ACVO Opportunities

Funding

Climate Action Fund – Food Systems

Funding available: up to £5 million

Applications close: 31/12/2026

About this fund

We want to support ways of producing enough healthy, affordable food without harming the planet.

We will do this by supporting work that:

  • works with nature to create resilient, sustainable and equitable food systems (this is called agroecology)
  • addresses the root cause of long-term problems, not just the symptoms (this is called systems change)

You must meet one or more of our aims

  • Your project must work towards systems change in the way that:
  • community organisations grow and produce food – using agroecological methods
  • food gets distributed – aiming for equitable access to healthy, affordable food for all
  • offers people and communities different food options – especially those experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination

For more detail, see our funding aims.

You must meet all of these criteria

You must show us that you’ll:

  • work in a partnership
  • make a lasting impact on climate change, the environment and nature
  • significantly increase access to healthy, affordable food – especially for those experiencing poverty, disadvantage or discrimination
  • have firm plans to measure the impact of your work
  • have firm plans to tell the story of your project to inspire others
  • show how you’ll meaningfully involve communities and organisations representing communities in your project

For more detail, see criteria your project must meet.

How much can you apply for

You can apply for a minimum of £2.5 million over 3 years.

Most projects we fund will:

  • receive between £3 million and £5 million
  • run for between 5 and 7 years

We expect to fund up to 10 projects in the first year.

Looking for support with funding?

Identifying funding opportunities and writing grant applications can seem overwhelming, especially when the future sustainability of your group is dependent on gaining funding support. 

Our supportive Funding Officer, Claire Shaw, can help your organisation with every step of the funding application process, from carrying out funding searches to proofreading your application.

Share this opportunity

Climate Action Fund – Food Systems

The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland

Funding available: up to £5 million

Applications close: 31/12/2026

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