Community Matters

What Community Matters does

Community Matters (Yorkshire) is a UK-registered charity (Charity No. 1177705) founded in 2010 and headquartered in Leeds, West Yorkshire. It serves not-for-profit community organisations — community associations, community halls and similar grassroots bodies — through a subscription-based membership model with tiered annual fees ranging from £10 to £250, complemented by fee-based training, paid events, and restricted grants from funders including the Big Lottery Fund (Wellbeing Champions programme) and the Sir George Martin Trust (food project). The organisation reports 277 subscribing organisations, 12,100+ organisations in its regular communications network, and 16,000+ members via its easyfundraising partnership, with a workforce of 11–50 employees and an Acting Chair, Nicola Turner, leading governance.

Its core product offerings are content- and advisory-led rather than technology-led: a Knowledge Bank of more than 170 help sheets and templates, a funding database covering 800+ trusts and grant-makers, in-person and Zoom-based training programmes, an annual Funding Fair, and the VISIBLE and preVISIBLE quality schemes for community buildings. Much of this asset base was inherited through succession from the National Federation of Community Associations (closed 2016) and Advising Communities, providing the charity with established sector standing and a recognised QA brand. There is no proprietary software platform; the Knowledge Bank and funding database operate as content repositories rather than as software products, and technology plays a supporting rather than differentiating role in delivery.

The business model blends three revenue streams: low-value, high-volume subscription memberships, fee-based training and event attendance, and restricted grants tied to specific community programmes (Wellbeing Champions, a food project). The combination of inherited IP, multi-channel advisory delivery, and grant-backed programmes positions the organisation as a sector infrastructure provider for UK community-building non-profits rather than as a scalable commercial enterprise.

Name

Community Matters

Legal name

Community Matters Yorkshire

Website

https://communitymatters.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Community Matters is a Leeds-based UK charity providing subscription advisory services, training, a funding database and the VISIBLE quality scheme to not-for-profit community organisations and community-hall managers, serving 277 subscribing organisations and a 12,100-strong communications network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-Profit Advisory and Support Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

Keywords

• Charity advisory services
• Non-profit support
• Community development
• Voluntary sector training
• Funding database access

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual subscription fees from organizations accessing Knowledge Bank, funding database, email/phone support, and training discounts. Tiers range from £10/year (funding only) to £250/year (local authorities).
2. Training Courses: Online training workshops delivered via Zoom, priced at £5-8 per person with discounts for members. Courses cover governance, funding, GDPR, health & safety, and other organizational development topics.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Community Matters Yorkshire operates as a membership-based advisory and support organization for the community and voluntary sector. It sells tiered annual subscriptions (from £10 to £250) that give not-for-profit organisations access to a Knowledge Bank of 170+ help sheets and templates, a funding database, expert email/phone advice, and discounted training. It also delivers paid training workshops via Zoom and quality assurance schemes (Improving Quality and PreVISIBLE), plus grant-funded direct community programmes (Community Champions, Wellbeing Champions, Work with Families) in West Yorkshire.

Product overview

Community Matters Yorkshire operates as a membership-based advisory and support organization for the community and voluntary sector. Their core offering is a subscription service (from £25/year for small organizations under £30k income) providing access to a Knowledge Bank of over 170 help sheets and templates, expert email and phone advice, and reduced-cost training. This is complemented by free resources including newsletters (Yorkshire Hub, Community Buildings, Small Charities, Funding Newsletter), an annual Funding Fair connecting organizations with funders, and quality assurance frameworks (Improving Quality and PreVISIBLE). Direct community support is provided through programs including Community Champions, Wellbeing Champions, and Work with Families, primarily delivered in West Yorkshire. The organization also produces research publications on sector-relevant topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Knowledge Bank A subscription-based resource library containing over 170 help sheets and templates covering governance, funding, volunteering, quality assurance, and community building management, accessible to paying members.
• Funding Database A searchable subscription database of national funders, Yorkshire sub-regional specialists, and funders that support Community Interest Companies, available as a standalone £10/year subscription or included in membership.
• Expert Advice Service Email and phone advisory support delivered by experienced staff for organisational queries, with tiered support levels aligned to the membership subscription tier.
• Training Courses Online training workshops delivered via Zoom covering governance, bid writing, GDPR, health and safety, safeguarding, marketing, and financial management, priced at £6-8 per person per workshop depending on member status.
• Improving Quality (IQ) Scheme A quality assurance framework designed for both self-assessment and external assessment, covering accountable governance, welcoming environments, effective services, and sustainable operations for non-profit organisations.
• PreVISIBLE Review A low-cost, desk-based development tool testing management systems, policies, and procedures to ensure organisations are fit for purpose and legally compliant.
• Community Champions Programme A volunteer programme where trained Community Champions work with local families in West Yorkshire to build relationships and identify emerging community leaders.
• Wellbeing Champions Project A health promotion project recruiting and training volunteers in Leeds to deliver simple health messages to their communities through accredited courses run over 10 to 20 weeks.
• Work with Families Community development activities delivering craft and creative activities, support sessions, and healthy eating events directly with families in West Yorkshire to drive positive health and wellbeing changes.
• Funding Fair An annual online event connecting charities with funders across Yorkshire, Humber, and national organisations through 30-minute video sessions, with over 2,000 bookings historically.

Quantifiable outcome

• 139 organisations received expert advice and support in the past year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Utility AidminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUtility Aid is listed as a supporter of Community Matters, hosting webinars on energy market insights for charities including collective purchasing opportunities.
• HallmasterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHallmaster (hall booking software) is listed as a supporter, offering affiliate discount to Community Matters members.
• Ethical Property FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a supporter of Community Matters, providing property-related resources and support.
• easyfundraisingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity Matters promotes easyfundraising to members as a free fundraising tool. Only 53 of their 16,000+ members have used it to raise money.
• Knowledge Bank ContributorsminorOthersCommunity Matters inherited and now manages resources from the original Community Matters (National Federation of Community Associations) and Advising Communities, including help sheets, templates, and quality schemes (VISIBLE, preVISIBLE).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Charity Commission for England and Wales: Statutory regulator of charities providing free guidance, templates, and compliance resources that partly substitute for Community Matters' paid advisory and Knowledge Bank content. Indirect competitive pressure on the advisory offering.

Direct peers

• Locality: National membership network supporting community organisations and community centres across England with advice, training, and resources. Closely comparable mission and member base to Community Matters' organisation support pillar.
• Foundation for Social Improvement (FSI): Provides training, resources, and consultancy tailored to small and medium UK charities. Comparable as a training-and-resources-led support organisation serving the same small-charity customer segment.
• ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England): National membership body supporting rural community organisations and village halls with advice, training, and resources. Highly comparable to Community Matters' expertise in community buildings and grassroots voluntary groups.
• Small Charities Coalition: Membership organisation specifically supporting small charities with practical resources, training, and peer support. Directly comparable as a low-cost subscription-based support service for small UK charities.
• NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action): Membership body for local voluntary and community sector infrastructure organisations in England, offering training, resources, and policy voice. Directly comparable as an umbrella/advisory membership organisation serving community charities.
• Groundwork UK: Federation of Groundwork trusts delivering community development programmes and supporting community organisations across England. Comparable as a delivery-focused community development network with similar community-building expertise.

Emerging players

• Reach Volunteering: Charity connecting skilled professionals with trustee and volunteer roles in nonprofits. Partial overlap as a volunteer-management support service relevant to Community Matters' volunteer manager function.

Broad incumbents

• NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations): The UK's largest umbrella body for the voluntary sector, providing advice, research, training, and policy advocacy to charities. Directly comparable as a membership and advisory organisation for the same target audience, but at a much larger national scale.

Regional players

• SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations): Scotland's national umbrella body for the voluntary sector, providing advice, training, and policy representation. Comparable model to Community Matters but operating in Scotland rather than England/West Yorkshire.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/commattersyorks
• Facebookfacebook.com/CommunityMattersYorks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Community Matters