Request for Applications: Giving Circle Grants (Australia)

Deadline: 18-Sep-2026

The Giving Circle Grants support women and gender-diverse people leading organisations and projects focused on environmental protection and climate action in Australia. The grants aim to promote inclusive leadership, strengthen diverse voices, and support impactful advocacy, campaigns, and community-led initiatives addressing environmental and climate challenges.

About the Giving Circle Grants

The WELA Giving Circle Grants were established to encourage inclusive and collaborative leadership across Australia’s environment and climate movement. The programme places particular emphasis on supporting women and gender-diverse leaders who may have historically faced barriers to participation and leadership within the sector. The programme also recognises the importance of centering First Nations knowledges and creating opportunities for diverse perspectives within environmental and climate action. What Does the Grant Support? Funding is available for organisations and projects led by women and/or gender-diverse people that are working towards meaningful environmental and climate outcomes.

Supported approaches can include:

- Environmental and climate advocacy. - Campaigns focused on environmental outcomes. - Grassroots organising. - Community and sector events. - Network creation and development. - Training and capacity building. - Lobbying and advocacy activities. - Media and communication campaigns. - Other projects that directly contribute to environmental or climate action. Applicants can use a wide range of approaches, provided the proposed activities are clearly connected to environmental protection or climate action. Funding Available The current round provides four grants of $5,000 each. In addition, two highly commended applications can receive awards of $1,000 each. The main funding pool is $20,000. Funding is intended to support impactful projects and initiatives led by women and gender-diverse people working to protect the environment and address climate change. Who Can Apply? Eligible applicants must meet the relevant organisational and project requirements.

Applicants can include:

- Australian registered charities with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). - Incorporated organisations with an ABN. - Sole traders with an ABN who are auspiced by or affiliated with an organisation. Organisations should generally be small to medium-sized, with an annual income of less than $1.2 million. Some flexibility may be considered for exceptional projects. Project Eligibility

To be eligible, projects must:

- Be based in Australia. - Be led by women and/or gender-diverse people. - Have women and/or gender-diverse people in key decision-making roles. - Focus on environmental protection and/or climate action. - Demonstrate clear environmental or climate outcomes. - Be undertaken by an eligible organisation or appropriately affiliated project. The programme is intended to support leadership and projects that contribute to meaningful change within Australia’s environment and climate movement. Supporting Diverse Leadership A key purpose of the Giving Circle Grants is to strengthen diverse and inclusive leadership within the environmental and climate sector. The programme recognises that women and gender-diverse people bring important perspectives, experience, knowledge, and leadership to environmental advocacy and climate action. The grants also seek to support approaches that recognise the value of First Nations knowledges and broaden participation across the environment and climate movement. Grant Limit for Organisations An organisation can receive a maximum of two WELA grants in total. Applicants should consider their previous WELA grant history when determining whether they are eligible to apply. What Will Not Be Funded? The Giving Circle Grants do not support certain activities or types of expenditure.

Funding will not be provided for:

- Retrospective activities. - Non-charitable activities. - Commercial activities. - Projects without organisational affiliation where affiliation is required. - Politically partisan projects. - On-ground environmental activities such as tree planting or solar installation. - Electoral expenditure. - Green building projects. - Political campaigns supporting specific political parties or candidates. - Research that is not directly connected to specific environmental action plans. Applicants should ensure that their proposed activities are focused on advocacy, campaigns, organising, networks, training, communication, or other approaches that have a clear environmental or climate action outcome. Examples of Suitable Approaches The programme welcomes different forms of environmental and climate leadership. Potential approaches may include: - Building grassroots environmental movements. - Creating networks that connect climate and environmental advocates. - Training women and gender-diverse environmental leaders. - Developing public communication campaigns. - Organising environmental advocacy events. - Lobbying for stronger environmental or climate policies. - Supporting collaborative campaigns. - Strengthening community participation in climate action. Projects should demonstrate a clear connection between the proposed activities and environmental or climate outcomes. Key Details at a Glance

- Grant: $5,000 per selected grant

- Highly commended awards: $1,000 each

- Main funding pool: $20,000

- Location: Australia

- Focus: Environment and climate action

- Leadership: Women and/or gender-diverse people

- Eligible organisations: Australian ACNC-registered charities, incorporated organisations with an ABN, and eligible sole traders with an ABN who are auspiced or affiliated

- Annual income: Generally less than $1.2 million

- Maximum WELA grants per organisation: Two

- First Nations knowledges: Encouraged and recognised

- Retrospective activities: Not eligible

Frequently Asked Questions What are the Giving Circle Grants? The