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Growing Community Food Enterprises toolkit

Welcome to our toolkit, Growing Community Food Enterprises. This toolkit was produced as part of Sustain’s Connecting Community Food Enterprises project and aims to support community food projects to develop more sustainably, with tips, tools and guidance.

Funded by the Barrow Cadbury Trust Connect Fund, Sustain ran our Connecting Community Food Enterprises project between March 2023-2024. In partnership with 4 English regions and business support partner GCDA, we learned from a network of community food projects across the country in order to produce tools, resources and case studies to help other community food enterprises to thrive.

You can find out more about our project here and read our case studies from community food projects across England for inspiration.

For useful definitions, have a look at our glossary.

How to use the toolkit

Start here to find out who the toolkit is for, how to use it, and why and how it was developed.

Starting off

This section contains tips and tools to help you develop your project idea, aims, and understand which legal structure is right for you.

Defining the need

This section helps you to understand who your audience is and how best to attract them to your project.

Making the change

Thinking strategically is important for the sustainability of your project. This section helps you think about the bigger picture and how you are going to achieve your goals.

Products, services and operations

This section contains the ‘meat/tofu’ of what is needed to actually make your project happen, including your legal requirements.

Food supply

Getting enough, good quality, appropriate food is key a challenge reported by community food projects. This section details different options for sourcing food, including examples of some innovative...

Managing your finances

Managing your finances and having enough income is vital for your project to be successful and sustainable. This section contains an overview of what you will need to consider.

Communications

Marketing your project to your target audience is what will get people through the door. This section contains useful communications tools.

Sustain • Good Food Enterprise

Good Food Enterprise: Working to provide food that is good for people and the planet, and support local production playing a part in community beyond trading.

Sustain • Good Food Enterprise

Glossary

Definitions of key terms used in this toolkit.

Open glossary

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