The Community Plate Fund has been provided by Derbyshire County Council to support Food Banks, Food Pantries and Community Cafes, working to overcome financial barriers to nutrition and reducing food poverty.
Foundation Derbyshire is pleased to be working with DCC to provide critical funding to local food access projects across the county.
Foundation Derbyshire also links with the Feeding Derbyshire Network (Rural Action Derbyshire) and we would expect all groups awarded through this programme to be a part of both the Feeding Derbyshire Network and the linked Affordable Food Network to benefit from their bespoke advice, support and networking opportunities.
Type of Project costs funded:
- The direct purchase of Food and / or toiletries
- Costs to cover Fareshare or His Church Pallets fees
- Funds can be used to cover rent for properties, including warehouses, headquarters, offices used for the storage and distribution of goods
- Funds to cover the purchase of any equipment needed to replace, expand or enhance provision
Area
Derbyshire County only (this fund does not cover Derby City)
Amount
Groups can apply for up to £8,000
We would recommend providing a scalable budget as we anticipate the fund may be oversubscribed
Key Dates
The closing date for receiving applications is: Friday 20th February
A decision will be provided by: 31st March
Successful groups will need to complete spend by the 31st December 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply if I have an active grant from previous Derbyshire County Council Funding (Food Access)?
If you are one of the 24 food projects that has an active Food Access Fund grant, then your extension period and funding should end by the 31st March 2026. This means you can apply for the new Community Plate Fund – you will just need to make sure your end of grant report is returned on time.
Can we apply for staff costs or utilities?
On this occasion due to the short time frames for application assessment and the limited amount of funding available to disperse, the Community Plate Fund will focus on a few key areas only.
If you do require assistance with other budget elements please do arrange a call with Foundation Derbyshire and we can plan how to approach our own Foundation Derbyshire Fund pots.
Making An Application
Please use the Foundation’s standard application form to access the Community Plate Fund.
Ensure you provide all necessary supporting documents with your bid
