Our Vision is a future where communities grow, green spaces flourish, and together we thrive.
We believe that we can have a greater impact by working with other people that are experts in their field or rooted in their community. This is why we have developed our 'Space to Grow' Partnership Programme which ranges from low-cost site hire, collaborative project design and delivery to 24 month Residencies.
Who can apply...
We welcome applications from: community groups, charities, CIC’s and individuals with a small social impact project.
All of our partners must share our vision: “a future where communities grow, green spaces flourish, and together we thrive”. We will give priority to:
- those whose activities are land-based, strengthen connections between land, animals and people, and nourish communities by sharing local, seasonal food together; and
- those who engage people underrepresented in green space and the agricultural sector and those who support people experiencing mental ill-health, disadvantage and/or marginalisation
It is vital that applicants actively consider equality, diversity and inclusion in their work.
Who can't apply
- Groups that duplicate what the Farm already offers (see our Operation Plan)
- Activities that do not support the Farm's vision, aims or go against our values
- Individuals / activities that are not social impact focused, such as Birthday parties
- Schools, Nurseries/Pre-schools, Universities, Local authorities and/or politically focused orgs/groups
- Individuals or groups outside Bristol
- Sole traders of those that will create profit for private distribution
- Faith Organisations may apply, as long as there is a clear benefit to the local community and not just to those of a particular faith.
- Those who wish to put on fundraising event for their specific project - we reserve the right to use Farm sites for Farm Fundraising events.
Types of Partnerships
Low-cost Space Hire
We know that sometimes, you just need a warm, accessible space (at a decent price) to make a big impact. Our Partnership Programme allow you to do just that, choosing low-cost space for either one-off events or regular activities (for up to 12 weeks).
Our spaces include:
- 2 indoor classrooms/meeting space
- a training kitchen and classroom
- a larger Community Building
- Boiling Wells Woodland with outdoor amphitheatre
We offer our chosen partners a low-cost rate which covers utilities and overheads, health and safety requirements and support from our Services Operational Manager to ensure your activity/project runs smoothly. We will always try to work with our chosen partners to find a price that you can afford, whilst ensuring that the Farm is not out of pocket, and that our Partnership Programme is sustainable.
Applications will be looked at quarterly with deadlines on the 1st of June, September, December and March. With successful applicants able to begin running sessions two months after the deadline they applied to.
12 or 24 month Residencies
We welcome fledgling organisations that share our vision to use our sites to develop their activities for their community. We understand that to pilot a new idea or a new way of working, you may need more than 12 weeks. That is why we offer a 12 or 24 month Residency so you have Space to Grow!
Collaborations
We welcome collaborations with organisations who share our values and want to work together, sharing funding, skills, resources etc to maximise our impact for the community. Together we may be stronger!
Opportunities to collaborate may arise at any time of the year depending on the Farm's priorities, need of the community, gaps in our provision and our capacity. But if you want to start a conversation about collaborating with the Farm, fill out this brief application form and return it by 1st of December each year. If we think your idea meets our priorities, we will get in touch to arrange a face to face meeting.
Examples of past activities we have supported include:
- Pan-African cooking courses for migrant woman
- English language and cooking opportunities for recently arrived Refugees
- Art classes for women experiencing isolation and mental-ill health
- Woodland and nature connection activities for LQBTQ+ communities
- Outdoor youth activities for urban young people who experience inequality
When to apply
If you want to partner with us but feel that these ways of engaging don’t quite suit your idea, please drop us an email on community@swcityfarm.co.uk and we will see if we can help.
Terms and Conditions: All successful partners must complete a Partnership Agreement, agreeing to follow our Risk Assessments, Policies and cleaning systems.
We will ask you to share your impact with us so we know if our Space to Grow programme is effective. We will also ask every group to pay a contribution towards utilities, giving you the best price for accessing a space, but ensuring that the Farm is not out of pocket.
