Applications now open for broker association’s gender-diversity program, with $7,000 worth of tailored support up for grabs
Applications now open for broker association’s gender-diversity program, with $7,000 worth of tailored support up for grabs
The Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) has opened applications for the next round of She Means Business, its program helping small mortgage and finance broking businesses create greater opportunities for women.
Delivered by the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA), with the MFAA participating and organisational consultancy Akin supporting delivery, the program helps small businesses turn practical ideas into lasting change.
Successful applicants in the new round will be eligible for up to $7,000 in tailored support, with applications closing 17 September.
How the pilot performed
When the MFAA and COSBOA announced the inaugural She Means Business cohort in mid-2025, the program set out to address an industry where women make up just under 27% of the broker workforce.
They invited member brokerages with fewer than 20 employees across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland to apply.
The results from that pilot, involving nine mortgage and finance broking businesses, were strong: of the 17 initiatives undertaken, 16 were assessed as delivering high value.
Every participant said the program made at least a moderate contribution to their outcomes, more than half said it contributed to a very large extent, and 71% directly attributed business results to their participation.
Melanie Kafka (pictured, right), MFAA executive, member experience and partnerships, said the pilot demonstrated the value of tailoring support to individual business needs rather than running a one-size-fits-all program.
"It is about helping businesses identify the barriers they are facing and giving them the tools and support to create lasting change," Kafka said. "The pilot participants used the opportunity in very different ways, from developing leadership capability and improving visibility to launching new initiatives and strengthening inclusion within their businesses."
Applications for the new round close 17 September.
What participants did with it
Jade Fang, partner at Marl, joined the program during a period of significant growth and restructure at her business, using it to build the leadership skills needed to guide an increasingly complex organisation. "She Means Business came at a very important transition point for me personally and for the business," Fang said.
Tripti Goyal (pictured, left), associate director at Trusted Financial Choice, used the program to strengthen her visibility as a leader and bring forward the launch of Oriri Finance, a new mortgage and finance broking business focused on women's financial empowerment and literacy.
"One of the biggest things this program gave me was the courage to step forward and be visible," Goyal said. "When women see other women in finance, in business ownership and in leadership, it helps break down the barriers they thought were there."
Heath Brunn, managing director and senior mortgage broker at BRP Finance, joined to broaden conversations about diversity and ensure LGBT+ perspectives were recognised, using the program to refresh the business's marketing, create new video content and build connections with other business owners.
Kafka pointed to his involvement as evidence the program isn't limited to women-led businesses.“The experiences of the pilot participants show there is no single way to create meaningful change,” Kafka said. “It might involve developing stronger leaders, improving workplace culture, creating new career pathways or increasing the visibility of women across the industry. What matters is giving businesses the support to turn their ideas into practical and sustainable action.”
