Melbourne Women’s Foundation delivers 2024 Changemaker Grants with a difference

Members of one of Australia’s longest running giving circles gathered in Melbourne last night to vote on its annual grantmaking round. Rather than a live pitch event commonly associated with collective giving, MWF is trialling an exhibition showcase to ease the stress on grantees, after feedback from participants.

The Melbourne Women’s Foundation distributed $165,000 to six finalists at the event, with two being named recipients of the primary grants after voting by members closed. The $80,000 Capacity Building Grant and $45,000 Enabling Grant were respectively given to WomenCAN Australia and PartnerSPEAK. The other four finalists received $10,000 each.

The beautiful new spaces at event co-partner JLL were buzzing as women networked and spent time listening to each of the finalists at their exhibition stands. Longtime MWF supporters Bendigo Bank Elwood also had a presence.

Melbourne Women’s Foundation CEO Liza Nadolski said: “Feedback from members is that they love the networking time in parallel with learning about the finalists. In this new format members were still able to meet the finalists in person to hear their stories, learn about their impactful work and experience how the MWF’s involvement can drive change. However, the finalists did not have to present a live pitch.

“The Foundation will be surveying participants and members to see how the revised format was received by participants and members.”

The finalists are all focused on empowering women and families experiencing challenges in Melbourne.

Capacity Building Grants finalists:

1. United Housing Co-operative provides secure and affordable rental housing for women over 55 in Melbourne’s western and north-western areas. The Footscray Lions Co-operative Village project will provide 49 apartments for women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The grant would pay for contract extension/delay costs.
   
   
2. Wellsprings for Women is committed to providing services in a safe and welcoming environment, empowering women to thrive and addressing their diverse needs. The Improving Service Responses to Forced Marriage project will enhance community awareness and service responses to forced marriage, recognised as a form of family violence in Victoria. The grant would pay for a Project Officer, education, evaluation and marketing materials.
   
   
3. WomenCAN Australia’s mission is to assist women, particularly those from diverse backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, asylum seekers and refugees, victims of domestic violence and other social or economic disadvantage to reconnect with the workforce through a peer-led support framework. The program aims to assist 20 women in obtaining a heavy rigid license, enabling them to secure employment as truck and bus drivers. The grant would pay the salary for a Project Lead.

Enabling Grants Finalists

1. Meals with Impact’s mission is to provide work-integrated training and supported employment pathways in hospitality for marginalised women from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds. The Her Future: Ready-to-Work Program will deliver four six-week work-integrated training programs over 12 months, providing practical skills development and employment pathways for migrant and refugee women in hospitality. The grant will fund program delivery costs, including salaries for a part-time project manager and trainer, kitchen rental and administration.
   
   
2. PartnerSPEAKprovides advocacy and support for the non-offending partners and family members of perpetrators of child sexual abuse and child exploitation material. Support for Women Traumatised by Child Sexual Abuse in their Families project seeks to provide peer support to women when they discover their intimate partner’s offending. The grant would pay for part-time salary and oncosts for a Peer Support Worker.
   
   
3. Women’s Circus works to empower people of marginalised genders to shape community and culture through circus arts. The project seeks to employ a Community Engagement Manager to develop partnerships and deliver programs that support the mental health of marginalised women through inclusive, social circus programs in Melbourne’s west.

Learn more about Melbourne Women’s Foundation and how you can join the community here.