Carnegie UK Trust: Growing Livelihoods
Overview
Growing Livelihoods is a practical project which will work to create new opportunities in smaller-scale food growing for young people, those new to the sector or those seeing a new direction. The aim is to help people through co-operation and innovation to create skilled jobs that provide viable livelihoods.
The Pilot Programme
They are looking to work with five further innovative smaller-scale food growing enterprises from across the UK and Ireland who are committed to share their learning as they test new opportunities. The programme will run for a year from Aug 2015 - Aug 2016.
Some examples of what they are looking for
They are looking for applications from those who are working with people new to commercial growing, whether this is young people, career changers or people with existing skills that would like to try a new approach.
They would encourage applications from growers or groups of growers looking to co-operate in some way. This could be to help with input costs (for example, group buying, sharing machinery and services), maximising the price of their products (for example through group marketing, shared processing) or working together to create new routes to market.
The support package:
- A £6,000 grant which can be used to support the development of the enterprise idea or collaboration with other growers (for example, a shared brand, a grower’s website..)
- £500 grant towards a package of support that can include help with business planning, marketing planning, financial planning and horticultural mentoring.
- The opportunity to network with other growers looking to work in different ways to create viable livelihoods for new entrants. We’ll be providing events to get people together and will offer study visits.
What will be required from the successful participants?
- Short quarterly update reports
- A more detailed end of year report including an element of internal evaluation
- Participation in bi-monthly tele/video conferences
- Attendance at two networking and learning events (travel and accommodation will have to be budgeted for out of the £6k grant.)
- Participation in a series of short case study films for the programme (this could take up to a day of your time.)
- Participation in the wider social media promotion of the programme. This may include the use of Twitter (#growinglivelihoods) or writing a blog/article for the Growing Livelihoods newsletter.