GrantRadar

Rothschild Foundation

Buckinghamshire Community Growing

Rothschild Foundation grants of up to £300,000 over three years for not-for-profit organisations running community food growing in Buckinghamshire (excluding Milton Keynes). It funds shared gardens, accessible growing spaces, practical workshops and outreach, plus capacity building, training and partnerships that get locally grown produce to disadvantaged communities and young people. Project, core and capital costs are eligible; unregistered constituted groups and new organisations can apply for one-year grants.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £300,000
Deadline
31 days left
18 November
Effort
Heavy
budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

  • Not-for-profit organisations providing a service in Buckinghamshire (as defined by the Buckinghamshire Council unitary area, which excludes Milton Keynes) whose activity is legally charitable and for public benefit
  • Organisations registered with a regulator such as the Charity Commission or Companies House can apply for grants of up to 3 years; formally constituted groups and societies not registered with a regulator, and newly established organisations without a set of annual accounts, can apply for 1 year only
  • Applicants need a governing document or constitution showing at least three Directors or Trustees and a bank account in the organisation's own name
  • Community Interest Companies may apply only if limited by guarantee and after confirmation from a Grants Manager
  • Applicants must know Buckinghamshire communities and have a demonstrable track record of working with them, and the work must benefit people living in the county
  • The FAQs say the Foundation generally supports charities operating for at least 12 months
  • You can hold and apply for only one Rothschild Foundation grant at a time (exceptions only after discussion)
  • Consortium applications are welcome after contacting the Grants team
  • Not eligible: for-profit organisations and businesses, individuals, statutory bodies such as schools, prisons and hospitals (town/parish councils only as part of wider strategic initiatives, case by case), uniformed groups, and organisations based in Milton Keynes or counties neighbouring Buckinghamshire

What it funds

Aim: bringing people together to grow fresh fruit and vegetables, increasing access to fresh produce and building more resilient, healthier and happier communities in Buckinghamshire:

  • Creating and maintaining shared gardens focused on community benefit, including improved health and wellbeing, and employability
  • Transforming neglected public spaces into community growing opportunities
  • Physical adaptations to broaden access, such as raised beds and ramps
  • Practical workshops such as planting seeds and harvesting, and education on the connection between growing food and environmental impacts
  • Community outreach supporting engagement with diverse audiences, particularly underrepresented groups and young people
  • Workshops and training on crop growing, composting, soil health and other nature-friendly practices such as no-dig gardening
  • Organisational development support in areas like safeguarding, volunteer engagement and inclusive working practices
  • Job-shadowing, internships and apprenticeships giving individuals hands-on experience in community growing
  • Infrastructure development and development of converted spaces
  • Collaborations so locally grown produce reaches school cafeterias, community lunch groups and food access organisations
  • Networking, communications and shared resources that strengthen the community growing movement
  • Project, core and capital costs (where funding is capital only, the Foundation prefers not to be the only funder)

What it will not fund

  • Activity in Milton Keynes or counties neighbouring Buckinghamshire, or projects that benefit people living outside the county
  • For-profit organisations and businesses (CICs only if limited by guarantee)
  • Individuals, including bursaries, scholarships, academic research or student fees for one person
  • Reimbursement of activity that has already taken place, or replacing lost income
  • Projects whose budgets are more than 50% capital costs, including restoration or refurbishment of buildings
  • Projects whose budgets are more than 50% equipment, including IT equipment
  • Promotion of religion and proselytising organisations
  • Organisations that engage in, publicly support or align with extreme or partisan political or religious views
  • Organisations with fewer than three Directors or Trustees
  • Overseas travel, expeditions, adventure and residential courses, and respite breaks
  • Repayment of loans or debt
  • Statutory bodies including schools, prisons and hospitals (schools should consider the Schools Access Fund)
  • Organisations providing medical care or medical equipment
  • Animal welfare charities and campaigns
  • Uniformed groups
  • Organisations lacking knowledge of Buckinghamshire communities or a track record of working with them

How to apply

  1. Read the programme's funding priorities and the application guidance (Our Application Process page and Grant FAQs)
  2. Optionally book a pre-application call or meeting with the Grants team (grants@rothschildfoundation.org.uk) to discuss your idea; recommended for larger requests
  3. Create an account on the Foundation's grants portal (bbgm-apply.yourcausegrants.com) and take the eligibility quiz
  4. Complete the online application form, choosing up to two of the programme's outcomes your activity will contribute to and explaining how you will monitor and evaluate them
  5. Upload the required policies, governing document, accounts, budget and bank proof
  6. Submit before midnight on a deadline: for requests under £30,000 the deadlines every year are 27 January, 18 April, 27 August and 18 November; for requests over £30,000 they are 31 March and 1 September

if you need help to use the portal or guidance (literacy, language, vision or other needs) you can request a £300 Access Support grant first

the Foundation does not comment on draft applications; unsuccessful applicants receive feedback and may reapply, ideally after speaking to a Grants Manager

Have ready

  • Safeguarding policy
  • Health and Safety policy
  • Equality policy
  • GDPR policy
  • Environmental Sustainability policy (if the application is over £5,000)
  • Governing document or constitution demonstrating three Directors or Trustees
  • Management accounts
  • Full project budget, or an organisational budget if applying for core costs (if the application is over £5,000)
  • Proof of your organisation's bank account

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