What The Young Foundation does

The Young Foundation is a UK not-for-profit organisation, constituted as a company limited by guarantee and registered charity (number 274345), operating from London with a registered office at Toynbee Hall on Commercial Street and a headquarters at 58 Victoria Embankment. The entity was formed in 2006 from the merger of the Institute for Community Studies and the original Young Foundation, and traces its institutional lineage to 1953 when Michael Young founded the Institute for Community Studies; it has since incubated more than 80 organisations including The Open University, The School for Social Entrepreneurs, Year Here and the Social Innovation Exchange. Its core activities are community-led participatory research, social innovation programmes, and training delivered through a Peer Research Network of more than 100 researchers across the UK, with sub-brands including the Institute for Community Studies and thematic programmes such as Peer Action Collective, the Fairness Taskforce, Community Research Networks, the Community Knowledge Fund, the National Civic Impact Accelerator, and the GoZero Index.

The foundation does not sell technology products; its underlying capability is a participatory research methodology stack (peer research, co-design, creative methods) supported by a publication and tools portfolio (Civic Strength Index, GoZero Index, The Open Book of Social Innovation) and a network platform for peer researchers and commissioning organisations. Revenue is generated through four principal streams: commissioned research contracts competitively tendered with government bodies, local authorities, universities and charities; grant funding from trusts, foundations and public bodies for specific programmes; bespoke and standard training in peer and participatory research; and tiered membership of the Peer Research Network. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and operates on a quote-based model for research, training and consultancy, while network membership appears to use annual subscription billing with payment processing built into the registration flow.

Customer segments span UK communities and community groups, local authorities and government departments, charities and non-profits, and universities and academic institutions, with named engagements including the Mayor of London, Sheffield Hallam University, Power to Change, UKRI, the British Academy, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and London Sport. The foundation is governed independently with no parent company, private equity or institutional investment, and recent large contract wins (a £10m C4 Centre, a ~£6m evidence-informed policymaking programme, £4m UKRI Community Research Networks funding, and £3.7m for the National Civic Impact Accelerator) point to a programme-led, grant-and-commission-funded operating model rather than a fee-for-service consulting model.

Name

The Young Foundation

Legal name

The Young Foundation

Website

https://youngfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Young Foundation is a UK registered charity and company limited by guarantee that delivers community-led participatory research, social innovation programmes, and training for government bodies, local authorities, universities, charities, and community organisations through its Institute for Community Studies and a Peer Research Network of more than 100 researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Research: The organization conducts commissioned research projects for government bodies, local authorities, charities, and other organizations. Projects are competitively tendered or directly commissioned based on research needs.
2. Grant Funding: The organization receives grant funding from trusts, foundations, and government bodies for specific programmes and initiatives, including major projects such as the £10m C4 Centre and £6m evidence-informed policymaking programme.
3. Training Services: Bespoke and standard training programmes in peer research, participatory research, and creative methods are delivered virtually or in-person to organizations and individuals.
4. Network Membership: The Peer Research Network offers membership levels (Peer Researcher and Peer Research Practitioner) with registration and potentially subscription-based access to network benefits, events, and opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Young Foundation is a UK not-for-profit organisation that conducts commissioned participatory and peer research, delivers bespoke training in research methods, and runs social innovation programmes. It operates the Institute for Community Studies (a research sub-brand) and the Peer Research Network of over 100 peer researchers, serving government bodies, local authorities, universities, charities, and community organisations with evidence-based research, policy insight, and capacity-building services.

Product overview

The Young Foundation is a not-for-profit organization focused on community research and social innovation. The organization operates through a multi-layered structure comprising its core brand, a specialized research institute (Institute for Community Studies), and multiple programmes. Key offerings include the Peer Research Network (a UK-wide network of over 100 peer researchers), various funding programmes (Community Knowledge Fund, Community Research Networks), and investment vehicles (The Young Academy). The organization delivers research and training services including bespoke peer research training and consultancy. Its major thematic work focuses on three areas: Prospects (fairer future through collaboration), Planet (net zero transition), and Place (UK places and communities). Notable tools and publications include the GoZero Index, Civic Strength Index, and The Open Book of Social Innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Institute for Community Studies: A research institute powered by The Young Foundation, exploring what works for UK communities and bridging gaps between evidence, communities, academia and policymaking. It has roots dating back more than 70 years.

Products and services

• Institute for Community Studies A research institute powered by The Young Foundation that explores what works for UK communities, influencing long-term societal change by bridging the gaps between evidence, communities, academia and policymaking.
• Peer Research Network A UK-wide network connecting more than 100 peer researchers with organisations that fund, commission, train, support, or use peer research, offering newsletters, exclusive content, and priority invitations to events and webinars.
• Fairness Taskforce A collaborative programme reimagining and redefining local community leadership and social justice for fairer places.
• Community Research Networks A two-phase funding opportunity, partnered with UKRI, that puts community networks at the heart of research, bringing £4m in funding to support community-led research approaches across the UK.
• Community Knowledge Fund An initiative supporting 24 community organisations to lead and participate in research and innovation across the UK.
• The Young Academy A pilot social impact investment fund launched in 2014 to support early-stage social ventures.
• Peer Action Collective A network driven by and for young people at risk of, or with, lived experience of violence, tackling root causes of youth violence through peer research and social action across England and Wales.
• National Civic Impact Accelerator (NCIA) A collaborative initiative supporting universities to deliver meaningful, measurable civic strategies and activities.
• Peer Research Training Comprehensive, interactive training for peer researchers delivered virtually or in-person, including bespoke programmes, training consultancy, and data analysis and reporting services.
• Bespoke Training and Consultancy Tailored training in peer research, participatory research, and creative methods, with support for project delivery and data analysis.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 12,000 young people involved in Peer Action Collective since 2021
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Sheffield Hallam UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Lead partner on £10m C4 Centre project to build stronger UK communities, strengthen community leadership, and build connections across the UK.
• Power to ChangecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2021Strategic research partner supporting Power to Change's mission to strengthen community businesses tackling climate change, digital transformation, and social inequalities. The partnership involves research on community asset ownership, community businesses, and place-based approaches to social challenges.
• Mayor of London / Greater London AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning partner for research including the No Wrong Door report exploring employment and skills support systems across London.
• London SportmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to tackle inequalities in physical inactivity across the capital, working on ground-breaking community engagement approaches.
• National Lottery Heritage FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting grantees of the National Lottery Heritage Fund's 35 grants to develop ideas and skills in the heritage sector innovation programme.
• Joined-Up Sustainability Transformations (JUST) CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with JUST Centre at University of Loughborough for research on multi-party democracy and democratic governance.
• UKRI Citizen Science Collaboration Grants ProjectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative programme supporting five UKRI-funded citizen science projects, sharing best practice and exploring what works in citizen science research around the UK over a three-year period.
• We're Right Here CampaigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition for community power working alongside The Young Foundation to push for community-powered neighbourhood governance and further action to unlock community potential, including advocacy for the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/the_young_fdn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@theyoungfdn
• Facebookfacebook.com/121726441177906
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-young-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/the_young_fdn
• TikToktiktok.com/@the_young_fdn

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Young Foundation