The O’Connor Fund
Invest in young women and their futures in STEM
Introduction to Our Foundation
The O’Connor Fund propels regional young women to pursue education and training in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), through scholarships, grants, and enabling infrastructure.
Donations help remove barriers to learning, provide mentoring and resources that enable young women to succeed academically and professionally. By reducing disadvantages, building skills, and fostering self-sufficiency we will
create pathways for regional young women to thrive.
Your gift isn’t just a donation, it’s a contribution to changing the life of a young woman’s future.
"Why not?”
Why not create a program that will make a difference? Why not remove a barrier? Why not back someone who just needs one door opened?”
Bernadette O’Connor - Founder, Leader and Passionate Advocate
1958 – 2025
The O’Connor Fund has been established in honour of Bernadette O’Connor, to continue her legacy of empowering young women from regional areas to pursue careers and experiences in STEM.
Bernadette O'Connor
2026 Regional STEM Access
Grant Recipients!
In its inaugural year, 2026, The O’Connor Fund awarded $6,935 in grants to regional community groups across Australia to deliver STEM activities for young females who might not otherwise have had the chance, creating possibilities, no matter where they live.
Stream 1 — Small Community STEM
Activation Grants
Baw Baw Latrobe LLEN
New Energy Technology (NET) Program
$1,000
Thirty Year 7 and 8 students from across Baw Baw and Latrobe secondary schools, including 17 young females, are exploring renewable energy and emerging technology careers through the NET Program, working in teams to research, design and prototype real-world innovations alongside industry mentors.
Funding supports the program's graduation dinner, where students pitch their prototypes to family, teachers and industry mentors, a platform for young women to confidently present as future STEM leaders.
Manangatang P-12 College
Girls in Engineering
$1,000
At this small rural P-12 college, Girls in Engineering gives students the chance to tackle real agricultural and rural challenges, from automation to sensors and robotics, using the engineering design process to build, test and refine their own solutions.
Ten students connect with local agricultural businesses and female STEM professionals, challenging the perception that engineering is a male career and helping girls in a remote farming community see themselves as the innovators and agricultural technology leaders of the future.
The MISFIT Project
Homeschoolers Educate!
$1,000
An 18-year-old science enthusiast is leading her homeschool community on an excursion to Scienceworks, co-organising and running the day herself before facilitating follow-up sessions to unpack what the group has learned.
For a low socioeconomic, neurodiverse homeschool community facing real barriers to transport and access, the project gives young people, most of them female, the chance to learn together, led by one of their own.
Chairo Christian School Leongatha
Human Powered Vehicle — Young Women's STEAM Initiative
$940
A team of young women at Chairo Christian School are designing, building and racing a human-powered vehicle at Energy Breakthrough - Maryborough, combining engineering and design with digital photography and videography to document their journey.
By blending technology with creativity, the project opens STEM to students who might not otherwise see themselves in the field, building confidence, teamwork and resilience as they apply what they've learned to a real-world engineering challenge.
St. Francis of Assisi Primary School
Code Beyond Your Postcode
$995
A student’s postcode shouldn’t decide their access to STEM, but in regional NE Victoria, it often does. This free, full-day holiday program brings coding, robotics and digital fabrication to 20 Year 4 girls from across the Wodonga region, reaching them at the age research shows STEM confidence starts to take shape.
Each girl builds and codes her own take-home projects, from binary-code jewellery to a laser-cut Moodbot — hands-on experiences designed to show regional girls, early, that they belong in STEM.
Wara Yindi Support Services — Deadly Learning Circles
Bush Garden Workshop
$1,000
This project brings children and families in regional Whyalla together for a bush garden workshop, blending hands-on STEM learnings, plant science, ecosystems and how things grow, with creativity, wellbeing and connection to Country.
Children create their own small nature-based gardens using local plants and sensory elements, with resources designed to include children with disability and neurodivergent children — and take-home planting materials so the learning continues at home with family.
Stream 2 — Small Community STEM
Activation Grants
Golden Plains Vex Club
Victorian Robotics Competition
$500
For several years, this regional robotics club in Corindhap has been building young people's skills in coding, building and teamwork, and in 2026, they're fielding a team in the Victorian Robotics Competition for the very first time.
Funding covers competition entry and travel costs, giving the club's female members, who make up a strong share of its weekly meetings, the chance to compete on the state stage.
Pinarc Disability Support
Girls Who Cook - Advanced
$500
Six young women with physical disabilities are building independence in the kitchen through disability-modified cooking equipment, combining food and nutrition theory with hands-on practice.
With the right tools, environment and support, participants are developing practical skills and confidence in the cooking process, a small but meaningful step toward greater independence in everyday life.
2027 Grants Program
Category A
Individual Scholarships and Support
Every grant we offer is designed to remove barriers and spark possibilities for individuals
and communities alike whom reside in regional areas*
University Transition Scholarships
Helping regional students begin their STEM degrees with confidence and support.
STEM Event Access Grants
Enabling high school students to attend coding camps, science expos and hands-on tech experiences.
Research & Exploration Placements
Supporting travel for interstate or overseas STEM research, internships, or immersive learning.
Category B
Regional STEM Access Initiatives
For communities building brighter futures together
The Category B round offers two grant streams,
with a total funding pool of $4,500
STEM Event Grants
Funding local robotics competitions, girls-in-tech workshops and regional science fairs.
In-school or in-hall activities with guest speakers or STEM facilitators.
Local group activities such as growing a cooking experiments, orienteering and photography.
Equipment & Infrastructure Support
Lab kits, tech tools and resources that bring STEM learning to life.
Shared devices such as laptops and tablets.
Materials for hands-on activities including seeds, ingredients and low-cost kits.
Group Travel Grants
Group travel to STEM events, expos or competitions.
Accommodation, participation or registration fees to STEM camps, conferences or a career expo.
Group visits to science museums, universities or industry sites.
Stream 1 — Small Community STEM Activation Grants
Support for regional organisations to deliver practical STEM engagement activities for girls and young women.
Funding may support:
- Robotics workshops and coding or cyber security bootcamps.
- STEM career exposure days and girls in engineering activities.
- Science fairs, innovation challenges and STEM learning resources
For example:
- A regional school running a girls-in-engineering workshop.
- A Learn Local provider hosting a coding or cyber security bootcamp.
- A community group organising a STEM innovation challenge or science fair.
Stream 2 — Regional STEM Participation Micro-Grants
Targeted support to reduce the practical and financial barriers that prevent girls and young women from participating in STEM opportunities.
Funding may support:
- Group travel to STEM events, expos or competitions.
- Accommodation and participation or registration fees.
- Shared technology, devices or STEM learning resources.
- Access to STEM camps, conferences or career immersion experiences.
For example:
- A girls’ robotics team travelling to a Melbourne competition.
- A school group attending a university STEM immersion day.
- Shared laptops or equipment for a girls-in-STEM initiative.
The possibilities are endless...
Applications opening soon
APPLICATION PROCESS
Eligibility & Application
Process
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Who can apply
Applications may be submitted by organisations located within or delivering activities to regional and remote communities (MMM2–MMM7). Eligible organisations include:
- Regional schools, TAFEs and community-based VET providers.
- Learn Local providers and community organisations.
- Youth services and not-for-profit organisations.
- Organisations applying on behalf of participant groups where appropriate.
Priority will be given to applicants demonstrating financial disadvantage, geographic isolation, limited access to local STEM opportunities, or participation barriers linked to disability, cultural background or social disadvantage.
What to include in your application
- Applications are submitted online via Microsoft Forms. Your application should include:
- A brief description of the proposed initiative or activity.
- How the funding will be used.
The expected number of participants. - A simple budget or cost breakdown.
How to Apply
Applications are submitted online and include:
- A personal statement: Tell us who you are, what drives you, and how this opportunity could change your path.
- Supporting documents: These help us understand your goals (e.g., enrolment confirmation, quotes, letters of support).
Applications are reviewed quarterly by our Advisory Panel, including a member of the O’Connor family, ensuring Bernadette’s legacy is at the heart of every decision.
How We Assess
Eligibility – Meeting the basic criteria
Category A
- Female and under 25 years
- Living in a regional community.
Category B
Category B applications are assessed by the O’Connor Fund Advisory Panel against the following criteria:
- Alignment with The O’Connor Fund purpose 25%
- Demonstrated need or disadvantage 20%
- Community impact and participant reach 20%
- Feasibility and value for money 15%
- Sustainability or ongoing benefit 10%
- Promotion of girls’ participation in STEM 10%
The assessment process includes eligibility screening, individual panel assessment, panel moderation and recommendation, and final approval under delegated authority. All panel members are required to declare conflicts of interest prior to assessment.
Funding Conditions
- Funds must be used as described in your application.
- Fund must be used by you and are not transferable
- A simple follow-up (e.g., photo, receipt, or note) will be requested within 3 months.
- If funds are unused or misused, Workforce Plus Inc. reserves the right to reclaim them.
Acknowledge support from The O’Connor Fund in any public communications or promotional materials related to your funded activity.
