Rural Women’s Award

Over the past two decades, the Award has gained a significant profile, and is recognised as a program of influence among parliamentarians, industry, media and Award alumni. Each state and territory winner receives a $10,000 bursary for innovative ideas and projects, access to professional development opportunities and alumni networks.

• The Award is open to all women involved in rural industries, rural and regional businesses and rural and regional communities
• Location is no barrier. If you want to create impact, innovate and make a difference and/or contribute to enhancing the prosperity of rural and regional Australia, then we want to hear from you
• Women must be over the age of 18, and Australian citizens or permanent residents
• No formal qualifications are required

Online applications for the 2020 AgriFutures™ Rural Women’s Award are now open, and close Thursday, 31 October 2019 at 11.00pm AEDT. Northern Territory applications close on Sunday, 26 January 2020 at 11.00pm AEDT.

Applications must address all selection criteria and include contact details for two referees.

Referees will only be contacted if your application makes it to the final round – i.e. face-to-face state/territory interviews.

State Coordinator contact information is provided below. We encourage you to contact your State Coordinator who will guide you through the application process and provide feedback on your project, initiative or idea.

New South Wales & ACT
Allison Priest
Department of Primary Industries
02 6391 3620
[email protected]

Northern Territory
Samantha Nowland
Department of Primary Industry and Resources
08 8924 4265
[email protected]

South Australia
Donna Busuttil
Primary Industries and Regions SA
08 8429 0473
[email protected]

Western Australia
Rob Leicester
Department of Primary Industry & Regional Development
08 6552 2018
[email protected]

When AgriFutures Australia relaunched the RWA Alumni in July 2018, we committed to creating an Advisory Panel which will ensure the Alumni program is powered by Alumni, for the Alumni.

The Alumni Program has been designed so that it can engage everyone (who wishes to participate) in shaping it. Alumni contribution is vital in stimulating the program as a community.

Opportunities to interact through the program have been designed flexibly with this in mind: from the online community to national initiatives, to training, mentoring and informal collaborations.

AgriFutures Australia’s intention is that the RWA Alumni Advisory Panel will advise AgriFutures Australia on priorities for investment within identified initiatives and the direction of activities (such as identifying topics for professional development activities), based on consultation with the wider Alumni community.

The Advisory Panel will have up to eight members, each of whom will serve a term of between 12 and 18 months selected through an application process in 2019.

The Advisory Panel will meet a minimum of once per year, face to face, to coincide with the Gala Dinner, where possible, other meetings will be convened via teleconference.

Priorities of the RWA Alumni Advisory panel will be:

• Working with the RWA community to identify topics for professional development activities
• Selecting and supporting participants in the mentoring program
• Leading and co-ordinating initiatives to raise the profile of the Award and the Alumni
• Building the community through engagement on Facebook and at events

Who can apply:

• Rural Women’s Award Alumni only.

Advisory Panel term:

• The RWA Alumni Advisory Panel term will be 12-18 months.

Key dates:

• Monday, 24 June 2019 at 8.00am AEST – Online applications open
• Sunday, 14 July 2019 at 11.00pm AEST – Online applications close
• August 2019 – Successful Alumni Advisory Panel members informed
• Wednesday, 11 September 2019 – Alumni Advisory Panel will be publicly announced at the RWA Alumni Lunch.

The Rural Women’s Award Alumni Travel Subsidy Scheme (RWATSS) provides financial assistance for Rural Women’s Award (RWA) Alumni to travel to Canberra and attend the AgriFutures™ Rural Women’s Award Alumni Lunch and the Gala Dinner and National Announcement held in Canberra on Wednesday, 11 September 2019.

RWATSS applications are assessed by AgriFutures Australia, and all decisions are final. A maximum of 20 subsidies will be allocated each year. Subsidies will be allocated to individuals a maximum of once every five years.

Key dates:

• Monday, 24 June 2019 at 8.00am AEST – Online applications open
• Sunday, 14 July 2019 at 11.00pm AEST – Online applications close
• Early August 2019 – Success applications contacted
• Mid August 2019 – Subsidies will be paid once a formal agreement has been executed.