The Pitch Tent: Impact Projects – What Happens Next?
The Blue Earth Summit ethos is centred around inspiring action, and the opening day saw just that during the Pitch Tent: Impact Projects session. Hosted by B Corp organisation, ActionFunder, the brand new category for 2022 saw an impressive selection of non-profits take the opportunity to pitch for funding to a room full of potential investors in search of just that: impactful projects to invest in.
With the category open to any non-profit focused on climate, biodiversity, sustainability, social mobility, access to nature, and sport and wellbeing, we were inundated with applications across an incredibly broad range of projects, spanning diversity and inclusion, access, energy transition, cost of living crisis and food cycle.
The finalists on stage were whittled down from a selection process involving over 150 applicants, each presenting their inspiring and impactful projects. However, the process does not end with the audience applause, as the Pitch Tent is designed to connect investors with aspiring projects for a much longer term impact. On that basis, the process continues and there are ongoing opportunities to match our audience partners and investors, via ActionFunder, with the inspiring project applicants.
- Black2Nature – Equal Access to Nature
Black2Nature fights for equal access to nature for all, a right that is just as fundamental as education and health. Everybody should have the benefit of green and natural spaces for enjoyment and wellbeing. Vulnerable minority ethnic children are at risk of entering foster care, prison or the mental health system, and are statistically twice as likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness, and so the vision is that early intervention will get visible minority ethnic (VME) children, teens and families out into nature on a regular basis, giving them resilience to physical/mental illness.
Funding required: £10,000
Find out more.
- Regenerative Food and Farming CIC – Gleaning Cornwall
Gleaning Cornwall reduces farm food waste and gets it to those in need. Since September, they have gleaned well over 80 tonnes of fresh fruit and veg, feeding around 6000 people every couple of weeks. With over 250 volunteers and an ever increasing number of farmers allowing access to their fields and packing sheds, the aim is to reduce food waste by up to 20 tonnes and deliver fresh produce to 60 food charities every week or two. The project also enables teams of volunteers to get outdoors and exercise as a group, making a positive impact on the environment as well as those in need across Cornwall and East Devon.
Funding required: £3,000
Find out more.
- All the Elements CIC
All The Elements is a non-profit network for everyone creating change on diversity in the UK outdoors. One-on-one calls help individuals working within diversity in the UK outdoors by connecting callers with others working on similar things or facing similar challenges, as well as connection to funding or training and support with project development and amplification of their work. The website resources help individuals explore the challenges of diversity in the outdoors and learn from the individuals who are creating change. The website serves as the only directory of groups working across all diversity areas, all outdoor activities and across the UK.
Funding required: £10,000
Find out more.
- Transition Town – Empowering communities to tackle the climate and cost of living crisis
Transition Town is a grassroots community project aiming to increase self-sufficiency to reduce the potential effects of peak oil, climate destruction and climate instability through renewed localisation strategies, especially around food production and energy usage. Participants calculate their carbon footprint before and after the project, with predicted annual savings of 0.5 to 1 tonne of CO2 per household. 80%+ of households will report multiple actions to reduce their carbon footprint and bills including energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy measures, sustainable food production/consumption, resource efficiency & water saving measures.
Funding required: £25,573
Find out more.
We’d like to extend a huge thank you to all of the projects and organisations that applied to be part of this year’s Pitch Tent, especially the final four who made the journey to Bristol to pitch live on stage. Watch this space for news of projects receiving funding and the positive impact it creates.
If you’d like more information on how to support one of the projects from this year’s Pitch Tent please drop us a note to [email protected]
