Our Urban Shop is a pilot project that aims to help urban communities in the UK overcome the issues of buying good food locally. The Plunkett Foundation has partnered with Locality and received funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to help urban communities access the support and resources available for rural communities to set up community-owned shops.
This pilot programme is offering grants to community groups and organisations to develop a community-owned shop in an urban community of the UK that meets the needs of their community.
The Plunkett Foundation’s Our Urban Shop Grant pilot programme is offering funding for communities in urban areas of the UK to develop and run a community-owned shop that will stock food and other basic provisions.
Any urban community group or organisation in the UK can apply for grants of between £20,000 and £30,000.
The grants can be used for:
• Incorporation fees
• Planning applications
• Accountancy support
• Other professional fees
• Purchasing and/or refurbishing premises
• Printing and promoting a community share offer (up to £50)
• Other essential costs, such as fixtures, fittings, equipment and stock
To be eligible, a community must:
• Be based in an urban area of any size within the UK
• Actively work together to encourage participation and engagement
• Be in the early stages of exploring the potential of a new community-owned shop or be more developed
• Want to set up and run a community-owned shop, not a private business
• Show a need for both business and community development support
• Show a commitment to multiple forms of investment from the community and other sources, and therefore will not be solely dependent on an ‘Our Urban Shop Grant’
• Meet the ‘Our Urban Shop’ pilot’s goals and values including overcoming any local community issues and challenges
• Be willing to work with the 'Our Urban Shop' team in 2015/16
For further information and to apply, visit: www.plunkett.co.uk/our-urban-shop, or contact 01993 810 730, or email: [email protected]
Deadline: Friday 18 December 2015