Supporting Women in Business Grants Program (Australia)

Objective

• The primary objective of Supporting Women in Business (SWIB) Grants is to address barriers and support women to achieve their purpose of starting or growing a micro or small business. The grants seek to increase women’s skills and confidence and to support them in achieving their business goals.
• A variety of tailored projects will be funded, providing support, training, mentoring, networking skills and opportunities, assistance to access finance and business development support. Projects will be targeted to the nominated focus communities, responding to their specific needs, life stages and circumstances.

Funding Information

• Grant amount: From $150,000 to $250,000.
• The project should be started by 1 July 2025 and the project must be completed by 30 June 2027.

Outcomes

• Outcomes for participants will include:
  • Increased access to resources and support in starting or growing a micro or small business.
  • Increased networks, business skills and confidence in starting or growing a business.
  • Access to finance, investment, or start-up capital to start or grow a business.
  • Increased number or size of small businesses run by participants within 12 months.
  • Higher business turnover, profit or employment.
  • Increased customer or client base and/or business growth, expansion, capacity and output.
  • Participants financial wellbeing and economic security are improved as a result of starting or growing a successful business.
  • Businesses run by participants have greater presence in existing markets and/or access to extended, alternate, or larger markets.
  • Increased number of women owned and led businesses registered to procure their services to the NSW Government via Buy NSW. Support will be provided to organisations regarding this outcome.

Eligible Projects

• SWIB will fund a variety of models and funding will vary according to the proposed model and corresponding extent of services to be provided, in response to focus communities’ needs.
• Projects should provide a model delivering some or all the following components. A minimum of four service components is required. Supports can include, but are not limited to the following:
  • Accelerator programs
    • Short term accelerator programs supporting female founders at any stage of their business through mentoring and access to finance.
  • Coaching and mentoring
    • Tailored mentoring and support programs and business support to help participants start, run and grow their small business.
  • Small business training/workshops
    • Provide online or in-person training workshops and support access to a range of relevant accredited training options to increase required business skills.
  • Advisory services including support with business planning
    • One-to-one tailored business advisory sessions supporting participants with starting a micro/small business or operating an existing business.  Includes supporting participants to develop a business plan and reviewing viability.
    • Advice on a range of other small business matters including (but not limited to) finance, operations, marketing and promotions, customer/client management, governance or administration.
    • Support participants to develop procurement readiness in order to supply goods and services to government and other businesses, as relevant.
    • Connect participants with NSW Government and other business support services, as relevant.
  • Support in developing business networks
    • Support participants to link to relevant small business and industry networks and to build their networking skills for the purposes of business growth and increased access to finance.
  • Support in gaining access to finance, investment or start-up capital
    • Support participants to understand the types of finance available and which is best suited to their needs.
    • Support participants to access finance.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be a legally constituted Australian-based entity from one of the following categories:
  • Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO).
  • Incorporated, not-for-profit organisations, including community organisations, industry associations, peak bodies and Chambers of Commerce
  • Social enterprises
  • Applicants must be willing to obtain appropriate public liability insurance (minimum of $10 million) if successful.
  • Applications must provide a budget outlining proposed funding of eligible expenditure items and excluding non-eligible expenditure items. A minimum of 10 per cent funding from other sources (monetary or in-kind).
  • An application must be made by a single organisation that will accept responsibility for the delivery of the project if the application is successful.
  • Applicants must be based within NSW, unless they can demonstrate that the project will be run in and for the benefit of women in NSW and that the organisation meets all regulatory, business requirements.

For more information, visit NSW Government.