Gwynedd Food and Support Fund

Maximum capital grant: £5,000

Capital funding can support equipment or improvements that enable organisations to provide or develop community food services.

This may include:

• refrigerators and freezers;
• cooking equipment;
• storage facilities;
• equipment for food provision;
• equipment for community cafés, pantries, or markets;
• equipment for local food-growing or food-production initiatives.

Applications will need to demonstrate a clear need for the investment, that the costs are reasonable (quotations should be provided where appropriate) and how the equipment will contribute to sustainable service delivery.

Maximum revenue grant: £3,000

Revenue funding can support the direct costs of projects that contribute to the objectives of the Fund.

This may include:

• purchasing food;
• delivering community food activities;
• reasonable transport or distribution costs where a need can be demonstrated;
• activities that help people develop skills or resilience;
• activities that connect people with wider advice and support services;
• other reasonable costs that are directly related to delivering the project.

Appropriate evidence will be required for all expenditure.

The Fund can support a wide range of activities that respond to food insecurity and help build long-term resilience.

This may include:

• food banks;
• community pantries;
• lunch or supper clubs;
• community meals and food-based activities;
• cooking activities and skills development;
• food-growing initiatives;
• emergency food support;
• projects that improve access to nutritious and affordable food;
• activities that combine food provision with advice, information, community activities, or other forms of support.

We would particularly welcome projects that can demonstrate how they link food support with preventative work and broader support services.

It’s essential that the plans are fully carried out within the 2026/27 financial year.

The Fund will not normally support:

• commercial activities or activities that generate profit;
• an organisation’s core running costs where there is no clear link to the project;
• membership fees;
• activities that have already been fully funded from another source;
• projects that duplicate existing local provision without clear evidence of additional need;
• costs for which appropriate evidence cannot be provided; or
• provision that focuses solely on food distribution without demonstrating how it contributes to the wider objectives of the Fund.

Not-for-profit organisations may apply, including:

• charities;
• constituted community and voluntary groups;
• social enterprises;
• not-for-profit companies;
• Community Benefit Societies, where no commercial gain is derived from the project;
• similar non-profit organisations
• Community and Town councils.

The Fund will not support activities that are designed primarily to generate commercial profit.

Applications will be assessed based on the quality of the application and the difference the project is expected to make.

We will consider the following in particular:

Local Need

Is there clear evidence that the project is needed within the community?

Added Value

What does the project offer beyond simply providing food?

Access to Support

How will the project help people access information, advice, or other services when needed?

Partnership and Networking

How does the project work with other local organisations, services, and networks?

Avoiding Duplication

What similar provision already exists in the area, and how does the project complement rather than duplicate it?

Sustainability

How does the project help build resilience and reduce reliance on emergency support over time?

Accessibility

Is the provision accessible to those who need it most, including residents of rural or remote communities?

We recognise that there will be circumstances where providing an emergency food parcel is the appropriate and immediate response.

It may also be necessary to deliver food directly to an individual’s home, for example where health issues, disability, transport difficulties, rural location, or other circumstances make it difficult to access food provision.

However, we do not want the Fund to support a model that is solely focused on food distribution without any connection to wider support services.

Projects that provide food parcels will need to demonstrate how they will, where appropriate, provide opportunities for individuals to access information, advice, signposting, or connections to other services that can help address the circumstances that have led to their need for support.

Cyngor Gwynedd wants to ensure that the funding available is used fairly and responds to need across the county.

The quality of the application and the level of need demonstrated will be central to the decision-making process. However, when assessing applications and allocating funding, we will also consider the broader picture of provision across Gwynedd.

This may include:

• the level of need within the area;
• the number and concentration of projects already operating;
• any geographical gaps or gaps in provision;
• the rural or remote nature of the area;
• transport or access barriers;
• other provision available locally;
• the project's potential to collaborate with existing provision.

This does not mean that funding will be distributed equally across all areas. The aim is to ensure that investment reflects need, avoids unnecessary duplication, and helps to secure reasonable access to support across Gwynedd.

Cyngor Gwynedd is working to bring public services, support, and community activities closer together, making it easier for residents to access assistance within their communities.

We therefore want projects supported through the Fund to form part of the local support network rather than operating in isolation.

Projects will be expected to:

• work with other organisations, services, and groups in their local area;
• be aware of the other support available locally and be able to signpost people to it;
• promote their provision through relevant local networks, including libraries and community hubs;
• ensure that up-to-date information about their services is available on Dewis Cymru, where appropriate
• share information about their services with partners to help create clear pathways to support.

The provision should be accessible to people experiencing financial hardship.

Where a charge is made for food, meals, or activities, the cost should be reasonable and should not create a barrier for those who are most in need of the service.

No commercial profit should be generated from any provision funded through the Fund.

We want to measure more than just the number of meals or food parcels provided.

Projects will be required to provide basic information about their activities and the difference they have made.

This may include:

• the number of individuals or families supported;
• the number of meals or food parcels provided;
• the number of people who received additional information or support;
• the number of people who were referred or connected to another service;
• additional activities or services offered;
• local partnerships developed;
• how the project has responded to local need; and
• brief examples of the difference the project has made to individuals, families, or the wider community.

Organisations will not be expected to collect unnecessary or sensitive personal information in order to demonstrate their impact.