What would you do with $10,000?
Every quarter, SPARK awards $15,000 in cash grants to women-led businesses in our community. Real funding. No fluff.
Women in business are chronically underfunded.
Women-founded startups received just 1.9% of all VC funds in 2022. In Australia, only 3% of total venture capital went to all-women-founded startups. We think that's unacceptable — so we're putting our money where our mouth is.
"$10,000 in the hands of a savvy woman in business can create such a significant impact. Some of those founders are now running national and global businesses thanks to how they leveraged that small injection of funds."
Former Brisbane Chief Digital Officer
Three things. That's it.
We made this intentionally simple. No industry restrictions. For-profit or not-for-profit. Products or services. Male co-founders are welcome too.
You identify as female. We support women-identifying founders across all industries, product or service based, for-profit or not-for-profit.
Your business has been registered for 12+ months. Counted from your business number date — not your revenue start date.
You are a SPARK member or alumni. Join for $39/month or save with an annual plan. Use code GRANT100YEAR for $100 off annual.
Four rounds. Four chances to win. Every year.
Real businesses. Real impact.
Simple. Clear. No surprises.
Get instant access to the full SPARK CEO Operating System — every tool, every hub, every session.
- Full SPARK CEO Operating System
- All 5 Growth Driver Hubs
- CEO Scorecard and Dashboard
- Daily Actions and CEO Rhythm
- Live CEO sessions
- Everything in monthly
- Save $103 per year
- 4 grant application opportunities
- Priority access to new features
- Everything, forever
- 1-hour sales coaching with Danielle
- VIP welcome gift
- Best value over 3 or more years
New to SPARK? Use code GRANT100YEAR for $100 off an annual plan.
Your questions, answered.
What can the funding be used for?
Activities that directly contribute to the growth of your profit or impact. You'll state this in your application — the judges want to see a clear, specific plan for how you'll use the funds.
How long do I have to spend the grant?
Grant funds must be spent within 6 months of funding. You'll also be required to participate in a post-funding interview to share how the grant impacted your business.
How long does the application take?
Around 15–30 minutes. You'll need a 1–2 minute video pitch filmed on your smartphone — no fancy production needed, just show your personality to the judges.
Can I see the questions before I start?
Yes! There's a Google Doc with all questions so you can make a copy and write your draft answers at your own pace before filling in the form.
How is the grant assessed and awarded?
Two grants are awarded to two separate businesses each round by a guest judge from the business community. The $10k and $5k are judged independently.
Can I apply more than once?
Absolutely — as many rounds as you like. Many winners entered multiple times before they were successful. But you can only win once, so we can share the love with as many businesses as possible.
What does "registered for 12 months" mean?
Your business needs to be registered for at least 12 months — counted from your business number date (ABN or equivalent). You don't need to have been operational or making revenue for 12 months.
Do I keep my IP if I win?
Yes, always. The successful grant winner retains full IP ownership. There are no strings attached to the funding beyond the reporting requirements.
What are the reporting requirements?
Winners are required to participate in a post-announcement interview, provide proof of expenditure within 6 months, and participate in a post-grant interview to share how it impacted their business.
What's the catch?
There isn't one. Part of why we launched our own grant is to get more money into the hands of women-led businesses without making it hard. We believe there shouldn't be barriers for women trying to make an impact through their business.
Still have a question? Email danielle@sparkbusiness.global or book a time to speak with Danielle directly.
Book a chat →Your business deserves
real funding.
Round Twelve opens 1 May 2026. Join SPARK now to be ready when applications open — or apply today if you're already a member.
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