Local Food Programme Outline

Local Food is a £50 million programme that will distribute grants to a variety of food-related projects to help make locally grown food accessible and affordable to local communities. Communities will benefit from improved health and well-being through exercise and better nutrition; strengthened local economies through the creation of social enterprises; and more sustainability through the better use of resources such as food redistribution and composting.

Local Food will run from Spring 2008 through to March 2015; with all projects having to be completed by March 2014.

Local Food has been developed by a consortium of organisations, and is managed on their behalf by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT).

Local Food has five main themes under which a range of projects can be supported.

1. Enable communities to manage land sustainably for growing food locally

Projects that are encouraged to apply under this theme are:

• providing support to communities for set-up costs of food production projects (eg land management, planning, site layout and design expertise, mentoring and business support, closing the recycling loop)
• supporting the development of community land trusts
• advising groups on the development of appropriate models of land management (eg allotments, community gardens, city farms, school grounds schemes)
• enabling BME communities to develop projects around food growing which meet their social and cultural needs: this might include local sourcing of fruit and vegetables that are normally imported


2. Enable communities to build knowledge and understanding and to celebrate the cultural diversity of food

Projects that are encouraged to apply under this theme are:

• supporting promotional, awareness raising, and educational initiatives such as local events based on varied cultural festivals
• supporting projects that will grow exotic crops and foods from other regions of the world
• promoting education about how these foods are cooked and their role in cultural celebrations
• funding projects that will protect rare and endangered seeds
• widening interest through education about cultural food diversity to both communities and schools


3. Stimulate local economic activity and the development of community enterprises concerned with growing, processing and marketing of local food

Projects that are encouraged to apply under this theme are:

• supporting initiatives that enable communities to develop community supported agriculture, city farms and practical links with farms to raise consumer awareness around local food
• direct marketing enterprises, events and programmes aimed at building trust and collaboration
• funding new local food social enterprise models and initiatives and promoting new producer-consumer relationships (farmers’ markets, box schemes, re-distribution of food, composting)
• providing support to build infrastructure through websites, processing, food hubs and alternative distribution networks
• establishing Community Investment Programmes with private sector partners

4. Create opportunities for learning and the development of skills through voluntary training and job creation

Projects that are encouraged to apply under this theme are:

• providing support for apprenticeships and mentoring schemes, practical project placements and new enterprise development
• funding for training and accreditation and developing farm visits (both city and rural), trips and exchanges
• increasing volunteer opportunities through local food projects; new groups, clubs and societies
• supporting school projects linked with the National Curriculum to enable teachers, parents and volunteers from the local community to be trained in food growing techniques
• providing BME communities, where English might not be the first language, with opportunities to build confidence and improve food-related skills in a safe environment


5. Promote awareness and understanding of the links between food and healthy lifestyles

Projects that are encouraged to apply under this theme are:

• providing support for food-related educational programmes, events and activities that will promote awareness and aim to change attitudes and behaviour
• funding projects that provide information, resource packs, and other associated programme materials
• providing focused support for BME communities where there is proven evidence of higher incidences of food-related illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes



Please Note
The types of projects listed above are just examples of what might be funded through Local Food. This list is by no means exhaustive. You might have a very good idea that may be eligible that is not on the list. If you are unsure if your proposal is eligible then once you have received your First Stage Application form, you will be able to contact a member of the RSWT Grants Team; contact numbers will be on the First Stage Application Form. To find out when information will be available, please read the attached FAQs.



There are some projects that Local Food is unable to fund.
• School meals
• School and play ground with no food links
• Sport grounds projects


There are also some activities Local Food is unable to fund.
• Activities that take place outside England
• Projects intended primarily for private gain
• Grants that contribute directly to a company’s distributed profits
• Contributions to general appeals
• Staff time to develop and write applications
• Endowments and fund to build up a reserve or surplus for other purposes than project sustainability
• Retrospective funding: costs incurred and/or expenditure committed before we offer you a grant
• Existing loan repayments
• Activities which primarily promote religious or political beliefs
• Core costs for an existing project
• Funding shortfalls on existing projects
• Feasibility studies (this only applies to Main and Beacon projects)


All eligible Local Food projects will be assessed against a set of established criteria.
• The organisation is well managed and financially sound
• The project meets at least one of the five main outcomes
• The project addresses disadvantage
• The project demonstrates good and effective partnership working
• There is community involvement, consultation and benefit in all aspects of the project
• The project will be monitored and evaluated against the identified outputs and milestones
• The project displays a good level of social economic and environmental sustainability
• The project displays good budget management, value for money, and has realistic income projections


If you are intending to apply for a Beacon Grant, there will be additional criteria to meet.
• For multi-regional and national projects, the project must display, not only community consultation, but wider consultation and communication (e.g. with stakeholders)
• The project must display how it will impact on the areas it is targeting, and display substantial benefits through its intended activities
• The project must show how it will leave a lasting legacy on the sector, or display a comprehensive sustainability/exit strategy, on how it intends to continue.



Hopefully this, along with the attached FAQs, should provide you with enough information to start to think about your ideas for a potential Local Food bid.