The Farmers Club Charitable Trust (FCCT) is seeking applications for its ‘Snapshot Study’ grant from anyone in the agriculture sector seeking funding to study a topic or theme they are interested in exploring.
The Snapshot Study grants, worth up to £2,000 each, have been awarded to a wide diversity of people across the UK exploring themes like: ‘forest schools’ and their role in food learning; farmer donations of ‘waste’ crops to foodbanks; regenerative farming; and attracting the under 30s into agriculture.
The FCCT is seeking applications from anyone with a strong idea for a research project. Applications are being taken via the FCCT website, and the closing date is the end of July 2025. Studies must be completed by December 31, 2025.
As part of the initiative, successful participants will present their findings in a three-minute video, contributing to a resource bank housed on The Farmers Club Charitable Trust’s YouTube channel and website.
The application process involves creating a one-minute video outlining the study concept and its potential impact, with contact information and details of a referee to support the application.
Awards are made up to £2,000 and those successful will receive 80% of funding upfront, with the remaining 20% awarded upon satisfactory completion of the study.
Mentoring will be provided for snapshot recipients by a FCCT trustee.
Commenting on the Snapshot Study grants, Nick Green, the chairperson of the FCCT, said: “Since launching the studies in 2022, more than £60,000 has been awarded, enabling recipients to expand their expertise, knowledge and skills.
“Some studies have had a profound impact. For example, Easter Ross farmer John Scott researched farmers’ mental health. His study was one of the catalysts for the launch of a sister charity to Farmstrong New Zealand’s wellbeing and mental health charity in Scotland.
“Farmstrong Scotland has been supporting the farming community north of the border for over a year now, and the Farmers Club Charitable Trust is glad to have played a small part in the preliminary research,” Green said.
He also cited the example of Hannah Buisman, who used her grant to explore viticulture (wine growing) practices and business models to benefit her family’s winery in Hertfordshire as well as the wider UK wine sector.
“Hannah’s study looked at all the technical facets of wine making, with a particular focus on using wild yeast and marrying the ancient art of the human palate with the ultra-modern use of advanced laboratory testing,” Green said.
The FCCT was founded in 1981 by Trevor Muddiman. Its aim is to award grants and to support initiatives that contribute to the development of the agricultural industry.
