THE first round of funding for 2025/26 from Dorset Community Foundation’s BCP Food and Energy Support Fund  is open until May 7.

The fund, backed by BCP Council to help groups and charities supporting households impacted by the rising cost of living, is open for applications for grants of up to £12,000.

The fund aims to support projects in the BCP area providing a range of help for those who are struggling to afford household essentials including energy and water bills, food, and wider essentials. This may include community meals, food skills initiatives, warmth packs and warm spaces, alongside support with signposting and advice.

This is the seventh time the fund has opened in three years, with more than £1 million distributed through hundreds of grants. The community foundation’s Grants Manager Ellie Maguire said: “Grants will be awarded to applicants that are delivering community initiatives that support BCP households impacted by the rising costs of living. Grants can be awarded for crisis support and for longer term services which prevent vulnerable households from falling into – or falling further into – crisis.”

The most recent round, last autumn, awarded £275,000 to almost 50 voluntary groups and charities have been supported with projecting provide food boxes, community meals, cookery workshops, cooking equipment, shopping vouchers, warm spaces, employment support, debt advice and a range of other help.

Among the recipients was Bournemouth Community Church, which will use a £9,000 grant to provide families with fresh fruit and veg and meat vouchers and run its weekly Time For Tea community meals. Community Engagement Pastor Andy Driscoll said families identified by the church’s foodbank are invited in for a meal once a week, where its team get more of a chance to get to know and help them.

“We also have a number of wraparound support partners that work with us, such as Citizens Advice and Community Money Advice from Faithworks Wessex, and we have been very successful in helping people get housing, help with visa applications and all kinds of difficulties in their lives,” he said.

Christchurch Community Partnership used its £5,600 grant to expand two weekly lunch clubs and a Sunday roast lunch for older people. Its club at Homelands in Christchurch attracts around 30 people a week but trustee Sandra Prudom said the club will bus in more people from Mudeford and Burton to grow the number to more than 45.

The group took over a lunch club at Greystones and has launched a weekly Sunday roast at Somerford ARC.

“The grant was essential because although we do charge for the lunches we try to keep it to a minimum so we don’t exclude anyone,” she said. “Everyone who comes along gets a nutritious balanced meal and also has the social interaction of meeting other people, which is just as important.”

Dorset Community Foundation Chief Executive Grant Robson said: “We are thankful for the trust the council has placed in us again to ensure this money goes to the people and the projects who need it most. ”

Councillor Sandra Moore, Cabinet Member for Communities and Partnerships at BCP Council said: “We are proud to be supporting Dorset Community Foundation’s BCP Food and Energy Support Fund, a valuable initiative which will continue to support our residents in navigating cost-of-living challenges.”

Applications are open until midday on May 7 and grants must be spent between from June 1 to March 31, 2026. Apply here.