbeing plans into the daily work of First Nations women leading justice and advocacy campaigns.

Con Irwin Sub-Fund

Reclaim, Rewrite, Release
Left Write Hook
$10,000

An eight-week trauma-informed program combining expressive writing and non-contact boxing for survivors of abuse, led by survivors themselves.

“Left Write Hook is deeply grateful to the Victorian Women’s Benevolent Trust and the Con Irwin Sub-Fund for this generous $10,000 grant. The funding will contribute directly to delivering our Reclaim, Rewrite, Release program in Melbourne, creating a safe, survivor-led space where women and gender-diverse victim-survivors can rebuild agency, connection and belonging through our research based program combining creative writing and non-contact boxing. We have a huge demand for our programs, so this support will help us reduce our waitlist and enable more survivors to access a community where they are understood, supported and empowered to take back their power.”
– Dr Donna Lyon, Founder and CEO, Left Write Hook

Deborah Ganderton & John Henry Sub-Fund

Fiscal Sustainability Project
Early Pregnancy Loss Coalition
$6,375

Engaging a specialist consultant to build a long-term funding strategy so this national coalition can sustain its advocacy for families affected by miscarriage.

“The Victorian Women’s Trust and the Deborah Ganderton and John Henry Sub-Fund are enabling us to ensure we are financially sustainable to continue our work to improve care and understanding for people who experience early pregnancy loss, which affects 285 Australian families each day. We are eternally grateful for this support, which will enable us to secure our future.”
– Isabelle Oderberg, Founder, Early Pregnancy Loss Coalition

 

Image: Multicultural Women’s Alliance Against Family Violence Inc (supplied)

Essie Burbridge Sub-Fund

Towards a Community-Centred Family Violence System in Victoria: Lessons from Grassroots Multicultural Models
Multicultural Women’s Alliance Against Family Violence Inc. and Bakhtar Community Organisation
$10,000

A facilitated forum and co-authored report capturing grassroots, culturally responsive family violence practices to inform system-wide reform.

“[This] grant will help us document and share grassroots multicultural community-centred solutions that have prevented, addressed, and healed family violence.”

Fay Marles Equal Opportunity Sub-Fund

WIRE Regional Roadshow
Women’s Information and Referral Exchange (WIRE)
$9,960

A travelling week of workshops and one-on-one sessions bringing financial and legal information directly to women in regional Victoria.

“WIRE would like to thank the Victorian Women’s Trust for their continued support of our work to empower financial independence and wellbeing in Victorian regional communities. The support this year has enabled us to work with women, trans and gender diverse people and organisations through our regional roadshows that start this November in Morwell.”
– Pai Rittichai, Community Manager, WIRE

 

Image: Melbourne Writers Festival Inc. (supplied).

Fleur Spitzer Sub-Fund

Emerging Curator at Melbourne Writers Festival 2027
Melbourne Writers Festival Inc.
$9,300

Mentoring an emerging curator to program a paid feminist event series, opening up rare curatorial opportunities for women and gender-diverse writers.

Humanitas Sub-Fund

Leading Change: Strengthening Community Safety, Fostering Respect and Connection
African Family Services Limited
$10,000

Community-led workshops building African women’s leadership and confidence to challenge harmful attitudes and lead family violence prevention.

Jan Webster and Sue Peterson Sub-Fund

Safer Transitions: Improving Housing Outcomes for Women, Trans and Gender Diverse People Leaving Prison in Victoria
Flat Out Inc.
$5,000

Focus groups led by individuals with lived-experience, mapping the housing barriers women and gender diverse people face leaving prison to better inform policy reform.

“The VWT grant is what will support us to resource lived experience properly in this project – paying women, trans and gender diverse people who are criminalised for their time and expertise rather than asking for it for free. It’s a small amount that’s making a genuinely respectful process possible.”

Jean McCaughey Social Justice Sub-Fund

First Parked: Supporting Women Experiencing Hidden Homelessness
The Bridge of Hope Foundation
$10,000

Community outreach support for women experiencing hidden homelessness to connect with services before reaching crisis point.

Joan Hudson Sub-Fund

Personal Support Technologies
Moonah House, Mornington Peninsula Women’s Shelter
$6,000

Improving outcomes for women who have experienced violence by providing safe phones and laptops to women in crisis accommodation.

Loula Rodopoulos Sub-Fund

The Wig Wellbeing Project
The Think Pink Foundation
$5,000

Free wigs and personalised fittings restoring dignity and confidence for women experiencing cancer-related hair loss.

Image: Action on Disability within Ethnic Communities (supplied).

Nancye and John Cain Sub-Fund

Safety and Women’s Empowerment
Action on Disability within Ethnic Communities
$5,000

A six-week safety training program building confidence and practical skills for multicultural, senior and disabled women facing coercive control.

“Through this support, we can create a space where women feel safe, understood and empowered; where confidence grows, barriers ease, and practical skills become everyday tools for strength and advocacy. At ADEC, it’s a privilege to stand beside these women as they reclaim their voice, their power and their sense of safety.”

Image: Utopia Refugee Health (supplied).

Prue Myer Sub-Fund

Refugee Women’s Walking Group
Utopia Refugee Health
$9,926

Weekly walking groups combining diabetes health literacy with social connection for refugee women.

Codesigned Online Safety Materials for Multicultural Young Women
Wellsprings for Women Incorporated
$9,898

In-language, co-designed resources helping young multicultural women recognise and respond to technology-facilitated abuse.

Image: Banksia Gardens Community Services (supplied).

Kenley Court Girls’ Circle Program
Banksia Gardens Community Services
$10,000

Weekly circle sessions and trauma-informed support giving refugee and migrant girls a safe space to build resilience and identity.

“Banksia Gardens is incredibly grateful to the Victorian Women’s Benevolent Trust and the Prue Myer Sub-Fund for supporting the Kenley Court Girls’ Circle Program. Thanks to this grant, more young girls in Hume have access to dedicated mentors, and our facilitators, who are young local women themselves, are seeing incredible growth in every participant.”

Ruth Owens & Kevin Lynch Sub-Fund

Walker to Work
Jika Jika Community Centre
$6,000

A place-based employment program helping women in social housing build local, flexible pathways into paid work.

Supriya Singh Sub-Fund

Intentional Employers: Building Employment Pathways for Single Mother DFV/Economic Abuse Survivors
Arise Foundation Limited
$5,000

Co-design workshops with employers and survivors of economic abuse, building workplace practices that support single mothers into secure employment.

Image: First Nations Women’s Collective and Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation (supplied).

Union of Australian Women Sub-Fund (Vic)

Knowledge Streams Forum: First Nations Women, Community Activism and Resilience
First Nations Women’s Collective and Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation
$10,000

A gathering connecting First Nations women globally to share cultural knowledge, activism and community resilience.

Image: Her Place Australia Women’s Heritage and Museum Ltd (supplied).

Victorian Women’s Benevolent Trust

She Leads In Conversation: A Public Program of Women’s History
Her Place Australia Women’s Heritage and Museum Ltd
$5,000

A public event series spotlighting underrepresented women’s histories, building Australia’s only museum-led forum for women’s voices.

Street Installations to Celebrate Culture Events in a Regional Setting
Bunyip and District Women’s Shed Inc
$3,850

Women-led woodworking workshops creating public street installations that celebrate cultural diversity in a regional community.

Image: Salaam Smiles Inc (supplied).

Pregnancy and Beyond: How is Your Oral Health Connected
Salaam Smiles Inc
$2,500

Culturally responsive workshops and take-home “Smile Kits” building oral health literacy among pregnant Muslim women and their families. 

Victorian Women’s Benevolent Trust in partnership with the Con Irwin Sub-Fund

Safe Steps Sanctuary: Supporting Women and Children
Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre
$5,000 

Dedicated wellbeing support — music, cooking and connection activities — for children staying in crisis accommodation after family violence.

Congratulations to each of our 2026/2027 grantees, and deep thanks to all of our generous supporters!

Want to fund work like this? Learn more about our Sub-Fund program here →