A new fund for Barking and Dagenham
Local residents have designed a brand-new grant fund for our borough: the Nourish & Thrive Fund. They’ve shaped what it’s for, what it prioritises, and who decides- and it will be these same residents who read the applications and choose which projects receive funding.
Grants of £6,583 and £18,000 are now available for organisations helping residents build healthier lives through food. Applications close Monday 2 November 2026, 10am.
Read on to find out more and how to apply!
Why this fund is needed
Too many residents in Barking and Dagenham struggle to access healthy, affordable food- and even when it’s available, knowing what to do with it and fitting it into daily routines can be just as hard. Research has identified parts of our borough as among London’s “food deserts”, where barriers leave residents with nutritionally poor diets. The effects show up in our community’s health and wellbeing, for children and adults alike.
The purpose of the Nourish & Thrive Fund
The Nourish & Thrive Fund exists to change this. We want to help residents build healthier lives through the vehicle of food- improving access to healthy food by building the knowledge, skills and confidence to use it, and supporting positive, lasting changes in habits, behaviours and attitudes that residents in Barking and Dagenham can carry into their everyday routines. In short: enabling residents to nourish, and to thrive.
Who we want to hear from
We want to hear from organisations that share this mission. This includes:
- Organisations with fresh, creative new ideas for changing how our communities think about and use healthy food.
- Or, established organisations already doing this vital work in our borough.
Grants available
We are inviting organisations who have the below structure:
- Charities registered with the Charity Commission
- Charitable incorporated organisations (CIO’s)
- Community interest companies (CIC’s)
- Companies limited by guarantee operating on a not-for-profit basis
To apply for the following grants:
1) Smaller grants of £6,583
For projects of up to 12 months that build knowledge, skills and confidence around healthy food, and support positive, lasting changes in habits, behaviours and attitudes that residents can carry forward. Existing projects and new ideas are both welcome.
2) Larger grants of £18,000
For established work only- not new ideas or pilots. They can be used in one of two ways:
- Running costs– for organisations whose core purpose is helping residents live healthier lives through food. This is broader than food education and skills alone.
- Established project/ programme– for a project or programme that has been running for at least one year and does the same kind of work as the smaller grants: building knowledge, skills and confidence around healthy food, and supporting lasting changes in habits, behaviours and attitudes.
Organisations are welcome to submit an application for both of the funds but please note that you can only be awarded one grant.
Timelines: Funds must be spent within 12 months of receipt.
Who can apply?
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for a grant from us you must be one of the organisation types listed above and also meet the following criteria:
- Focus on food and promote health and wellbeing for Barking and Dagenham residents.
- Benefit borough residents: Organisations don’t need to be based in Barking and Dagenham, but the project must clearly serve local residents in Barking and Dagenham.
- Have an annual turnover of £300,000 or less in the last 12 month period, or your last published set of accounts (if this is relevant for you).
- Create inclusive and welcoming environments and demonstrate a positive impact on the community.
- Meet relevant food safety requirements. If your project involves preparing or handling food, you must have appropriately trained staff or volunteers and any required food hygiene certification in place before food-related activities begin.
We especially welcome applications that:
- Target and accommodate under-represented groups, such as residents with disabilities or from low-income households.
- Are planning to create shareable content (e.g. videos, guides, or social media) that showcases your project’s impact for other residents to see and hear.
To be eligible, you must also have the following:
- A written governing document (e.g. a constitution, set of rules, or trust deed)
- At least three unrelated people on your governing body or management committee
- A UK bank or building society account in the name of your organisation, that requires at least two authorised signatories- who are unrelated and do not live at the same address- to sign cheques or make a withdrawal.
Interested in applying?
- Please read the applicant information document here for further info, including answers to Frequently Asked Questions
- Attend an online drop-in session where you can ask questions about the fund to the BD Giving team on Monday 12th October from 11:30am-12:30pm, by signing up here
- When you’re ready, please submit your application here
The deadline to apply is Monday 2nd November 2026 at 10am.
For questions or support, please contact: emma@bdgiving.org.uk.
Cross-borough partnership
Thanks to National Lottery players, Barking & Dagenham Giving, Camden Giving, and Islington Giving have each received over £100k for their boroughs from the from the National Lottery Community Fund. Together, we will support residents to sustainably shape local health solutions in the grants process and beyond.
