New funding for community-based food and farming projects
By rob hopkins 24th July 2015
Just Growth is a new funding programme designed to encourage the growth of community based food and farming projects. The aim of the programme is to support social enterprises that are producing food in a environmentally and socially just way – hence Just Growth. FEA is working in partnership with Community and Co-operative Finance (CCF)and the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation to deliver this project.
We are looking for projects that farm in a way that nurtures and protects the environment, helps people take control of their food and enables more people to eat better food.
A key aim of the programme is to encourage community ownership and we will be looking for organisations that are owned and run by their community or that have strong co-operative principles embedded in their structure.
What sorts of projects are we looking for?
- A start up community based farming project with a strong plan
- An existing community farming project that is looking to expand
- An existing community farming project that wants to develop a new aspect to its business
- Other food/farming projects that can show that their work is strengthening the community farming sector
The programme will be looking for upto 14 projects to fund and support over an 18 month period to December 2016. The projects must be based in England, Scotland or Wales.
What support will be available?
Upto 8 projects will receive a funding package made up of one third loan financing from CCF and one third grant funding from Esmee Fairbairn. The remaining third of the funding has to be raised by the project itself from its local community either through crowdfunding or community shares. The release of the loan and the grant is contingent on the projects raising the necessary community finance.
Key aspects of the funding package
- The minimum loan amount is £15k.
- The minimum grant amount is £15k
- A minimum of £15k will need to be raised from the community.
- The grant element of the package is capped at £20k, but the loan and community finance element can exceed £20k.
In addition to the funding package, successful projects will receive upto 3 days of specialist advice to support their work.
The remaining projects will receive 1.5 days of expert support to help them develop their plans to bring them closer to being ready for investment.
To apply please download the Just_Growth_application_form and return it to Clare Horrell at clare@feanetwork.org.
Please read the Just_Growth_notes_for_applicants before completing your application.
If you have any questions about the programme or your application or want to discuss whether your project is suitable for the programme please contact Clare Horrell at clare@feanetwork.org.