What would you do with $10,000 or $5,000 for your business?
SPARK Biz Grants!
$15k worth of cash grants every quarter!
2 grants: 1 x $10k and 1 x $5k
Round Seven- applications open 1-28 February, 2025
Judging 1 - 31 March, 2025.
Grants awarded 10 April 2025.
Money talks.
There's a good reason startups spend SO much time seeking capital.
Because chunks of cash MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Women-founded startups raised 1.9% of all VC funds in 2022, a drop from 2021.
Last year, U.S. startups with all-women teams received 1.9% (or around $4.5 billion) out of around the $238.3 billion in venture capital allocated.
In Australia, Just 3% of total VC capital went to all-women-founded startups in 2022, while just 10% went to those with at least one woman in their co-founding teams.
So we're putting our money where our mouth is and awarding 3 grants worth a total of $15,000 to three epic female-founded businesses in the SPARK community.
And this is just the beginning.
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?
The purpose of SPARK is to help women in business grow their profit & impact. We do this by creating the resources, insights and community for women to shortcut their success. And while we believe you can do a lot on hustle, sometimes girls just need funds. So we’re reinvesting our profits back into $15,000 worth of business grants every quarter.
We believe that if we want change.
It starts with us.
2025 Grant Schedule
1 February - Round Seven Applications Open
4 March - Voting & Judging Period
10 April - Grants awarded & Funded
1 May - Round Eight Applications Open
4 June - Voting & Judging Period
10 July - Grants awarded & Funded
1 August - Round Nine Applications Open
4 September - Judging Period
10 October - Grants awarded & Funded
1 November - Round Ten Applications Open
4 December - Judging Period
10 January 2026 - Grants awarded & Funded
Cat Matson, CEO, Impactful Presenters
“I LOVE this initiative! In my experience, women business owners are SO respectful, creative and thoughtful with their money ... $10,000 in the hands of a savvy woman in business can create such a significant impact. When I was Brisbane's chief digital officer running the Budding and Global Entrepreneur Programs, it always blew my mind what founders could do with just $5,000 or less ... and some of those founders are now running national and global businesses thanks to how they leveraged that small injection of funds.”
Congratulations to our previous winners!
ROUND ONE
Congratulations to Kathryn Walsh from Practice Studio who has WON Round One of the SPARK $10k Women in Business grant!
Practice Studio is an emerging designer workroom, store and gallery that champions innovative, ethical and sustainable design.
We are so thrilled to support Kat on her mission to champion change in the fashion industry and can't wait to follow her business journey!
ROUND TWO
$10,000 public vote - Jaymee, The Buttery Music School.
$5,000 judges vote - Peta-Gai, Iridis Cosmetics.
ROUND THREE
$10,000 public vote - Jeevi, Afrowithjeevi (AWJ).
$5,000 judges vote - Leanne, Acala Stem.
ROUND FOUR
$10,000 public vote - Courtney, Sacral Body Design
ROUND FIVE
$5,000 judge awarded - Nisha Abeyasekera, Abey Print Studio
ROUND SIX
$5,000 judge awarded - Kelly Stubbs, Wagtail Natives
$5,000 judges vote - Alicia, Zonely.
$5,000 judge awarded - Phoebe Cole, Pilates Mini
{YouTube interview coming soon!}
$5,000 judge awarded - Lynette & Kirra Brown, Broadwater Hotel
{YouTube interview coming soon!}
$10,000 judge awarded - Dr Phillipa Lewis & Dr Rowena Lalji, Blissfeeds
{YouTube interview coming soon!}
2 Grants.
1 x $10,000 and 1 x $5,000 - awarded by a panel of judges.
The fine print & FAQs.
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The funding is to be used for activities that will directly contribute to the growth of your profit or impact. This is one of the entry questions and you will be required to state how you will use the funds.
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The business owner identifies as a female.
The business is located in Australia, New Zealand or Singapore.
The business has been registered for 12 months or more.
You are currently a SPARK member or SPARK alumni.
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The grant money is meant to be spent! We want you to take action on growing your profit & impact. Grant funds are required to be spent within 6 months of funding. A requirement of the funding will be to participate in a post-funding interview to share how the grant impacted your business.
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The application form should take you 15-30 minutes to complete. You are welcome to record your video simply on your smartphone, there’s no need to make it fancy, you just want to show your personality to potential voters!
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You sure can! Plus, we’ve linked up a google doc so you can make a copy for your self and write a draft in your own time.
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Applications open - 1 - 30 November, 2023
Voting/judging period - 1 - 31 December 2023.
Grant announced - 10th January 2024.
Grant funded - within 24 hours of signing the grant agreement.
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One of the eligibility criteria is that your business needs to be registered for at least 12 months.
This is from the date of your business number.
You don't need to have been operational or making revenue for 12 months.
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Two individual grants will be awarded to two seperate businesses, awarded by a guest judge from the business community.
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The successful grant winner will retain all IP ownership.
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The successful grant winner will be required to:
Participate in an interview after the grant is announced.
Show proof of expenditure that aligns to their grant entry within 6 months of funding.
Participate in a post-grant interview to share how the grant has impacted their business.
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Of course you can you savvy business woman you!
Get $100 off your annual SPARK membership (that discounts it to only $265 for a whole year of epic support!).
Use the discount code GRANT100YEAR when you purchase your membership and you’ll find the grant application form on the inside.
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Part of the reason why we launched our own grant is to get more money in the hands of women-led business without making it hard. With the added side-effect of getting them more brand awareness as a happy side affect of simply entering. We believe there’s shouldn’t be barriers for women trying to make an impact in the world through their business.
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Dial in to an event.
Get your questions answered and put yourself in the best possible position to win.
ON DEMAND REPLAYS
🗓️ Monday 7 August 2023 12pm AEST - Zoom Webinar - Grant announcement and AMA with Danielle Lewis.
🗓️ Friday 11 August 2023 3pm AEST - Zoom Webinar - How to 'stand out' in award submissions and present yourself on video - hosted by Cat Matson.
🗓️Wednesday 16 August 2023 12pm AEST - Instagram Live - AMA with Danielle Lewis.
🗓️ Round Four May 2024 combined replays - AMA with Danielle Lewis.
We are so grateful to the organisations and individuals
supporting SPARK and women in business.
Sponsors
Supporters
Applications are easy.
Applications open 1 - 28 February 2025.
Applications are open to all SPARK program alumni or any current SPARK member.
Log in to your SPARK portal.
Click on ‘SPARK Biz Grants Application’
Complete the application form, including a link to a 1-2 minute video pitch.
A SPARK team member will confirm your application.
Get back to running your business! Winners will be contacted by phone on March 10, 2025.
Judging 1 - 31 March, 2025.
Grants Awarded April 10th, 2025.
Terms and conditions.
Applications open to Australia, New Zealand & Singapore registered businesses. Business must be registered for 12 months or more.
Business owner must identify as female.
Applicant must be a SPARK Alumni or current SPARK member to apply. Not a SPARK member yet? Get $100 off your annual subscription using the discount code GRANT100YEAR
Watch a quick walk-through on how to apply with our Founder, Danielle.
Kind words about the SPARK platform & programs
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