The National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW) established the Australian Women’s Archives Project (AWAP) in 1999 to build knowledge and recognition of the contribution made by women to Australia through publication of The Australian Women’s Register, an online guide to their archives and records.

AWAP is a joint project with The University of Melbourne, supported by the Faculty of Arts. Its technical infrastructure and much of the Register content was developed by research fellows in the former eScholarship Research Centre.

AWAP is an important and authoritative resource for information about women in Australian history and society. The activities of AWAP include:

• Conducting original research and compiling information about women’s history
• Making that information available on the web through the Australian Women’s Register
• Showcasing groups of women including sportswomen, migrants, scientists and parliamentarians
• Encouraging Australian women and women’s organisations to preserve their stories by depositing their records in archives and libraries for the use of further generations.

AWAP’s work is constantly developing and improving as a result of the donations and grants given to the Project. AWAP does not repeat the work undertaken by others (such as the Australian Dictionary of Biography) but provides links to other sources of information and tools where funding permits. Many individuals and organisations have generously given financial assistance and support to the Project.

The Australian Women’s Archives Project has received assistance from many individuals and organisations, including (names and titles correct at the time the grant was received:

The University of Melbourne
• Professor Patricia Grimshaw and Professor Joy Damousi, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies
• A/Professor Gavan McCarthy and the eScholarship Research Centre
Individuals
• Joanna Baevski
• Christine Goode
• estate of Dr Thelma Hunter
• Mary Owen
• Fleur Spitzer
• several anonymous donors

Non-Government organisations
• Australian Nursing Federation (Victorian Branch)
• Australian Women Lawyers
• Copyright Agency Limited
• Fred P. Archer Charitable Trust
• Helen Macpherson Smith Schutt Trust
• Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mining
• Myer Foundation
• Pamela Denoon Trust
• Project Deborah
• Tarlina Association

Commonwealth Government
• ABC Rural
• ANZAC Centenary Public Grants Program
• Australian Research Council
• Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet: Office for Women
• Department of Veterans’ Affairs;
• Department of Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs
• Family Court of Australia
• Federal Court of Australia
• Museum of Australian Democracy
• National Archives of Australia
• National Film and Sound Archive
• National Library of Australia

ACT Government
• Community Centenary Initiatives Fund
• Office for Women
• Government Heritage Awards
• Women’s Consultative Council

NSW Government
• Office for Women
• Premier’s Department, Sesquicentenary of Responsible Government Committee
• State Records New South Wales

Victorian Government
• Centenary of Women’s Suffrage Grant Scheme
• Department of Communities, Multicultural Commission
• Department of Environment Land Water and Planning
• Museums Victoria
• Public Record Office Victoria

WA Government
• Office for Women

Local Government
• Broken Hill City Council
• Kalgoorlie-Boulder City Council

Other academic organisations
• Australian Catholic University
• Australian National University
• Curtin University
• Griffith University
• Monash University
• University of Adelaide
• University of Sydney