How the Northern Rivers Women’s Giving Circle Is Creating Change
What happens when generosity becomes a collective force for change?
What could $1,000 do on its own?
For one person, it might be a meaningful donation to a cause they care about. But when a group of women each contributes the same amount and has a say in where that money goes, the possibilities become considerably bigger.
That’s the thinking behind the Northern Rivers Community Foundation (NRCF) Women’s Giving Circle, a collective giving initiative supporting women and girls across the Northern Rivers since 2022.
In just a few years, the Northern Rivers Women’s Giving Circle has distributed more than $279,000 to 13 local organisations, supporting projects focused on leadership, wellbeing, social connection, cultural empowerment, inclusion and opportunity.
The idea is simple: bring women together to pool their generosity, learn about the issues affecting women and girls in their own community, and collectively decide where their funding can make the greatest difference.
How the Northern Rivers Women’s Giving Circle works
Members can contribute $1,000 annually, with half of the pooled funds supporting the annual Empowering Women & Girls Grant, while the remaining half grows the Northern Rivers Women’s Fund, creating a longer-term source of funding for women and girls in the region.
Members aren’t simply donors. They are part of the decision-making process, hearing from local organisations and voting on which projects receive funding.
It’s a model of philanthropy that puts local knowledge and community connection at its centre.
Throughout the year, members come together to hear from community leaders, learn about issues affecting women and girls and connect with other women who want their giving to have a tangible local impact.
And there are different ways to participate. The Giving Circle currently offers a $20-a-week option as well as a half-price membership for women under 35, making collective giving accessible beyond those who can contribute the full $1,000 at once.
Supporting women and girls across the Northern Rivers
The Empowering Women & Girls Grant supports grassroots organisations working across the Northern Rivers to help women and girls overcome inequality and disadvantage.
Funding can help organisations pilot new programs, expand existing services or strengthen the evidence behind initiatives they hope to grow. Eligible projects can be based across the region’s seven local government areas — Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley, Clarence Valley, Ballina, Byron and Tweed.
Previous projects have supported women experiencing isolation, domestic and family violence, as well as initiatives focused on cultural identity, wellbeing, confidence, education and participation.
The 2025–26 recipients, for example, include programs supporting First Nations women and girls, older and vulnerable women experiencing social isolation, women recovering from domestic violence, and First Nations girls and young women at risk of disengaging from school.
$80,000 to support local women and girls
The collective impact of the Giving Circle will once again be celebrated at the 2026 Empowering Women & Girls Grant Giving Night.
Taking place on Thursday 3 September 2026 in Brunswick Heads, the event brings together Giving Circle members, community organisations and supporters to celebrate the projects receiving funding.
This year’s grant round represents a significant milestone, with $80,000 distributed across four projects — demonstrating what can happen when individual contributions are pooled behind locally driven solutions.
Building a legacy through the Northern Rivers Women’s Fund
While the annual grants provide an immediate injection of funding into local projects, the other half of each year’s collective contribution takes a longer view.
The Northern Rivers Women’s Fund is designed to build a sustainable pool of funding that can continue supporting women and girls into the future.
It means today’s members aren’t only responding to the needs of women in the community now. They’re helping create a philanthropic legacy for future generations.
The power of giving locally
There is something particularly powerful about knowing where your money goes — and being part of the conversation about what happens next.
Rather than simply making a donation and moving on, members of the Northern Rivers Women’s Giving Circle get to meet the people behind local projects, understand the challenges facing their communities and see how collective funding can translate into practical change.
It’s a reminder that philanthropy doesn’t always have to begin with a huge donation.
Sometimes, it starts with many people contributing what they can, then deciding together how to make it count.
Give locally. Give with impact.
Want to find out more?
Women connected to the Northern Rivers who are interested in joining the Women’s Giving Circle or learning more about collective giving can find out more through the Northern Rivers Community Foundation.
The Giving Circle welcomes women who want to connect with their community, learn more about local issues and contribute to projects creating positive change for women and girls across the Northern Rivers.
Visit nrcf.org.au/womens-giving-circle to find out more.
