These are some of the steps towards creating gender equality taken by central Victorian CFA brigades and sporting clubs in the past year, with the help of Women's Health Loddon Mallee's rural challenge.

The Victorian government announced on Wednesday WHLM would receive $100,000 funding to continue its work creating change, along with 11 other Victorian women's health services.

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Executive officer Tricia Currie said the funding would help WHLM build on the organisation's rural challenge, helping CFAs and sporting clubs achieve gender equality.

She said WHLM would build its workforce to continue to work with community groups, partner organisations to make a difference through the program.

Through the rural challenge program WHLM explores what gender equality looks like with sporting clubs and CFAs, to develop an action plan.

Practical changes from these organisations could make a big difference towards improving women's participation, Ms Currie said.

She said it was a strong step for clubs and CFAs to ask whether they needed to make changes to help women participate.

CFAs involved had also planned to model women as firefighters, and consciously do this in schools and workplaces, Ms Currie said.

In sporting clubs, actions might include displaying a women's honour roll in a public space.

Ms Currie recalled one football netball club member telling her about the moment he realised he was part of a 21 premiership club, rather than a one premiership club, taking into account women's achievements.

Ms Currie said WHML's work tapped into what these clubs and brigades were already trying to do.

"The beautiful thing is that there are already people thinking about, 'What does a fair and inclusive community and club look like?," Ms Currie said.

"There are people in community groups [asking], 'How do we ensure we get good participation, strong decision making?'".

Ms Currie said the program was a step towards realising the vision of WHLM for gender equality.

"Equality will be achieved when men, women and gender diverse people are valued equally and have the same rights, power, and opportunities across all parts of society," she said.

"When the different behaviours, aspirations and needs of women and men are equally valued.

"This exciting work, and we know that the long term outcome will be inter-generational, but by supporting community groups and organisations, they can come up with ideas and action plans that will make a difference today, tomorrow and next week."

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