Women running or working in agritourism operations across regional and rural Western Australia have until Wednesday, 4 November 2026 to submit nominations for the 2027 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, which carries a $15,000 bursary for the winner’s project, business or program.
Award Structure and Eligibility
The WA award is open to any woman involved in rural industries or rural and regional businesses and communities. Eligibility is broad by design, meaning operators across agritourism, primary production, and related regional enterprises are all within scope.
The winner receives:
- A $15,000 bursary to apply toward a project, business or program of their choosing
- Access to professional development opportunities
- Entry into an alumni network of past recipients
The 2026 WA recipient was Geraldton aerospace engineer Angela Teale, recognised for her work positioning the Mid West as a hub for global space infrastructure through Starsite Australia. Her selection illustrates that the award panel is not limited to conventional agriculture, and that nominees with a commercial or technology angle to rural development are competitive.
Acceleration Grant for Earlier-Stage Applicants
A separate but related program, the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Acceleration Grant, offers up to $7,000 for professional development. Seven grants are available nationally. The program is explicitly positioned for women who are building toward an Award application in a future cycle rather than ready to submit now.
Both programs are supported by AgriFutures Australia, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), the Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Network of WA, and CBH Group.
How to Apply
Full details and nomination forms are available through DPIRD at www.dpird.wa.gov.au/regional-communities/agrifutures-rural-womens-award. Direct media enquiries to Jodie Thomson at DPIRD on +61 8 9368 3937 or Jodie.Thomson@dpird.wa.gov.au.
Applications close on Wednesday, 4 November 2026.
