Our Funding and Enterprise support exists to help groups understand their strengths, find the right income opportunities, and grow.
For Laura Tyley, founder of This Living Place, that meant one-to-one fundraising guidance that helped her make sense of legal structures, identify the right funders, and develop her first major bids. When a time-sensitive opportunity arose, we worked quickly alongside her to secure £45,000, the largest grant the organisation had ever received, that made a new rural employment pilot possible.
Two years ago, in her twenties, Laura returned to Somerset after working in London’s charity sector. She felt the pull to create something rooted in community, land, and local food. But starting a social enterprise from scratch, on her own, with limited contacts, was daunting. She wasn’t sure how to structure the organisation, find funding, or connect with the right networks.
“I didn’t know many young people leading charities. It was a bit terrifying,” she says.
Finding the right support
Early on, Laura was supported by a member of our Development team and later began 1:1 fundraising support. Those sessions changed everything. Instead of feeling formal or distant, the advice was grounded in local knowledge and lived experience.
In just a few sessions, Laura got to grips with legal structures, business strategy, and mapped where to go for funding. Spark Somerset advised on the best funders, explained how different grant-makers think, and sent follow‑up guidance that Laura could use for months.
“It massively boosted my confidence,” Laura says. “There was money out there, I just hadn’t known where.”
Unlocking urgent, transformative funding
As This Living Place began working with land-workers, growing food, nurturing soil health and bringing communities together through environmental stewardship, they identified a challenge. Many needed additional support to keep working the land. At the same time, Laura wanted to create new rural training and employment opportunities for young people.
The Youth Environmental Service was ready to collaborate, but only if funding could be secured quickly. With a tight turnaround, we helped Laura identify local funders likely to respond to their approach and helped refine the bid. Within two weeks, This Living Place secured £45,000, the biggest grant they have ever received.
“Knowing Spark Somerset is there, and the support they give is flexible, is one of the most important things. We didn’t just gain funding. We gained confidence in knowing the work is possible.”
Laura Tyley, Founder, This Living Place
What the funding is making possible
The grant is now supporting a new pilot model, employing a young person living in rural Somerset to work:
- Two days a week at Off Grid Organics in Sparkford
- Two days at Skool Beanz, an after-school children’s allotment in Chilthorne Domer
- One day at This Living Place, supporting Somerset’s wider food system
The role isn’t just about practical land work. They’ll learn:
- Organic growing and soil health
- How to start and run a social enterprise
- Business modelling
- Community food systems and affordability
- How local food production connects to climate and youth opportunity
For Off Grid Organics, the impact is immediate. An extra pair of hands means increased productivity, strengthened local food production, and support for the local community to have increased access to healthy, nutritious food.
Strengthening Somerset’s rural future
This Living Place has grown from one person to a team of four, with the new young worker adding vital capacity and energy. Their appointment came from a competitive field of 20 applicants, many shared how few rural opportunities existed for them to stay in Somerset and build a future on the land.
The pilot directly addresses that gap. It supports land-workers, grows local skills, keeps young people in their communities, and contributes to a more sustainable and affordable food system for Somerset.
What’s next?
For Laura, this project is just the beginning. She hopes this model can be scaled across other rural areas. Creating pathways for young people who want work that matters, and strengthening community-led food systems at a time when they are urgently needed.
“Knowing Spark Somerset is there, and the support they give is flexible, is one of the most important things,” Laura says. “We didn’t just gain funding. We gained confidence in knowing the work is possible.”
Read more about our Leadership and skills training in our SPF Impact Report.
Looking to diversify your fundraising, or strengthen your governance? Find out how our team can support you here.
