As far as we are aware, there is no funding specifically available for setting up a care farm, but there are funding sources that can help.
We firmly believe that care farmers need to be properly reimbursed for their time and expertise and that care farms need a strong economic foundation, however we also firmly believe that the main driver of care farming cannot be financial gain.
Visiting care farms around the UK you will find what connects the care farmers is their passion to help others. This should always be the primary consideration when thinking about starting out in care farming.
Care farms are extremely varied and are often developed off the back of an existing enterprise. Many care farmers supplement their income from other sources such as commercial farming, educational visit fees, farm shops or cafes or even through accessing external funding like grants, donations, crowdfunding or sponsorship.
Some care farms have accessed money from DEFRA for capital works and others have received money following bids they put in to charitable organisations.
Awards for All Lottery funding does allow for feasibility studies including business planning grants of up to £10,000, but the procedures are changing and community benefit must be demonstrated. This is not available for individuals though, only for charities or social enterprise groups.
National Parks have got Sustainable Development Funds, which may apply to care farm projects and some of this money is available for setting up pilots or fact finding visits.
If you are based in Wales, The Development bank of Wales might be able to help you.
ESF (European funding) is available in certain deprived areas to pay for revenue, running costs and capital expenditures. The various Community Foundations might offer help in finding grants.
There may also be funds available through ERDP (England Rural Development Programme), known as LEADER, which has both an agricultural and social slant. Use the website to find a local contact for your region.