The geelong women’s impact collective brings women together to create meaningful, lasting change for women and girls across our region.
It is proudly established and hosted by the Geelong Community Foundation — a trusted local foundation with 25 years of experience supporting community-led impact.
By harnessing the power of collective giving, the Collective invests in initiatives that improve wellbeing, safety, opportunity and leadership for women and girls — today and for generations to come.
The Collective celebrates women’s philanthropy in Geelong and offers a powerful, accessible way to give together, learn together, and create impact together.
When women come together with purpose, generosity becomes something much bigger than any one of us.
The Geelong Women’s Impact Collective is about backing women and girls with intention, trust and long-term vision — and doing it together.
Allana Goldsworthy, Founding Member
Why a Women’s Impact Collective?
Across the Greater Geelong region, women and girls experience unique and persistent challenges — shaped by economic change, housing pressure, workforce participation, access to services, and safety.
Local data and lived experience show that women are disproportionately affected by family violence, insecure housing, financial stress, and barriers to education, employment and leadership. At the same time, women are central to the strength of our community — as carers, workers, leaders, volunteers and changemakers.
Addressing these challenges in Geelong requires not only generosity and good intent, but deep local knowledge, trusted relationships with community organisations, and proven ways of turning funding into impact.
The Geelong Women’s Impact Collective exists to:
- Respond to the specific needs of women and girls in the Geelong region
- Support locally delivered programs that improve safety, wellbeing, opportunity and leadership
- Empower women to take an active role in philanthropy and shared decision-making
- Grow local funding for initiatives that strengthen our whole community
What the collective supports
The Collective provides grants to registered charities for activities that directly improve the lives of women and girls across the Greater Geelong region.
Priority focus areas include:
- Safety and prevention of gender-based violence
- Stabilising lives
- Education and learning pathways
- Employment and economic participation
- Connection, inclusion and wellbeing
- Shifting the power base and changing the system
Each year, grants respond to emerging community needs and support innovative ideas that create real, measurable change.
How does it work?
The Geelong Women’s Impact Collective is delivered through the Geelong Community Foundation — a trusted local foundation with 25 years of experience supporting effective, community-led change. Since it’s establishment the Foundation has awarded more than $16 million in grants and scholarships to our community.
Women Giving Together
The Geelong Women’s Impact Collective is a sub-fund of the Geelong Community Foundation, where women come together to pool their giving and invest in a better future for women and girls in our region.
Split for Impact Now + Long-Term
Each year, the total pool is split into two parts:
25% is directed to initiatives supporting women and girls.
The remaining 75% is deposited into the Women’s Collective Fund.
Investing for the Future
The invested portion is grown over time, helping build a stronger, sustainable fund that can support women and girls for years to come.
Grant Grows Over Time
Each year, 4% of the invested Women’s Collective Fund is used to top up the funding directed to initiatives supporting women and girls, increasing the Collective’s impact year after year.
Women’s impact collective
All donors who contribute $1,000 or more in a year are welcomed into the Women’s Impact Collective.
Impact Collective Members:
- Receive regular updates on funded projects and impact
- Are invited to events, briefings and connection opportunities
- Participate in voting on annual grant partners
- Are recognised as part of a collective movement for women and girls
Become a member
We welcome women and allies who are committed to advancing gender equity and equality in our region to join with us in creating change for our women and girls.
Members will receive information on our work, be invited to events and will have the opportunity to vote on the grants awarded by the Collective.
Stay up to date
Latest News
Six months on: What the Geelong Women’s Impact Collective has taught us about building lasting philanthropy
Six months ago, the Geelong Women’s Impact Collective brought together women and allies from across our region with a shared vision: to create a fairer future for women and girls through collective giving. Since then,…
Inaugural Geelong Women’s Impact Collective Grant awarded to McAuley Community Services for Women
The Geelong Women’s Impact Collective has awarded its inaugural $40,000 grant to McAuley Community Services for Women, supporting a dedicated Children’s Practitioner within its Safe at Home Program. Announced at the Geelong Community Foundation Grant…
A Powerful Beginning: Official Launch of the Geelong Women’s Impact Collective
Last Thursday, the Geelong Community Foundation proudly launched the Geelong Women’s Impact Collective — bringing together a vibrant community of women and allies united by a shared vision of collective giving, local leadership, and lasting…
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