2026 successful social justice small grants
Congratulations to the following organisations awarded a Social Justice Small Grant to combat poverty and address social injustice in their communities:
Boland Parwaz & Some Kind of Squirell Productions – Dil ba Dil (Heart to Heart) is an innovative mobile app/game designed to prevent child and forced marriage in Australia and globally. The app will use interactive storytelling and role play to take users through real-life scenarios, building empathy and motivating behaviour change among potential victims and perpetrators.
Kerang Neighbourhood House – Rural Women Rising: Pathways to Economic Security (VIC) is a 10-week structured capacity-building program designed to address the structural drivers of poverty experienced by disadvantaged women in the Gannawarra region. The program will support women on low-incomes, including carers, single mothers, and women experiencing financial hardship to strengthen financial literacy, digital capabilities, and pathways to employment or further education.
Got Your Back Sista – EmpowerYOU – Healthy Relationships in Teens (NSW) is a newly developed early-intervention youth development and community outreach program for young women aged 13-18 who are at-risk of domestic and family violence. The program will deliver age-appropriate education on healthy relationships, boundaries, consent, human rights, and how to seek help safely.
The Reily Foundation Mums Together: Healing Through Creativity, Connection & Community (SA) is a year‑long wellbeing initiative developed to support mums experiencing disenfranchised grief following the long‑term placement of their children on 18‑year orders. Mums Together will create a safe, welcoming space where participants can gently reconnect with others who understand their experiences, helping to rebuild confidence, emotional strength, and a sense of belonging.
Jesuit Refugee Service Australia – The Refugee Advocacy and Leadership Training Program (NSW) is a six‑week initiative building leadership and advocacy skills among refugee leaders through weekly sessions on political systems, organising, and wellbeing. The program will prioritise women’s participation, fostering collaboration, and equipping participants to influence decision‑makers, mobilise communities, and access paid advocacy pathways through the RLP.
Olivia’s Place – The Gathering Place (VIC) is an innovative seed-funded initiative which will establish Gippsland’s first dedicated safe-circle workshop series for disadvantaged women and their children. Through trauma‑informed sessions, participants build skills, connection, and resilience, with a sustainable peer‑led model designed to create lasting support networks and empower women to lead future circles independently.
Prison Fellowship Australia – Extraordinary Lives (NSW) will support children aged 5-16 with an incarcerated parent. The program will engage children through day camps that bring together participants with shared experiences to foster friendship, confidence and connection. The program will provide opportunities for children’s carers, who are mostly women, to connect with local services and informal support networks, reducing isolation and strengthening family and community ties.
Refugee Advice and Casework Service – Addressing Barriers to Employment for Refugee Women (NSW) will provide specialised legal assistance to women seeking asylum who are experiencing severe financial hardship due to being denied work rights. The project will work to remove a key structural barrier that traps women in poverty while they await the outcome of their protection claims.
Sharing with Friends – Amplifying the ‘Missing Middle’ (QLD) will focus on trauma-informed narrative digital storytelling with older women facing housing insecurity. The digital stories will be shared with policy makers, impact investors, and the broader community to advocate for the right to secure housing.
Success Works – Candidate to Volunteer Mentor Program (NSW) will be a structured peer‑led initiative designed to empower women with criminal histories as they transition into employment. The project will train women with lived justice‑system experience to become volunteer mentors who can support others facing similar challenges.