Action learning grants
Through the Just FACT Action Learning Grants we want people to identify a problem in our local food system, then try out ideas and solutions. What we learn will contribute to the Blueprint research.
We want to explore how our relationship to food can be transformed, what might empower and enable us to make more sustainable food choices in a way that celebrates culture and traditions, and what bigger changes are needed to create a food system that works better for people and planet. We want to know what the challenges and opportunities for change are in a borough like Tower Hamlets.
All organisations and groups who receive funding will join the Just FACT Partnership. The Women’s Environmental Network (Wen) is the organisation awarding the grants with funding from the National Lottery Community Fund’s Climate Action Fund. You can read about our participatory approach here.
There is a limited amount of funding available through Just FACT Action Learning Grants, so we’ve also compiled a list of other sources of funding that might be useful to your and your projects.
The next and final round of Just FACT grants will open on the 19th September 2023, with a deadline to apply of 7th November 2023.
Community hub grants
For projects that bring together local residents – such as families, intergenerational groups, social circles, young people or other social circles in Tower Hamlets – for conversation, learning and taking action together on food and climate issues.
Projects will build on the cultural, experiential and practical knowledge and skills that already exists within Tower Hamlets. They will value the wider benefits of activities such as health and wellbeing, saving money, and creating joy and connection.
- Funding size: £1,000-£10,000
- Total funding available: £45,000
- How many projects will be funded: approx 5-7
- Applications open: 19th September 2023
- Application deadline: 7th November 2023 12pm
- Duration of projects: 6 months minimum, completed by August 2025
- Suitable for: Tower Hamlets focused organisation and groups
Community lab grants
Community Labs grants are a way of applying for larger amounts of funding for community-driven projects that help reduce carbon emissions from our food system.
Your project will demonstrate that a new system is possible, presenting an alternative to what exists at the moment. Projects could look at any part of the food system – from farming, manufacturing, packaging, transporting, retailing, food preparation, consumption, and how waste is managed.
Your project might involve new infrastructure, new enterprise, and solutions that have the potential to be replicable and long-term. This could involve creating something new, or building on or expanding something that already exists.
- Funding size: £10,000-£40,000
- Total funding available: £130,000
- How many projects will be funded: approx 4-6
- Applications open: 19th September 2023
- Application deadline: 7th November 2023 12pm
- Duration of projects: 1 year minimum, completed by August 2025
- Suitable for: Tower Hamlets focused organisation and groups (who have not yet received a Just FACT grant)
faq's
Alongside the grant guidance provided, we will run a webinar where you can find out more about the grants and ask questions. One to one support is also available for people who are applying for funding for the first time, for who English is a second language, who have a sensory impairment (visual, auditory), who are neurodiverse (dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism etc). What this support looks like will vary. We will arrange an initial call to find out more about your needs, then we will arrange a one to one support session which could be either in person or online. Please express interest in receiving support by emailing [email protected].
The Just FACT funding can be used as match funding, or to build on, expand work that is already happening. It’s doesn’t have to be a project completely starting from scratch.
If you are an individual with a project idea, your project would need to be hosted by an eligible organisation or constituted group (see list of ‘who can apply’ in the grant guidance). This applies to the Community Hubs grants only (individuals cannot be hosted for the Community Labs grants). Please contact the Just FACT team if you’d like more information [email protected]
Any organisation or group can apply to the Community Hub Grants multiple times and may receive funding for different ideas. This differs from the Community Lab Grants – organisations will only be able to receive funding once from this funding stream.
The application form is the only thing that will be looked at. Please do not provide any additional materials as they won’t be considered. We will get in touch if we have any questions about your application or if we need any more information.
Insurance and other relevant policies don’t need to be in place at time of applying, but will need to be in place before delivery starts. If you are unsure about what you need for your project, please contact us [email protected]
Some of the carbon emission impacts are more direct and some are less direct. In the Community Labs application form there is a list of possible ways your projects might reduce emissions in areas like production, transport, waste, consumption. Lucy Harbor, the Just FACT Evaluator, will work with you to help calculate any carbon emissions reductions (you won’t have to do this by yourself)
As long as the project itself is about Tower Hamlets or focused on people in Tower Hamlets, you don’t need to be based there. One of the criteria is about having local communities at the heart and centre of the project, so you would need to demonstrate that they would have power in or over the project as well.
We will aim to get back to all applicants by the end of November. We suggest allowing at least 4 weeks for the necessary administration, which includes signing the grant agreement and financial arrangements. Therefore we advise projects have a start date no earlier than mid January 2024.
If your project is successful, you will meet with Wen to agree a payment schedule. These schedules will vary depending on the scale and duration of the project. For smaller projects the grant is likely to be given in a one off payment, for larger projects there may be more than one instalment.
Events
OCTOBER
11
COMMUNITY HUB GRANTS - WEBINAR
1000 – 1100
In this online webinar we will go through the Community Hub Grants, the criteria and application process, and you will have the opportunity to ask any questions.
OCTOBER
11
COMMUNITY LAB GRANTS - WEBINAR
1130 – 1230
In this online webinar we will go through the Community Lab Grants, the criteria and application process, and you will have the opportunity to ask any questions.