Safefood: Community Food Initiatives Programme
Overview
Background
The Community Food Initiatives programme aims to empower people in low-income communities to make healthier food choices. It funds local projects that improve access to healthy and safe food using a community development approach. Since 2010, over 65,000 people have taken part in a Community Food Initiative activity.
The Community Food Initiatives Programme 2025-28 is funded by Safefood and administered by SECAD Partnership CLG.
Safefood is an all-island implementation body set up under the British-Irish Agreement (1999) to promote awareness and knowledge of food safety and healthy eating on the island of Ireland.
About the programme
CFI Innovate (formerly CFI at Home) will fund organisations to deliver one off projects. Funding can be used to deliver projects that take a programme approach where participants are supported over a period of time. Funding can also be used to deliver other innovative projects or initiatives that use food as a vehicle to address key health and social concerns for the local community.
There are 2 options for the delivery of a CFI Innovate project:
1. CFI Innovate small project
2. CFI Innovate – improving availability and access to safe and healthy food
An overview of CFI Innovate can be viewed through clicking on this link: https://youtu.be/0lXpOQiPxYI
Funding
Interested organisations can apply for funding up to a maximum of €1,500 or the sterling equivalent to deliver a project in their local area.
Applicant Organisation Criteria
Organisations must:
- Be community-led organisations with a legal status and appropriate governance structure
- Be experienced in the management of public funds which support social inclusion initiatives
- Currently employ and manage professionals with community development experience
- Have experience of working with the target group identified
- Be supporting other broader community initiatives through their work
- Provide supports across communities irrespective of age, race or creed
CFI Online Hub
Safefood has developed a range of online, video and print resources that can be used as part of programmes that support and encourage people to develop skills and knowledge. The CFI Online Hub will assist organisations who wish to design healthy eating programmes for their clients and can be accessed here.
Applicant Organisation Criteria
Organisations must:
- Be community-led organisations with a legal status and appropriate governance structure
- Be experienced in the management of public funds which support social inclusion initiatives
- Currently employ and manage full time professionals with community development experience
- Have experience of working with the target group identified
- Be supporting other broader community initiatives through their work
- Provide supports across communities irrespective of age, race or creed
Funding
In previous years, interested organisations could apply for funding up to a maximum of €2,000 or £1,720 to deliver a project in their local area.