A group of leading businesswomen and philanthropists angry at a stitch-up of election donation laws by the major parties are building a $100,000 war chest to get more female independents elected to parliament.

The Vida Fund – named after Australian suffragist icon Vida Goldstein – is preparing to donate to the next generation of female crossbenchers, including supporting Bradfield candidate Nicolette Boele, Caz Heise in Cowper and Erchana Murray-Bartlett in McPherson.