Victorian Women's Trust

What Victorian Women's Trust does

Victorian Women's Trust is an independent feminist grant-making and advocacy nonprofit established in 1985 with an initial Victorian Government grant, headquartered at 137a Queens Parade in Clifton Hill, Melbourne on Wurundjeri Country. It serves women, girls, and gender-diverse people across Victoria (and increasingly nationally) by distributing funds, producing research, and running advocacy campaigns across themes of safety, dignity, economic security, bodily autonomy, and leadership representation. Core activities include direct grants to grassroots organizations ($2K-$10K per award, $155,255 distributed to 20 projects in 2025-2026) and the management of 19 named Sub-Funds held within the Victorian Women's Benevolent Trust, each requiring a minimum $100,000 endowment with 20% of interest reinvested and 80% granted annually. The Trust also operates as sole Trustee of the Dugdale Trust for Women and Girls.

Its product portfolio spans digital platforms (Rosie youth harm-prevention platform launched 2014, Madam Speaker speech archive launched 2024), publications (the book 'About Bloody Time' and its second edition, the Menstrual and Menopause Wellbeing Policy template, the 'Ourselves at Work' workplace guide), a civic-engagement methodology (Kitchen Table Conversations, deployed nationally via the Together, Yes Voice to Parliament campaign), a research-to-advocacy pipeline (Feminist Researcher in Residence, 2026 cohort focused on AI and gender governance), media output (Trustworthy newsletter; podcasts including The Trap, Money Power Freedom, and Between the Leaves), and an annual grants program attracting 100+ applications per round. Digital infrastructure is built in partnership with Your Creative, which designed both Madam Speaker and the Trust's website. Revenue is generated almost entirely from philanthropic sources: individual donations, named Sub-Fund endowments, bequests, and community fundraising, with all contributions made tax-deductible through the Victorian Women's Benevolent Trust.

Name

Victorian Women's Trust

Legal name

Victorian Women's Trust

Website

https://vwt.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Victorian Women's Trust is a Melbourne-based feminist grant-maker and advocacy nonprofit founded in 1985. It distributes donations and Sub-Fund endowments to grassroots gender-equality projects, publishes research and policy resources, and operates digital platforms including Rosie and Madam Speaker.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Advocacy and Grant-making

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAD), Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (BPAGABAF)

Keywords

• Feminist grant-making
• Gender equality advocacy
• Women's philanthropy
• Community grants programs
• Feminist research

Headquarters

HQ city

Clifton Hill

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropy: Individual donations from supporters who believe in equality, dignity and freedom for women and gender-diverse people. Donations support the Equal Futures Fund and general operations.
2. Sub-Funds and Endowments: Named Sub-Funds established with minimum endowments of $100,000. Each fund grows through contributions and annual reinvestment (20% of interest reinvested, 80% granted annually). All contributions are tax-deductible through the Victorian Women's Benevolent Trust.
3. Bequests: Gifts in wills that supporters leave to ensure the work continues for future generations of women and girls.
4. Fundraising: Community fundraising activities where supporters bring their communities along to make progress a priority for gender equality.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Victorian Women's Trust is a nonprofit feminist grant-making and advocacy organization that distributes philanthropic funds to grassroots organizations, conducts original research on gender equality issues, and operates digital platforms and publications to advance the safety, dignity, and economic security of women, girls, and gender-diverse people. It manages named Sub-Fund endowments (minimum $100,000) and runs an annual grants program distributing $2,000–$10,000 per project, supported by individual donations, bequests, and community fundraising.

Product overview

Victorian Women's Trust is a feminist grant-making and advocacy organization established in 1985 that operates as a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a unified technology product. The organization delivers research, grants, and advocacy through multiple channels including publications (About Bloody Time book, Journal), digital platforms (Rosie youth platform, Madam Speaker digital archive), research programs (Feminist Researcher in Residence), policy resources (Menstrual and Menopause Wellbeing Policy Template, Ourselves at Work guide), community engagement models (Kitchen Table Conversations), grant-making vehicles (Sub-Funds), and media content (Trustworthy newsletter, multiple podcasts including The Trap, Money Power Freedom, and Between the Leaves). The portfolio works together to advance safety, dignity, and economic security for women, girls, and gender-diverse people.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rosie: A feminist youth platform for young people featuring articles, explainers and resources on consent, climate, and feminist action.
• Madam Speaker
• Trustworthy
• Feminist Researcher in Residence

Products and services

• About Bloody Time A book making the case for menstrual revolution as essential to unlocking gender equality, drawing on lived experiences of over 3,000 women and girls.
• Rosie A feminist youth platform providing articles, explainers, and resources for young feminists on topics including consent, climate, and social justice.
• Madam Speaker Australia's only digital speech archive platform that amplifies voices of women and gender-diverse people by centralising access to notable speeches throughout Australian history.
• Feminist Researcher in Residence An annual research-to-advocacy pipeline program that turns rigorous feminist research into national advocacy on gender equality issues, beginning with AI and gender governance in 2026.
• Purple Sage Project A grassroots listening project and model for democratic change using Kitchen Table Conversations, engaging 6,000+ Victorians in participatory democracy.
• Menstrual and Menopause Wellbeing Policy Template Australia's first Menstrual and Menopause Wellbeing Policy template, freely available for organisations to adopt, allowing staff flexible working arrangements without depleting sick leave.
• Grants Program Annual grants round typically ranging $2,000–$10,000 per grant, awarded to grassroots organizations working on gender equality in Victoria; 2025-2026 round distributed $155,255 across 20 projects.
• Sub-Funds Program Named endowment funds within the Victorian Women's Benevolent Trust providing ongoing grants to grassroots gender equality projects; 19 Sub-Funds established since 2008 with minimum $100,000 endowments.
• Ourselves at Work: Creating Positive Menstrual Culture in Your Workplace A practical workplace guide for dismantling the menstrual taboo with data, case studies, and step-by-step action plan based on the About Bloody Time research.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than $8 million distributed directly to gender equality projects across Victoria since 1985
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dugdale Trust for Women and GirlscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVWT serves as sole Trustee of the Dugdale Trust for Women and Girls. Key initiatives including Rosie (youth platform) and Feminist Researcher in Residence are harm prevention initiatives under the Dugdale Trust. This relationship underpins VWT's national harm prevention work.
• Your CreativecoreTechnology or IntegrationMadam Speaker was created through collaboration between VWT and Your Creative. Your Creative designed and built the digital speech archive platform. VWT website and digital presence also developed by Your Creative.
• Chalice FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-author Jane Bennett founded the Chalice Foundation in 2017, a not-for-profit dedicated to positive menstrual culture. WorkCycle initiative is a collaboration between Chalice Foundation, She Listens, and The Dugdale Trust for Women and Girls.
• Together, YesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVWT's Kitchen Table Conversations model was deployed by Together, Yes campaign for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, mobilizing 3,000+ conversation hosts across Australia in 2023.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mama Cash: International women's rights foundation based in the Netherlands providing grants to feminist organizations worldwide. Comparable as a feminist grantmaking foundation using endowments and donations to fund grassroots gender equality initiatives.
• Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights: International feminist fund providing rapid-response grants to women and gender-diverse human rights defenders. Comparable as a women's rights grantmaking organization with similar advocacy and funding mission.
• Equality Fund (Canada): Canadian feminist grantmaking and impact investing organization funding gender equality globally. Comparable as a multi-tool feminist foundation combining grants, advocacy, and innovative financing.
• Australian Women's Fund: Collective giving vehicle mobilizing individual donors to fund gender equality initiatives in Australia. Comparable to VWT's Sub-Fund model as an Australian pooled philanthropic vehicle targeting women's causes.
• Ms. Foundation for Women: US-based women's foundation funding grassroots organizations led by women and girls of color. Comparable as a feminist grantmaking and advocacy organization with similar mission and grantmaking approach.
• Women's Foundation Australia: Australian feminist grantmaking foundation focused on gender equality research, advocacy, and programs for women and girls. Directly comparable to VWT as a domestic Australian women's grantmaking organization with similar donor and beneficiary ecosystem.
• Global Fund for Women: International feminist foundation funding women's rights organizations globally through grants and advocacy. Directly comparable as a grantmaking and advocacy foundation advancing gender equality through philanthropic distribution.

Emerging players

• Our Watch: Australian national primary prevention organization working to prevent violence against women through research, policy, and advocacy. Comparable as an Australian organization focused on gender-based violence prevention with overlapping research and advocacy approaches.

Broad incumbents

• YWCA Australia: National federation delivering programs across housing, gender equality, and women's leadership with significantly larger scale. Comparable as a broad women's advocacy and service organization in Australia with overlapping beneficiary populations.
• Plan International Australia: Australian arm of global children's rights and girls' equality organization delivering programs and advocacy at much larger scale. Comparable as a gender-equality focused NGO operating in Australia with overlapping beneficiary focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/rosierespect
• Xx.com/VicWomensTrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/VicWomensTrust

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Victorian Women's Trust