Food & Drink Fund

Grants to support the work of organisations addressing food poverty, working to improve nutrition and encourage healthy cooking and eating throughout Suffolk, particularly among children and young people. 

The criteria of the fund reflects the desire of the food and drink industry to come together to make a difference to the lives of those living in Suffolk.  

Due to increasing demand, grants of up to £5,000 are available, with the typical amount awarded being around £2,000, to support voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations as well as parish councils, addressing local needs in Suffolk.

Priority is given to initiatives with a focus on food and drink, particularly foodbanks and grassroots organisations tackling food insecurity, poverty, poor nutrition, children’s hunger, and promoting healthy eating and a positive food culture.

The funders are especially interested in applications for educational projects aimed at individuals, older people, and children and families. These projects should focus on topics such as cooking easy meals on a budget, nutrition and meal planning, improving cooking skills, and addressing issues like obesity and diet-related health concerns.

The fund supports projects addressing one or more of the following themes:

• Improving health and wellbeing – providing emergency food provisions and school holiday hunger projects, providing meals and refreshments to help bring communities together, supporting those experiencing challenges in their lives.
• Overcoming problems – helping people who are experiencing difficult circumstances due to mental ill health, bereavement or financial difficulty.

Applicants will be required to provide evidence of how they will identify those in need in the geographical area where they will be working.

One-off events will not be eligible for funding. Generally, spending on capital items will not be considered unless it clearly aligns with the fund’s long-term goals of promoting healthy eating and a positive food culture.

Grants can be used to support both existing services or facilities, as well as new initiatives and projects. Organisations that have received funding in the past are welcome to apply again.

This is a small fund offering grants usually up to £5,000. However, larger grants may be considered for exceptional projects. If you are interested in applying for a larger amount, please contact a Grants Officer on 01473 602602 before submitting your application.