Where Local Women Make a Big Difference
The Women’s Giving Circle did not begin as a big campaign or a polished idea on paper. It began the way many good things do in the Northern Rivers: with a handful of women paying attention to what was happening around them, and deciding to do something practical about it.
Launched in 2021 by Northern Rivers Community Foundation (NRCF) Chair Nicole Weber, the Circle was built on a simple premise: if enough local women give what they can, consistently, the collective impact becomes powerful. Coming out of COVID and then the floods of 2022, the need in the region felt sharper and closer to home than ever. The Circle became a tangible way to deliver compassion, with resources and big picture thinking.
In its first two years, the Circle reached 80 members, enough momentum to award its first grants in 2022. Some local women went even further, topping up the initial funding with generous $5,000 donations to help the Circle take its first confident steps. Just as importantly, a portion of funds is invested into a perpetual Northern Rivers Women’s Fund, designed to keep supporting women and girls in the region well into the future.
Behind the scenes is a small team of women, working part-time, keeping the Circle moving. Coordinator Amy Colli holds the shape of the Circle and the rhythm of its year. Alongside her is Sandra, NRCF Engagement Manager, drawn to what happens when people pool their resources: “By coming together, we’re able to fund projects at a scale that most of us simply couldn’t achieve on our own,” she says. In finance is Juanita Keen, who has been with NRCF since 2018 and supported the launch of the Circle from the beginning.
There is also Kiri Dicker and Melanie Rowsell from the impact team, administering the Women’s Giving Circle grant and supporting recipients as their projects unfold. Leah Day supports communications, capturing the stories and the heart of it all. As Leah puts it simply, what she loves most is “the passion of the members, and seeing the generosity of women who truly care about this region and believe in lifting up local women and girls.’’
These women are responsible for getting the Women’s Giving Circle to 160 members, doubling its membership since 2022. They belong to an even broader ecosystem of women doing consistent and loving work, who are supported by committed members who show up, give regularly, and keep saying yes.
That story continues into 2026, with the Circle preparing for its InternationalWomen’s Day event on 12 March at the Byron Surf Club, a gathering that will bring members and the wider community together around the shared belief that local generosity, when organised well, can change the shape of a region.
To learn more about the Women’s Giving Circle and to get your ticket for the event go to: www.nrcf.org.au/womens-giving-circle
Amy Colli (left) and Lynda Dean (right).
Top: Group image (left to right): Amy Colli, Sam Henderson, Kiri Dicker, Charlie Hewitt, Juanita Keen, Melanie Rowsell, Sandra Duncan, Leah Day.
