Warwickshire & Solihull Community And Voluntary Action

What Warwickshire & Solihull Community And Voluntary Action does

Warwickshire & Solihull Community and Voluntary Action (CAVA) is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee founded in 2008 through the merger of regional Councils for Voluntary Service and Volunteer Centres, serving as the designated Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Infrastructure Organisation for Warwickshire and Solihull. The organisation operates as a non-profit delivering integrated support across six local offices covering every district in the region, with a workforce averaging 41 staff supplemented by volunteers and governed by a Board of Trustees. Its core products include Simply Connect, an online volunteer brokerage platform hosting 1,200+ roles across 800+ organisations; BOSS (Back Office Support Services) offering discounted payroll, IT, HR, accountancy, and telecoms services via third-party suppliers; ConnectWELL social prescribing; and the Coventry & Warwickshire Research Engagement Network delivered with the ICB since 2023.

CAVA serves three primary customer groups: (1) VCSE organisations (468 members plus 800+ Simply Connect users) receiving funding advice, governance support, training, and back-office services; (2) individual volunteers seeking opportunities; and (3) public sector commissioners, principally the six local authorities of Warwickshire and Solihull, alongside NHS/ICB, Sport England, National Lottery, and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. The revenue model is grant- and contract-driven, with services free at point of use; income derives from local authority infrastructure contracts, time-limited programme grants, and nominal venue hire at The Newtown Centre in Nuneaton from £9/hour. The organisation does not charge membership subscriptions, instead using free membership as a qualifying criterion for BOSS discounts and AGM voting rights.

Name

Warwickshire & Solihull Community And Voluntary Action

Legal name

Warwickshire & Solihull Community and Voluntary Action

Website

https://wcava.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CAVA is a registered charity serving as the designated VCS Infrastructure Organisation for Warwickshire and Solihull, providing volunteer brokerage, funding advice, governance support, training, and back-office services to 800+ organisations and 468 member groups across six local offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Voluntary and Community Sector Infrastructure Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Voluntary sector infrastructure
• Volunteer brokerage services
• Community development support
• Social prescribing services
• Nonprofit advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Atherstone

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts (Infrastructure Support): CAVA is contracted by local authorities including Warwickshire County Council, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, North Warwickshire Borough Council, Rugby Borough Council, Warwick District Council, and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council to deliver VCS infrastructure support services across their respective areas.
2. External Programme Grants: CAVA receives grant funding from bodies such as NHS England, Department of Health and Social Care, the National Big Lottery Community Fund (Local Trust), Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Sport England, and others to deliver specific time-limited programmes including ConnectWELL, Big Local LTO services, Social Prescribing, Research Engagement Network, and community development projects.
3. Venue Hire (Newtown Centre): CAVA owns and operates The Newtown Centre in Nuneaton town centre, offering venue hire for community activities. Spaces are available from £9 per hour, with a large hall seating up to 100 people suitable for events and workshops.
4. Membership (Free — Criterion-Based): CAVA membership is free for VCS organisations and limited individuals. Although no monetary subscription is charged, membership serves as a qualifying criterion for accessing BOSS discounted services, training priority bookings, and voting rights at AGMs. The membership base (468 organisational members, 9 individual members) supports the organisation's legitimacy and public funding relationships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CAVA is the designated Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Infrastructure Organisation for Warwickshire and Solihull. It delivers volunteer brokerage via the Simply Connect online platform, funding and income generation advice, governance and group development support, training and events, social prescribing programmes (ConnectWELL), back-office support services (BOSS) at member rates, and representation of the sector within Integrated Care Partnerships. It is contracted by all six local authorities and operates six local offices across the region.

Product overview

WCAVA operates as a Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Infrastructure Organisation offering a portfolio of services centred around volunteer brokerage and organisational support. The core product is Simply Connect, an online volunteer matching platform connecting over 800 organisations with potential volunteers across 1,200+ roles. Complementary services include BOSS (Back Office Support Services) for back-office functions like payroll, accounting, IT, HR and telecoms; ConnectWELL and general Social Prescribing services for health and wellbeing referrals; the Research Engagement Network (REN) for health research inclusivity; and Training & Events, Funding Guidance, and Group Support services. Membership is free for VCS organisations and provides access to discounted services and resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Simply Connect Volunteer Brokerage Platform Online automated volunteer matching platform connecting individuals with over 1,200 volunteer roles across 800+ local and national organisations. Individuals register, browse opportunities and join the volunteer bank; organisations post roles and search the volunteer bank for matches.
• BOSS (Back Office Support Services) Central back-office services for charities and not-for-profit groups, providing access to payroll, accountancy, IT support, telecoms and HR services through recommended third-party suppliers at member-discounted rates.
• ConnectWELL Social Prescribing Programme Social prescribing service that connects individuals to non-medical community activities to improve health and wellbeing, offering consultation and signposting to 1,200+ activities and services with Health Buddy support.
• Social Prescribing Service Person-centred approach connecting individuals to practical and emotional community support, building on ConnectWELL experience to strengthen social prescribing relationships across Warwickshire and Solihull.
• Coventry & Warwickshire Research Engagement Network (REN) Programme making health and care research more inclusive and representative by building relationships with communities and co-creating resources to improve research accessibility.
• Training and Events Range of training events including safeguarding awareness sessions, governance training, digital skills workshops, and funding webinars delivered online and in-person across Warwickshire and Solihull.
• Funding and Income Generation Advisory Advisory service providing guidance on project planning, funding mix planning, identifying funders, application support, tender considerations, and alternative income generation through trading for VCSE organisations.
• Group Support Service Support for community groups covering project and business planning, monitoring and evaluation, financial management, governance, partnership working, and quality assurance.
• Membership Services Free membership for VCS organisations and eligible individuals, providing BOSS service discounts, training priority, resource library access, and AGM voting rights.
• The Newtown Centre Venue Hire Physical venue hire from £9 per hour in Nuneaton town centre, with a large hall seating up to 100 people suitable for events and workshops, plus smaller spaces and NHS services by appointment.

Quantifiable outcome

• £1,769,573 in funding awarded to organisations supported by CAVA in 2022/23.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

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

• Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023Since Autumn 2023, CAVA has supported the Coventry and Warwickshire ICB to develop a Research Engagement Network (REN) aimed at making health and care research more inclusive. CAVA's CEO and a counterpart from Coventry & Warwickshire Mind serve as VCSE representatives on the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP).
• Warwickshire County Council (WCC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWCC contracts CAVA to deliver VCS infrastructure support services across Warwickshire. CAVA also collaborates with WCC on specific initiatives including the Homes for Ukraine Scheme directory and Warwickshire Kind Communities Kind Food Grant Fund.
• Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council (NBBC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNBBC contracts CAVA as the VCS infrastructure partner for the Nuneaton & Bedworth area, supporting community groups, volunteer recruitment, and local development.
• North Warwickshire Borough Council (NWBC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNWBC commissions CAVA to provide VCS infrastructure support services within the North Warwickshire borough.
• Rugby Borough Council (RBC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRBC contracts CAVA to deliver VCS infrastructure support and volunteer services in Rugby, including social prescribing through ConnectWELL.
• Warwick District Council (WDC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWDC commissions CAVA for VCS infrastructure support and is a partner in the Warwick Hubs Network collaboration facilitated by CAVA.
• Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCAVA has delivered the VCSE infrastructure contract for Solihull for SMBC for multiple years, having recently been awarded continued delivery for a further two years. CAVA works with SMBC's Community Development team to identify community needs and support the Thriving Communities agenda.
• Rugby Health Primary Care NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded the ConnectWELL social prescribing project alongside NHS Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire RIPPLE project, and Warwickshire County Council.
• NHS England / Department of Health and Social CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides funding for the Coventry & Warwickshire Research Engagement Network (REN) project and the Community Research Engagement Project Officer (Solihull) post, in partnership with local research networks and NHS trusts.
• Local Trust (National Lottery Community Fund)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Trust manages the Big Local programme (funded by the National Big Lottery Community Fund). CAVA acts as Locally Trusted Organisation (LTO) for both Arley & Ansley Big Local and Hill Top & Caldwell Big Local, providing administrative, financial, and governance support.
• Heart of England Community FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeart of England Community Foundation provides grant funding for VCSE groups in Solihull and Warwickshire. CAVA supports funding panels including 'Change into Action', Holiday Activity Funding (HAF), and Heart of England Community Foundation funds. Heart of England also co-funded refurbishment of The Newtown Centre.
• Voluntary Action Coventry (VAC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVAC is the equivalent VCS infrastructure organisation for Coventry. CAVA and VAC collaborate on the VCSE Mental Health Alliance, Community Mental Health Transformation, Coventry and Warwickshire VCFSE Collaborative, and joint representation to the Integrated Care System.
• National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAVCA is the national membership body for local CVS infrastructure organisations. CAVA is listed on NAVCA's website and subscribes to its resources and networks. Listed as a useful link on CAVA's resources page.
• North Solihull Voluntary and Community Alliance (NSCVA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAVA led the reinstatement of the NSCVA after the first COVID lockdown and facilitates its Board and network meetings. NSCVA focuses on dementia support and setting up a dementia cafe at Seeds of Hope.
• NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCVO is the national membership body for the voluntary sector. Listed as a useful link on CAVA's resources page. CAVA likely participates in NCVO networks and references its guidance.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations): NCVO is the national apex body for the voluntary sector in England, providing research, policy, and resources that overlap with CAVA's information and representation functions. CAVA references NCVO guidance and networks as part of its resource library.
• NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action): NAVCA is the national membership body for local CVS infrastructure organisations including CAVA. While it operates as an umbrella rather than a direct service provider, its quality accreditation, network, and resources directly shape CAVA's operating environment and competitors' standards.
• Locality: Locality is the national network for community-led organisations, providing membership, policy advocacy, and support services that overlap with CAVA's group development, governance, and representation functions at a UK-wide rather than regional level.

Regional players

• Manchester Voluntary Action: Manchester Voluntary Action provides VCS infrastructure for Manchester, offering an equivalent mix of volunteer brokerage, training, and council-contracted support. Comparable operating model in a different metropolitan geography.
• Sheffield Council for Voluntary Service: Sheffield CVS is the regional VCS infrastructure body for Sheffield, delivering directly comparable services (volunteer brokerage, funding advice, group support, training) in a different but similarly structured English city-region. Functional peer outside Warwickshire/Solihull.
• Staffordshire Council of Voluntary Youth Services: Staffordshire Council of Voluntary Youth Services is a Midlands-based regional infrastructure organisation supporting voluntary and community groups, with comparable council-funded infrastructure support and capacity-building services.
• Voluntary Action LeicesterShire: Voluntary Action LeicesterShire is the regional VCS infrastructure body for Leicestershire, providing directly comparable infrastructure support, volunteer brokerage, training, and council-contracted services to a neighbouring Midlands county. Closest geographic functional peer.

Others

• Heart of England Community Foundation: Heart of England Community Foundation is a regional grantmaking foundation that co-funds CAVA's Newtown Centre and provides grants to VCSE groups in the same geography. Adjacent funder/partner rather than a direct service competitor.

Emerging players

• Do-it.org: Do-it.org is a national online volunteer matching platform that competes with CAVA's Simply Connect for volunteer placements at a UK-wide level. Comparable technology category but national rather than regional infrastructure model.

Direct peers

• Voluntary Action Coventry: Voluntary Action Coventry is the equivalent VCS infrastructure organisation for Coventry. CAVA and VAC explicitly collaborate on VCSE Mental Health Alliance, Community Mental Health Transformation, and joint ICP representation, making it the closest direct peer with near-identical service portfolio and customer base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wcavaorg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/warwickshirecava
• Facebookfacebook.com/wcavaorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wcava
• Instagraminstagram.com/cavaorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Warwickshire & Solihull Community And Voluntary Action