The second round of the Co-op Foundation’s £3.5 million Carbon Innovation Fund (CIF) opens for applications today, Wednesday 1 February.
In partnership with the Co-op, the charity is offering grants between £75,000 and £200,000 to organisations working to reduce reliance on soy-based animal or fish feed and/or synthetic fertilisers.
This work will build upon the Foundation’s plan to create more sustainable communities, as part of its new strategy ‘Building communities of the future together’.
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The Carbon Innovation Fund is the largest partnership of its kind between the convenience retailer and its charity, the Co-op Foundation. It is funded by Co-op donations from the sale of compostable carrier bags in the UK, as well as the Foundation’s own funds.
Between five and 10 grants are expected to be awarded, helping the Foundation to deliver on Co-op’s vision of ‘Co-operating for a Fairer World’.
The first round of funding saw the partnership give £1.3m to organisations working to decrease carbon emissions from the food, farming and aquaculture industries.
“The Carbon Innovation Fund is our largest ever partnership with Co-op and it truly embodies our shared commitment of co-operating for a fairer world,” CEO of the Co-op Foundation, Nick Crofts said.
He added: “This second round of funding will help build more sustainable communities by reducing the environmental impact of the soy industry and synthetic fertilisers.
We want to work closely with our partners, listen and learn and I’d encourage all those eligible for this funding to apply today,” Crofts said.
Director of Propositions at Co-op, Adele Balmforth commented: “Collaboration is key to unlocking the carbon reductions that are needed to protect our planet, which is why the Carbon Innovation Fund is so integral in our ambitious pathway to Net Zero.”
Balmforth added that the second round of investment calls for innovations to “deliver a sustainable food and farming industry for the future, with areas of focus that directly impact our supply chains – something that will not only support Co-op but the wider food industry.”
The news comes as The Co-op launches a selection of wraps from Urban Rajah after it secured new listings through the convenience retailer’s support scheme for small-scale suppliers.
