Sefton Council for Voluntary Service

Name

Sefton Council for Voluntary Service

Legal name

Sefton Council for Voluntary Service (CVS)

Website

https://seftoncvs.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterlooville

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sefton Community Lottery: A community lottery initiative where 60% of every £1 ticket goes directly to support VCF organisations and community initiatives. Weekly draws with prizes up to £25,000.
2. Grant Fund Administration: Co-ordination and administration of grant programs for VCF sector organisations, including the Southport Recovery VCF Sector Grant Fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sefton CVS is an independent registered charity that provides governance, funding, accountancy, training, and volunteering support services to voluntary, community and faith (VCF) sector organisations across Sefton, Merseyside. It also delivers direct community-facing programmes including the Sefton Community Lottery, Warm Spaces network, Here For You Directory, health and wellbeing initiatives (Living Well Sefton, Cancer Navigators, Social Prescribing Link Workers), and children and young people services. The organisation coordinates multiple sector networks and forums and administers grant programmes such as the Southport Recovery VCF Sector Grant Fund.

Product overview

Sefton Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) operates as a charitable support organisation providing a portfolio of community-facing services, programmes, and networking platforms rather than a single commercial product. The core offerings include: the Sefton Community Lottery (a fundraising platform), Warm Spaces (a venue network), and the Here For You Directory (a service directory). These are supported by sector support services including Community Accountancy, Funding Advice, and Training, along with health and wellbeing programmes such as Living Well Sefton, Social Prescribing Link Workers, and Cancer Navigators. The organisation also facilitates multiple networks including the Sefton Faith Forum, Performers Network, Equal Voices in Action, and Health and Social Care Forum. Notable initiatives include Sefton 4 Good, Include-IT Mersey, and the Hearts of Gold Heritage Project. The portfolio functions as a support infrastructure for the local VCF sector rather than a unified software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sefton 4 Good: A charity initiative from Sefton CVS that encourages local people to give their time, skills, money and resources to help local good causes.

Products and services

• Sefton Community Lottery A weekly community lottery where Sefton residents purchase £1 tickets and 60% of proceeds go directly to local VCF organisations; weekly draws with prizes up to £25,000.
• Community Accountancy Accountancy services for VCF sector organisations including bid-writing support, bookkeeping and financial management assistance.
• Funding Advice Advisory services to help VCF organisations identify suitable funders and apply for funding opportunities.
• Training Training services for voluntary, community and faith sector organisations covering governance, management and operational topics.
• Here For You Directory A searchable online directory allowing residents to find local voluntary, community and faith sector services across Sefton.
• Volunteer Centre Sefton Coordinates volunteering opportunities across Sefton, connecting individuals with organisations and supporting groups to recruit volunteers.
• Warm Spaces A network of warm, safe, welcoming venues across Sefton where residents can gather for free, enjoy hot drinks and company during cold weather.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60% of lottery ticket revenue goes directly to support local good causes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Community Foundation for Lancashire and MerseysidecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 July 2024Partnership in promoting the Southport Strong Together Appeal, established in response to the tragic attack on 29th July 2024. Sefton CVS co-ordinated the Southport Recovery VCF Sector Grant Fund for voluntary, community and faith sector organisations.
• Sefton CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Southport Recovery VCF Sector Grant Fund and broader community support initiatives. Sefton CVS works with Sefton Council on warm spaces, cost of living support, and community development.
• NHS Cheshire and MerseysidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth partnership including representation on Sefton Health and Wellbeing Board, involvement in Cheshire & Merseyside Cancer Alliance, and neighbourhood health presentations.
• In Another PlaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in coordinating the Sefton Performers Network, assisting in planning the agenda and arranging key speakers.
• Collective EncountersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in coordinating the Sefton Performers Network, working with network members on arts, culture and heritage activities.
• MYA SpaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in coordinating the Sefton Performers Network, working with network members on arts, culture and heritage activities.
• Sefton Safeguarding TeamscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose working relationship to represent and support the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector in developing quality services ensuring welfare of children and adults.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Sefton Council: Local authority partner and principal funder. Not a competitor but a critical counterpart whose commissioning decisions directly shape Sefton CVS's programme portfolio and revenue.
• NHS Cheshire and Merseyside: Statutory health partner commissioning social prescribing, hospital discharge, and cancer navigation services from Sefton CVS. Comparable as a funder/commissioner rather than delivery peer.

Direct peers

• Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services: Direct peer CVS operating in neighbouring Liverpool with a near-identical mandate of supporting the VCF sector through governance, funding, and training services. Highly comparable in structure, scale, and statutory partnership model.
• Wirral Voluntary and Community Action: Wirral's CVS-equivalent infrastructure body providing similar sector support, volunteering coordination, and health partnership programmes on the other side of the Mersey from Sefton.
• Knowsley Voluntary and Community Action: Borough-level CVS for Knowsley, another Merseyside neighbour, delivering comparable VCF infrastructure, training, and community health programmes. Strong regional parallel.
• St Helens Voluntary and Community Action: St Helens-based CVS delivering sector support, volunteering, and community health programmes to a Merseyside borough — directly comparable operating model and beneficiary base.
• Halton Voluntary Action: Local CVS infrastructure body for Halton (also Merseyside adjacent), offering comparable governance, funding, and training support to local voluntary organisations.

Broad incumbents

• Community Foundation for Lancashire and Merseyside: Larger grantmaking organisation covering the same Merseyside footprint as Sefton CVS. Already a strategic partner on the Southport Strong Together Appeal; comparable in serving VCF beneficiaries but operating as a funder rather than service-delivery infrastructure.
• NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action): National membership body for local CVS organisations including Sefton CVS. Provides the sector-wide framework and benchmarking against which Sefton CVS's performance is implicitly measured.
• Locality: National membership network for community-led organisations and local VCF infrastructure bodies. Comparable in mission (community empowerment, hyperlocal support) and overlapping member base across the UK.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/seftoncvs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Sefton Council for Voluntary Service