Applications are now open for the program which has helped strengthen the role of female leaders in sport for more than two decades.

Sporting organisations can also apply for WLIS grants to create more diverse and inclusive workplaces and attract, retain, and develop even more talented female leaders across the sector.

Now in its 21st year, the highly regarded WLIS program is delivered by Sport Australia and will distribute $370,000 in grants with the support of the Office for Women.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women Marise Payne said the Australian Government is committed to increasing the number of women leaders in sport.

“We are proud to fund a program which sets new benchmarks for supporting women in sport and assists organisations in taking meaningful steps to achieve gender equity in the workplace,” Minister Payne said.
“Increasing women’s economic security and leadership is a key focus for the Morrison Government.

“As we overcome COVID-19, it is more crucial than ever that we build strong foundations for women working in the sport sector.”

Minister for Sport Richard Colbeck said the program provides women with valuable development opportunities and experiences to progress on their leadership pathway.

“We know that sport can bring communities together and inspire positive change,” he said. “By providing these targeted development opportunities we are supporting the next generation of female sports leaders.”

Sport Australia Acting CEO Rob Dalton said the program has a proven track record of success.

“Earlier this year we awarded individual grants to a record 84 women who attended courses from Board Room training to High Performance coach education.”

During the last grants round, 13 organisations shared in $170,000 in funding including Football SA which is using its grant to deliver gender inclusive workshops to club board members and run women’s leadership workshops, while the AFL is offering tailored training and education to 36 community coaches and officials.

“To date the WLIS program has supported more than 26,000 women and 100 local, state and national sporting organisations,” Mr Dalton said.

“This is a fantastic achievement, and we are excited to see the program expand thanks to funding from the Australian Government.

“This will enable us to deliver even more opportunities for women and strive for a greater balance of men and women in senior positions both on and off the field.”

Applications for the WLIS individual and organisation grants close on 15 October 2021. More information including the eligibility criteria is available on Sport Australia’s Grants and Funding page.