Applications to the Fair Food Transformation Fund, reasons for rejection: FOI release

Information requested

 

(a) How many applications have the Fair Food Transformation Fund received since its creation;

(b) How many of those applications have been refused;

(c) What are the top 10 reasons for applications being rejected;

(d) How many of those rejected applications came from food banks or organisations working to alleviate food poverty. 

Response

 

(a) The Fair Food Transformation Fund (FFTF) was open to applications between 27 June and 18 July 2016. It received 138 applications by the deadline. Foodbanks that made an unsuccessful bid to the FFTF were given the opportunity to engage with Nourish Scotland regarding their application in order to increase their understanding of dignity in service provision and where appropriate make another application to the Fund. A second round of applications was held in December 2016 during which time one submission was received from new applicants. Total applicants therefore sit at 139.

 

(b) 102 applicants were unsuccessful in receiving funding through the Fair Food Transformation Fund.

 

(c) Given the structure of the assessment process, it is not possible to give a “top 10” of reasons for funding not being offered. Applications had to meet specific eligibility criteria, and were assessed using a points scored system by an assessment panel to determine if they met the dignified food provision principles (https://www.gov.scot/publications/dignity-ending-hunger-together-scotland-report-independendent-working-group-food/pages/3/).  As such, the reasons for applications being unsuccessful were that they either did not meet the dignity principles, or that the overall assessment score was not high enough compared to other applications.

 

(d) As the purpose of the Fair Food Transformation Fund is to support organisations in combating food insecurity, all applicants, successful or otherwise, operate with the intention of alleviating food poverty.

 

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