Introduction

In July 2022 we announced a cost-of-living emergency and agreed a £2 million fund to help residents hardest hit. We know that our current services are continuing to see an increase in residents accessing their services.

Cabinet agreed an allocation from tranche 3 of this fund for activities tackling food insecurity, as a key priority area. In December 2024, Cabinet members agreed that a portion of this funding would be allocated towards the creation of a new food distribution hub.

We are establishing this local surplus food distribution hub (Surplus Food Hub) to source, coordinate and distribute surplus food to food aid organisations in the borough, ensuring they can provide sufficient, safe and nutritious food (and other goods) to their users.

What are we seeking?

We are looking for bids to run Merton’s new (surplus) food distribution Hub.

We would like bids from an organisation or organisations that are in a position to scale up their existing Merton based operation to perform this new function. This means that the bidding organisation or organisations need to be based in Merton and already have:

  • Access/potential access to a space that could serve as a distribution Hub
  • Access to fridges and freezers
  • Ideally access to vehicles and drivers

We would be very pleased to see a partnership of organisations express interest in this opportunity if a single organisation cannot meet the above requirements.

The purpose of the Merton surplus food / food distribution Hub is to rationalise the collection and delivery of surplus food and reduce the workload for individual organisations in the collection and delivery of food. This is a two-year project, and we expect it to evolve over the two years.

The detail of the model will be developed with the successful partner / partners. The following, however, broadly covers, what the Hub will be expected to deliver:

  • Ensure the delivery of food supplies across the Borough to signed up members of the Hub
  • Ensure the two Borough food pantries are supplied with appropriate quality and quantity of supplies appropriate for a pantry level operation
  • Organising, receiving, sorting and distributing a good range of food to providers
  • Work with food insecurity providers across the Borough to ensure a manageable collection and delivery programme across the weeks
  • Foster good relationships with stakeholders across the Borough
  • Ensure that as far as possible food insecurity providers receive a good balance of healthy food and other goods
  • Build up a resource of volunteer drivers to deliver food across the Borough
  • Recruit volunteers
  • Expand / set up partnerships with new and existing surplus food suppliers
  • Build up relationship and supply of fruit and vegetables from local growers and allotments
  • Explore co-operative buying arrangements to minimise the cost of items not available through surplus
  • Build up supply of culturally appropriate food supplies
  • Seek corporate sponsorship and other funding opportunities
  • Fund raise for items not available via surplus food suppliers
  • Manage own delivery vehicle, vehicles
  • Have robust systems for reporting on contractual requirements-including data on food surplus received and food surplus distributed.

What to include in your bid

In your submission we would like you to cover the following:

  • How you would scale up your existing operation
  • How you would ensure sustainability of the programme beyond the initial 2-year period
  • Your partners if presenting a partnership bid
  • Your costing model
  • Your delivery model
  • Your governance arrangements
  • Your reporting arrangements
  • Your approaches to seeking other sources of funding and food

How much is available and over what time period?

We are offering a grant of up to £110,000 over a two-year period from date the funding starts, which could be March or April 2025. This will include initial set up costs and year one and two running costs.

What will we fund?

In developing the cost organisations should be clear where finances are required to scale up existing provision, or where there is currently a gap which requires funding. Costs may include:

  • Coordinator and volunteer management time
  • Additional fridge / freezer capacity
  • Shelving / storage
  • Insurance
  • Fuel
  • Training
  • Admin support
  • Data systems

Who can apply?

The following organisations are eligible to apply:

  • Charitable Trust
  • Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
  • Co-operative Society (must have a not-for-profit / asset lock clause(s) in their Society Rules AND be registered with the Financial Conduct Authority)
  • Community Benefit Society
  • Community Interest Company Limited by Guarantee
  • Company Limited by Guarantee (must be a registered charity OR have a not-for-profit / asset lock clause(s) in their Articles of Association)
  • Unincorporated Association / Organisation

We would welcome collaborative partner bids.

Any organisation applying for funding must not use their grant to pay for publicity that is for or against any political party. We will consider bids from faith-based bodies and religious organisations; however, funding cannot be used to promote any religious activities and all services for which grant funding is used must be delivered in a way that is fully inclusive.

Timeline

  • 9am - Friday 17 January - Application process opens.
  • 4pm - 5pm 12 February - Opportunity for informal proposal discussion with commissioner (alternative dates also possible).
  • 5pm - Thursday 20 February - Application process closes.
  • W/b 24 February - Application assessment panel.
  • 7 March - Notification of funding decision.
  • 21 March - Funding agreed and allocated.
  • End March - successful applicant(s) mobilisation.

How to apply

Organisations interested in applying for grant funding need to complete the application form and email it to voluntary.sector@merton.gov.uk by 5pm, Thursday 20 February 2025.

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact voluntary.sector@merton.gov.uk