Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action

What Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action does

Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action (AVA) is the designated Third Sector Interface for the Aberdeenshire local authority area in Scotland, a Scottish Registered Charity (SC014223) and Company Limited by Guarantee (SC137343) that supports, connects, and promotes charities, voluntary organisations, community groups, and not-for-profit social enterprises. Its core service portfolio spans funding support (tailored funding searches, grant application review), governance advice, volunteering recruitment and management support, business planning and Community Asset Transfer guidance, social enterprise development, and office services including payroll and independent examination of accounts for charities under £250,000 income. AVA also runs five thematic peer-led networks (Volunteering, Social Enterprise, Children & Families, Health & Social Care, Peer-led Recovery) and administers a volunteer recognition awards programme.

Technologically, AVA operates without a proprietary software platform; service delivery is conducted through website-based support request forms, the Funding Scotland database customised for Aberdeenshire, and data management systems described as MILO and HIVE. Magpie operates as a wholly-owned social enterprise sub-brand handling reuse and recycling of clothing and household items, with an online shop front. Service delivery is relationship-based and community-led, with no proprietary AI, no app product, and no disclosed APIs or SDKs.

AVA's revenue model is primarily based on Scottish Government grant funding via the Third Sector Interface programme, supplemented by fee-based office services delivered at cost-effective rates, social enterprise trading income from Magpie, and a freemium-style membership model (free for qualifying organisations, with discounted services and priority event access for members). The go-to-market motion is community-led and service-delivery driven rather than sales-led: members access services via support forms, network registration, and direct specialist engagement. The registered office is in Aberdeen with a postal address in Peterhead and Magpie operations in Banchory.

Name

Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action

Legal name

Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action

Website

https://avashire.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action (AVA) is Scotland's designated Third Sector Interface for Aberdeenshire, supporting, connecting, and promoting charities, voluntary organisations, community groups, and social enterprises through funding advice, governance guidance, volunteering support, thematic networks, and the Magpie reuse social enterprise, primarily funded by the Scottish Government.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ellon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Scottish Government Funding: AVA is primarily funded by the Scottish Government as part of the Third Sector Interface programme. The organisation is a Scottish Registered Charity (SC014223) and Company Limited by Guarantee (SC137343).
2. Office Services Fees: AVA offers administrative and office services including payroll support and independent examination of accounts for non-company charities with income up to £250,000. These services are provided at cost-effective rates to community groups.
3. Membership and Service Access: Membership is free to qualifying community, voluntary, third sector organisations and social enterprises. Some services are discounted for members, providing a tiered access model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action (AVA) is the designated Third Sector Interface for Aberdeenshire, providing specialist support services, networking, and promotional assistance to charities, voluntary organisations, community groups, and social enterprises. Core offerings include funding search and bid support, governance guidance, volunteering infrastructure, business planning, community asset transfer support, and office services such as payroll and independent examination of accounts. AVA also operates Magpie, a social enterprise that diverts clothing and household items from landfill through reuse activities.

Product overview

Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action (AVA) operates as a Third Sector Interface organization offering a comprehensive suite of support services for community organizations, charities, voluntary groups, and social enterprises across Aberdeenshire. The organization provides funding support, governance guidance, volunteering services, social enterprise support, business planning, and office services. AVA also manages several thematic networks including the Volunteering Network, Social Enterprise Network, Children & Families Network, Health & Social Care Network, and Peer-led Recovery Network. The portfolio includes Magpie, a social enterprise focused on reusing and recycling clothing and household items. AVA runs an awards program recognizing volunteer contributions across different age groups. The organization connects third sector organisations to funding databases and provides administrative services including payroll and independent examination of accounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Magpie Social Enterprise
• Funding Support Service
• Governance Support Service
• Volunteering Support Service
• Social Enterprise Support Service
• Business Planning and Community Asset Transfer Support
• Office Services
• Community Resilience Support

Quantifiable outcome

• 44,003 total touchpoints with Third Sector Organisations in the last year (13,739 supported, 15,590 connected, 14,674 promoted)

Named customers17 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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ACVO (Aberdeen City Voluntary Environment)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird Sector Interface for Aberdeen City - exists to involve, represent, support and develop the third sector in Aberdeen City. Neighbouring TSI that AVA collaborates with for regional coordination.
• tsiMORAYcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelps grow and develop volunteering, community groups, charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises across Moray. Neighbouring TSI for regional collaboration.
• Voluntary Action AnguscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports growth of volunteering, social enterprise and local third sector development in Angus. Neighbouring TSI for regional coordination.
• Aberdeenshire CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal authority partner that aims to protect and develop Aberdeenshire while delivering first class public services. Key statutory partner for community planning and asset transfer.
• Aberdeenshire Health & Social Care PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership of Aberdeenshire Council and NHS Grampian delivering Adult Social Care and Health services. AVA's Health & Social Care Network connects third sector organisations with this partnership.
• NHS GrampiancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of Scotland's 14 health boards serving over 500,000 people across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray with acute and community care.
• Aberdeenshire Community Planning PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrings together public, private and voluntary services to work with communities to deliver better services in Aberdeenshire.
• OSCR (Scottish Charity Regulator)minorOthersIndependent regulator and registrar for Scotland's charities including community groups, religious charities, schools, grant-giving charities and major care providers.
• SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational membership organisation for Scotland's charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises. Provides governance information, fundraising guides and resources.
• Volunteer ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelps people make a difference through volunteering by recognising volunteer needs and making it easier for everyone to participate.
• Social Enterprise ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent, membership-led organisation and the voice of social enterprise in Scotland.
• Development Trusts Association ScotlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember-led organisation promoting, supporting and representing Development Trusts across Scotland.
• Circular Communities ScotlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of reuse, repair and recycle organisations supporting and representing members while pursuing zero waste.
• Magpie SupportersminorOthersOrganisations supporting Magpie, AVA's social enterprise that diverts clothing and household items from landfill through re-use activities and gifting to those in need.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Voluntary Action Angus: Third Sector Interface for Angus, providing parallel third-sector development, volunteering, social enterprise and governance support services. Functions under the same statutory TSI funding model as AVA and is referenced as a regional coordination partner.
• tsiMORAY: Third Sector Interface for Moray, operating under the same Scottish Government TSI framework as AVA. Offers equivalent support, networking and promotion services to the third sector in its region and is explicitly named as a peer coordination partner by AVA.
• Volunteer Scotland: National centre for volunteering in Scotland, delivering volunteering infrastructure (including the Saltire youth volunteering awards that AVA promotes). Operates at a national scale but overlaps materially with AVA's volunteering network functions.
• EVOC (Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council): Third Sector Interface for Edinburgh, delivering the same statutory TSI functions (support, connect, promote) to charities and community groups in Scotland's capital. A directly comparable urban-region TSI peer to AVA's rural-region remit.
• Dundee Voluntary Action: Third Sector Interface for Dundee, offering AVA-equivalent support services, volunteer matching and social enterprise development to charities and community groups in the Dundee local authority area.
• ACVO (Aberdeen City Voluntary Organisations): The Third Sector Interface for Aberdeen City, directly analogous to AVA but covering the neighbouring local authority area. Provides the same suite of support, connection and promotion services to charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises, making it the closest operational peer to AVA.
• GCVS (Glasgow Council for Voluntary Sector): Third Sector Interface for Glasgow, providing direct support, networking and policy representation to third sector organisations in Scotland's largest city. Same TSI mandate and funding model as AVA, scaled to a much larger urban constituency.

Broad incumbents

• SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations): National membership body for Scotland's charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises. Provides governance resources, policy advocacy and sector-wide infrastructure that complements regional TSIs like AVA, and is a named strategic partner of AVA.

Regional players

• WCVA (Wales Council for Voluntary Action): National umbrella body for the voluntary sector in Wales, providing support, representation and infrastructure services to charities and community groups. Functionally analogous to a Scotland-wide TSI umbrella, comparable to AVA in mission and constituency.
• NICVA (Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action): Statutory infrastructure body for the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland, performing an equivalent TSI-style umbrella role but for a different UK jurisdiction. Comparable in mission, funding model and member services to AVA, though jurisdictionally separate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AVAshire
• Facebookfacebook.com/AberdeenshireVoluntaryAction1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action