Climate Action Leeds
Climate Action Leeds is a community-led network organisation in Leeds, UK, connecting 40+ community groups and 8 neighbourhood hubs to coordinate grassroots climate action through training, funding support, and the Imagine Leeds city-centre hub.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersLeeds, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Climate Action Leeds does
Climate Action Leeds (CAL) is a Leeds-based community organisation founded in 2020 that operates as a coordinating network for local climate action rather than a commercial enterprise. It runs the CAL Network, connecting more than 40 community groups across Leeds and providing advice, training, and funding-application support to enable grassroots climate initiatives; the network is free to join and targets every part of Leeds communities, with no prior climate expertise required. Its physical infrastructure comprises the Imagine Leeds city-centre climate action hub at 9 Blenheim Terrace (LS2 9HZ), managed by Leeds Love It Share It, and eight neighbourhood hubs covering Alwoodley, Armley, Beeston, Horsforth, Little London & Woodhouse, Garforth, Seacroft, and Otley. Operational delivery is supported by partners including Voluntary Action Leeds (network backbone), Together for Peace (original hub supervisor), FoodWise Leeds, Hyde Park Source, Leeds Bike Mill, Leeds Climate Commission, and Leeds City Council.
CAL's product and programme surface is fragmented rather than unified: the CAL Network membership, Imagine Leeds venue (with sliding-scale hire), the Leeds Doughnut planning framework, the Walk to School Week active travel campaign, the Leeds Community Energy / Clean Energy Leeds programme, Travel Well Leeds (transitioned to Leeds Bike Mill), and FoodWise Leeds food strategy work. Technology is not a core competency; the organisation is building a data and mapping platform under a Data Platform Developer but does not develop proprietary AI, software products, or APIs.
The business model is grant-funded rather than commercial. CAL was originally financed by a £2.5 million five-year grant from the National Lottery Climate Action Fund (2020-2025), and has secured approximately £495,000 of new funding (including £453,000 from the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund) for a three-year phase from July 2026 to June 2029, co-funded by Leeds Community Foundation, University of Leeds, BUNZL, and North Star Coffee Roasters. The CAL Network and Imagine Leeds services are provided free to community groups and residents, with Imagine Leeds operating a sliding-scale venue hire model as the only semi-revenue channel.
Climate Action Leeds firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Climate Action Leeds
- Legal name
- Climate Action Leeds
- Website
- https://climateactionleeds.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Climate Action Leeds is a community-led network organisation in Leeds, UK, connecting 40+ community groups and 8 neighbourhood hubs to coordinate grassroots climate action through training, funding support, and the Imagine Leeds city-centre hub.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Climate Action Leeds industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Climate Action Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Climate Adaptation & Resilience Programs (BPADALAD)
Keywords
Where Climate Action Leeds is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leeds
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Climate Action Leeds business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- National Lottery Climate Action Fund: Primary grant funding for the five-year Climate Action Leeds partnership (2020-2025) with £2.5 million grant from the National Lottery's Climate Action Fund.
- National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund: New three-year grant of £453,000 awarded through the National Lottery's Reaching Communities Fund (July 2026 to June 2029).
- Multi-partner funding: Total funding of approximately £495,000 from National Lottery, Leeds Community Foundation, BUNZL, University of Leeds, and North Star Coffee Roasters.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Climate Action Leeds product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Climate Action Leeds runs a free community network that connects 40+ groups across Leeds to plan and act on climate issues, supported by the Imagine Leeds city-centre venue and eight neighbourhood hubs. It offers advice, training, and funding-application support to community groups and local residents, and delivers programs including Walk to School Week, the Leeds Doughnut planning process, and Leeds Community Energy initiatives. The organization does not sell products; rather, it coordinates community-led climate action through events, workshops, and an open membership network.
Product overview
Climate Action Leeds operates as a network-based community organization rather than a traditional software product company. Its core offerings include the CAL Network (a community connection and coordination service), Imagine Leeds (a physical/digital climate action hub venue), and the Leeds Doughnut (a planning framework tool). The organization also runs eight neighborhood-based Community Hubs, various programs like Walk to School Week and Leeds Community Energy, and manages the Travel Well Leeds initiative. These products are interconnected components of a community mobilization ecosystem rather than a unified software platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CAL Network Free-to-join citywide network connecting 40+ community groups across Leeds with advice, training, funding-application support, and links to experts and institutions for community-led climate action.
- Imagine Leeds City-centre climate action hub at 9 Blenheim Terrace, LS2 9HZ, providing space for meetings, events, co-working, exhibitions, and networking, available for hire on a sliding-scale pricing model.
- Community Hubs Program Eight neighbourhood-based climate action hubs across Leeds (Alwoodley, Armley, Beeston, Garforth, Horsforth, Little London & Woodhouse, Otley, and Seacroft), each with a dedicated hub worker and local climate action plan for community-led climate action at the neighbourhood level.
- Walk to School Week Annual active travel campaign engaging primary school children and families across Leeds neighbourhoods (Alwoodley, Otley, Horsforth) to walk, cycle, or scoot to school, reducing carbon emissions and promoting healthier habits.
- Leeds Community Energy / Clean Energy Leeds A network of over 60 people supporting community energy projects including retrofit working groups and community solar/wind initiatives; recently merged with Alwoodley Community Energy to form Clean Energy Leeds.
- Travel Well Leeds A sustainable travel information hub and resource directory covering buses, cycling, and local active travel initiatives, run as a legacy project of Climate Action Leeds and managed by Leeds Bike Mill.
- Leeds Doughnut A planning tool based on Kate Raworth's Doughnut Economics model illustrating how Leeds can thrive without overshooting planetary boundaries or falling below social foundations; supports an open collaborative planning process for the city's climate response.
Quantifiable outcome
- More than 30,000 people engaged with the project over six years
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Climate Action Leeds
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Climate Action Leeds technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Climate Action Leeds partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Voluntary Action Leeds (VAL)coreLocal charity which supports and advocates for non-profit and community groups across Leeds. Martin Flynn serves as Climate Action Leeds Network Coordinator at VAL. VAL provides backbone support for the CAL Network.
- Leeds Love It Share ItcoreCommunity interest company managing Imagine Leeds venue. Simon Dixon serves as Project and Venue Manager. Leeds Love It Share It leads the City Movement Building team.
- Together for Peace (T4P)coreLocal charity which supervised and supported the 8 community hubs between 2020 and 2025. Provided hub worker supervision and support during the original CAL partnership period.
- Leeds City CouncilcoreDeclared climate emergency in 2019. Partner in Climate Action Leeds with 40+ groups contributing to planning. Climate Emergency Advisory Committee oversees climate commitments. Leeds City Council's Parks & Green Spaces Strategy aligns with CAL work.
- CAG ConsultantscoreIndependent evaluators assessing Climate Action Leeds performance against key metrics between 2020 and 2025. Produced assessment reports including five-year evaluation and year-five assessment.
- Hyde Park SourcecoreCAL Nature Transition Partner providing expert support on nature projects including Seacroft Forest Garden. Manages disused council land for community nature recovery. Contact: Pete Tatham.
- Leeds Community Energy / Clean Energy LeedscoreNetwork of over 60 people interested in community energy. Formed as part of CAL project to support community energy and retrofit. Merged with Alwoodley Community Energy to become Clean Energy Leeds.
- Leeds Bike MillcoreCommunity active travel hub near city centre. Will manage Travel Well Leeds website going forward. Partner on cycling and transport initiatives.
- FoodWise LeedscoreSustainable food partnership for Leeds. Co-produced Leeds Food Strategy with Leeds City Council (2023-2030). Delivered events, organized projects, and helped shape food strategy for the city.
- Leeds Climate CommissioncoreCity-level climate governance body. Rosa Foster serves as Director. CAL plays vital role in empowering community sector and ensuring representation in strategic discussions.
- Leeds City Council Climate Emergency Advisory CommitteecoreAdvisory committee with open forum where citizens can speak directly. Cllr Katie Dye serves as Chair. CAL engages with committee on climate commitments.
- Racial Justice NetworkcoreBlack and migrant-led charity working to end racial injustice. Original CAL Climate Justice partner delivering important insights and outputs. Left partnership in summer 2024.
- Leeds Cycling CampaignminorCommunity organization supporting cycling in Leeds. Partner on Walk to School Week and active travel initiatives.
- Living StreetsminorOrganization supporting walking initiatives. Partner on Walk to School Week activities across CAL hub areas.
- WYCA Bike Friendly SchoolsminorWest Yorkshire Combined Authority initiative. Provided cycle skills training and bike services at schools in Alwoodley as part of Walk to School Week.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Climate Action Leeds competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Manchester Climate Change Partnership: Cross-sector partnership delivering the Manchester Climate Change Framework and agency-level climate action plans. Direct comparable as a city-level climate governance and delivery vehicle supported by local authorities, universities, and businesses.
- Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS): Charity enabling community-led climate action across Cumbria through training, events, and network coordination. Closely parallels CAL's community organising, neighbourhood engagement, and grant-funded delivery model.
- Bristol Green Capital Partnership: City-level cross-sector partnership in Bristol coordinating over 800 organisations around sustainability and climate justice. Comparable in structure to CAL's multi-stakeholder coalition model and city-level convening role.
- Climate Action Manchester: A community-led climate network coordinating groups across Greater Manchester. Closely mirrors CAL's model: cross-city coalition of climate, justice, and community organisations pooling resources, training, and advocacy under a shared brand.
Others
- Citizens UK: National community-organising alliance building broad-based coalitions for social and environmental action. Comparable in methodology (listening, relationship-based organising, broad coalitions) rather than subject-matter focus.
Broad incumbents
- Groundwork UK: National federation of environmental community-action charities running local programmes on climate, green spaces, and youth engagement. Overlaps CAL's neighbourhood-based delivery model at significantly larger scale and footprint.
- Friends of the Earth: National environmental NGO with active local groups (including Friends of the Earth Leeds, a CAL Network member). Comparable in mission and network structure, but operates at much larger scale with professional advocacy capacity.
Emerging players
- Sustainable St Albans: Volunteer-led community network coordinating climate, biodiversity, and sustainability action across the St Albans district. Mirrors CAL's grassroots, free-to-join network model at smaller geographic and funding scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Climate Action Leeds social profiles
Digital presenceClimate Action Leeds financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Climate Action Leeds leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Climate Action Leeds funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Climate Action Leeds M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Climate Action Leeds
What does Climate Action Leeds do?
Climate Action Leeds runs a free community network that connects 40+ groups across Leeds to plan and act on climate issues, supported by the Imagine Leeds city-centre venue and eight neighbourhood hubs. It offers advice, training, and funding-application support to community groups and local residents, and delivers programs including Walk to School Week, the Leeds Doughnut planning process, and Leeds Community Energy initiatives. The organization does not sell products; rather, it coordinates community-led climate action through events, workshops, and an open membership network.
Is Climate Action Leeds a public or private company?
Climate Action Leeds is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Climate Action Leeds founded?
Climate Action Leeds was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Climate Action Leeds based?
Climate Action Leeds is headquartered in Leeds, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Climate Action Leeds make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. National Lottery Climate Action Fund is the primary driver. The others are national Lottery Reaching Communities Fund and multi-partner funding.
Who are Climate Action Leeds's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Manchester Climate Change Partnership, Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS), Bristol Green Capital Partnership and Climate Action Manchester. Citizens UK is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Groundwork UK and Friends of the Earth. Sustainable St Albans is listed as an emerging player.
Does Climate Action Leeds have an API?
No public API is recorded for Climate Action Leeds.
What industry is Climate Action Leeds in?
Climate Action Leeds's product category is Community Climate Action Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAF, Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation, with a secondary code of BPAGAGAH, Environmental Education & Outreach. Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 8600.