11 Sep 2025
The Lord Mayor’s Women in Business Grant 2026 offers up to $5,000 for Brisbane women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. Discover how this funding could boost your marketing.
Blog
If you’re a Brisbane businesswoman with a plan to grow, the Lord Mayor’s Women in Business Grant 2026 could be the boost you’ve been waiting for. With applications now open, women founders have the chance to apply for up to $5,000 in funding to support their business journey.
So what’s this grant all about, and how can it help you? Let’s break it down.
The Lord Mayor’s Women in Business Grant is a Brisbane City Council initiative created to empower local women entrepreneurs and help them build businesses that are profitable, and also sustainable in the long run. Too often, women in business face barriers when it comes to accessing finance or resources, and this grant is designed to close that gap by providing practical, targeted support.
For 2026, a total of $250,000 in funding has been allocated, with individual grants of up to $5,000 available per applicant. While $5,000 might not sound like a huge sum in the grand scheme of running a business, it can be a game-changer when invested in the right areas, whether that’s upgrading tools, accessing guidance, or building the skills you need to scale with confidence.
The purpose of the grant is clear: to give women founders a tangible push toward their next stage of growth. This support might look different for each applicant. For some, it could mean hiring professional services such as accountants or legal advisors to establish stronger business foundations. For others, it might be about investing in education, training programs, or mentoring opportunities that build leadership skills and boost competitiveness. And in many cases, it’s about purchasing necessary equipment or technology that makes day-to-day operations smoother and more efficient.
The Women in Business Grant represents recognition, a signal that Brisbane values the contribution of women-led businesses to the local economy and community. It’s about giving women the tools to strengthen their operations today, so they can grow confidently tomorrow.
If you’re a woman running a business in Brisbane, you could be eligible. The grant is targeted at local women founders and owners, particularly those with a clear plan for using the funds to grow their business.
You’ll need to:
It’s designed to be accessible, not overwhelming, so you can focus more on running your business than filling out endless forms.
One of the most effective ways to stretch the value of this grant is by investing in experienced marketing leadership. Hiring a Fractional CMO gives your business the expertise of a senior marketing executive without the cost of a full-time hire. With $5000, you could engage a Fractional CMO to develop a tailored marketing plan, refine your brand messaging, and implement campaigns that directly attract your target audience.
Many businesses fail to grow not because of poor products or services, but because of unclear or inconsistent marketing. A Fractional CMO helps bridge that gap, creating clarity and direction for your business strategy.
A strong online presence is needed. The grant can help fund a professional website overhaul, search engine optimisation (SEO), or high-quality content creation. These directly impact how potential clients perceive your brand.
Imagine allocating the $5000 to:
These improvements make your business look polished and also help attract and convert more customers.
Sometimes it’s not strategy you lack, but execution. If your business has a strong plan but limited resources to carry it out, $5000 can help you hire freelance marketers or marketing consultants to bring campaigns to life.
This could mean running a paid advertising campaign on social media, producing a series of targeted email campaigns, or engaging a marketing consultant to audit and refine your existing efforts. Execution-focused spending ensures that great ideas don’t stay on the whiteboard, they actually reach your audience.
Scaling a business is about internal efficiency. Investing part of the $5000 into tools like customer relationship management (CRM) software, project management platforms, or accounting tools can save hours of manual work and improve productivity.
For example, adopting platforms like HubSpot (CRM), Asana (project management), or Xero (accounting) can streamline processes and free you up to focus on growth-driving activities. These investments create long-term operational stability and ensure your business is built on solid foundations.
It’s tempting to use grant money for short-term fixes, but the power comes from using it strategically. A carefully chosen investment improves your business today and sets you up for sustainable growth in the years ahead.
The Women in Business Grant is an opportunity to remove barriers, sharpen your vision, and amplify your impact as a business leader. By aligning your spending with long-term goals, you ensure that every dollar works harder for your business.
The Women in Business Grant is a fantastic opportunity for female entrepreneurs to strengthen their businesses, expand their networks, and scale their impact. Whether you choose to invest in leadership, marketing, skills, or tools, the key is to approach it with strategy and vision.
If you’re considering how to make the most of this grant, hiring a Fractional CMO through Cemoh could be one of the smartest moves you make. With guidance and proven strategies, you can turn $5000 into measurable growth that lasts well beyond the initial investment.
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