Partnerships & joint initiatives

The Federation is involved in a number of partnerships and consortiums, as well as being an integral part of several Government initiatives. Working with other organisations in this way allows the Federation to extend its influence and range of work much further than would be possible by working on its own.

Many of these initiatives have direct benefits for our members and help to raise the profile of issues such as sustainability, healthy eating, education, social enterprise and neighbourhood regeneration, that our members tackle at grass-roots level.

Below is an outline of our main partnerships and the initiatives we are involved in. Use the menu opposite or click on each logo to get fuller details or to link directly to an initiative's website.

 

Local Food Programme

Local Food is a £50 million programme that will distribute grants to a variety of food-related projects to help make locally grown food accessible and affordable to local communities. The Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens led the development of the Local Food Programme. The programme is now managed by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) and 15 consortium members including FCFCG, on behalf of the BIG Lottery Fund.

 

Allotments Regeneration Initiative (ARI)

Allotment groups throughout the UK are benefiting from nearly £1 million of funding to promote their regeneration. The fund is administered by the Allotments Regeneration Initiative, a unique partnership between the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens and the Esme Fairbairn Foundation. 

 

School Farms Network (SFN)

FCFCG helps co-ordinate the SFN with the Department for Children, Schools and Families. The network offers support and assistance to school farms, co-ordinates meetings and facilitates the exchange of ideas and information. In addition, an e-newsletter is regularly despatched to members to keep them up to date.

 

 

Every Action Counts (EAC)

EAC is an exciting initiative for community groups, community workers and voluntary and community sector organisations in England. It is about building a sustainable future, one small action at a time. EAC is supported by Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs and delivered through a consortium of voluntary and community sector organisations including FCFCG.

 

 

Sustainable Production in Active Neighbourhoods (SPAN)

SPAN is funded by the Environmental Action Fund. There are five partner organisations working together to:

- Create a self-assessment toolkit to help community groups develop their neighbourhood
- Find new ways to increase local productivity and reduce overall consumption
- Provide a more integrated service to the public
- Work with ten pilot areas to develop the toolkit using an action research approach.

 

 

Access to Farms/CEVAS training (ATF)

Access To Farms is a partnership of 12 organisations promoting quality educational visits to farms. Browse details of training courses on offer as part of the Countryside Educational Visits Accreditation Scheme by visiting our ATF webpage on this site.

 

 

Growing Schools

Growing Schools is an initiative run by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF, which was formerly called DfES) to develop opportunities that enhance teaching and learning through farming and growing. FCFCG undertook research on behalf of DCSF during 2001 and sits on the Growing Schools Development and Delivery Group.

 

 

The National Care Farming Initiative (UK)

NCFI(UK) was created to promote the concept and effectiveness of Care Farming and to co-ordinate, support and resource the work of individuals, businesses and charities already working in this area. The founding partners of NCFI(UK) are FCFCG, Arthur Rank Centre, Harper Adams University College and the University of Essex.

 

 

Community Spaces programme (Community Spaces)

Community Spaces is a £50 million lottery funded open grants scheme providing funding and support to community groups across England.  The scheme will help groups create or improve green and open spaces to improve the quality of life in their neighbourhood.