WA Grants for Women Program launched

Applications for this year's Western Australian Grants for Women Program have opened, with not-for-profit groups and organisations encouraged to apply.

The full text of a ministerial announcement is pasted below

Women's Interests Minister Margaret Quirk has encouraged organisations around the State to apply for up to $15,000 in funding to support women at work, in the home and in their communities.

Ms Quirk said the funds were available under the $150,000 Western Australian Grants for Women Program, which, since 2003, had funded more than 100 organisations.

"The grants have helped many women acquire skills to gain access to economic independence, employment, training, health services, improved personal safety and to better understand ways to connect with their communities," she said.

The Minister said The Western Australian Grants for Women Program had a broad scope, aiming to help not-for-profit groups and organisations reach out to women right across Western Australia.

Since 2003, the Office for Women's Policy had ensured that one-third of grants went towards projects for women in rural, remote and regional areas. Last year these included:

- business and industry skills training for Indigenous women in Carnarvon;
- a program tracing the lives of migrant women in the Pilbara;
- a mental health first-aid training project for women in Mandurah;
- a respite program for mothers of children with disabilities in York; and
- a nine-week training program to broaden economic and social choices for women in the West Kimberley.

"Projects in Perth last year included a leadership program for multicultural women in Mirrabooka, a health program for young women in Midland and a stage production by women escaping domestic violence in Fremantle," Ms Quirk said.

"The Western Australian Grants for Women Program is an initiative the Carpenter Labor Government is proud to support and I encourage all community and not-for-profit groups to consider applying in 2007."

Ms Quirk said applications closed on March 16 and forms could be obtained from the webpage of the department for community development.