Falkirk Foundation

What Falkirk Foundation does

Falkirk Foundation is a Scottish registered charity (SC041791) operating as the official charitable arm of Falkirk Football Club, delivering community programmes across the Falkirk and Forth Valley regions. Its functional portfolio spans four verticals: football development (a player pathway from Baby Bairns at 18 months through Mini Bairns, Junior Academy, community male and female teams, Goalkeeping Academy, and Girls Soccer Centre, plus holiday camps and facility hire); education and employability (SQA-accredited Centre Forward for young people with additional support needs, Off The Bench for NEET youth, Coalfields Sports Works, and the UK Government-funded Multiply numeracy programme); health and wellbeing (Football Fans In Training, The Changing Room men's mental health programme with SAMH and Movember, and broader mental health training via FDAMH and Positive Mental Health Scotland); and community inclusion (Falkirk Blind Club, Bairns Blether for residents aged 60+, and Football Memories with Alzheimer Scotland). The Foundation engages over 6,000 people annually and 1,500 weekly, supported by an 11-person core team plus roughly 100 volunteers.

The operating model is community-led direct delivery rather than technology-mediated. No proprietary platforms exist; the only meaningful technical infrastructure is the Stripe-powered Team FeePay membership and payment system, supplemented by Guidde video tutorials and standard social media channels. Revenue is sourced from a diversified mix of government and trust grants (Scottish Government CashBack, UK Government Multiply, National Lottery Community Fund, SPFL Trust, Movember Foundation, UEFA Foundation, Robertson Trust, Coalfields Regeneration Trust), corporate sponsorship (front/back/rear shirt deals with local SMEs including Your Equipment Solutions, RJM Sports, MD Finlay Joinery, plus Tesco and Crunchie), individual donations structured at recurring tiers from £3 to £30 per month and one-off gifts from £15 to £300, subscription membership fees of £23 per month for community teams, holiday camp fees, and facility hire at Falkirk Stadium and Woodlands Community Sports.

Governance sits with a Board of Trustees chaired by Charles MacDonald (founder member), with CEO Derek Allison (appointed April 2021, ex-SPFL Trust Operations Manager) leading operations. Key commercial and strategic assets include SFA Platinum accreditation, SQA High Confidence rating, two SFA Football for All awards for the Down's Syndrome Football Group, and a formal partnership with Falkirk Football Club under which the Women's First Team will integrate into the club as Falkirk FC Women from the 2026/27 season while the Foundation retains the girls and women's pathway.

Name

Falkirk Foundation

Legal name

Falkirk Foundation

Website

https://falkirkfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Falkirk Foundation is a Scottish charity serving as the official charitable arm of Falkirk Football Club, delivering football development, education, health, and community inclusion programmes to over 6,000 people annually across the Falkirk area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKAKAK

Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Management & Promotion Services

SECONDARYEDALAIAN

Athletics Fundraising, Sponsorships & NIL Support

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Athletics, Recreation & Fitness

SECONDARYBPAGADAJ

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

Keywords

• Community football programmes
• Education employability training
• Mental health wellbeing initiatives
• Charity foundation services
• Community sports development

Headquarters

HQ city

Falkirk

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Charitable donations from individuals and organisations supporting community programmes
2. Government and Trust Funding: Funding from government bodies and charitable trusts for specific programmes including Scottish Government CashBack scheme, UK Government Multiply programme, National Lottery Community Fund, CVS Falkirk
3. Membership Fees: Monthly recurring fees for football membership programmes ranging from £23 per month for community teams
4. Holiday Camp Fees: Fees for holiday camp programmes for children aged 2-14
5. Facility Hire: Revenue from hiring community pitch and Woodlands facilities
6. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship from partners including kit sponsors, back of shirt partners, and front of shirt partner

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Falkirk Foundation is a Scottish charity that delivers a portfolio of community programmes using football as the primary engagement tool across four pillars: Football Development (player pathway from 18 months to senior levels, holiday camps, facility hire), Education & Employability (SQA-accredited courses for NEET youth and young people with additional support needs), Health & Wellbeing (mental health training, weight management, men's behavioural change), and Community Engagement (visually impaired club, senior social sessions, dementia memory programmes). Programmes are funded through grants, sponsorships, donations, and recurring membership fees, and delivered primarily from Falkirk Stadium and Woodlands Community Sports.

Product overview

Falkirk Foundation operates as a community charity offering a comprehensive portfolio of programmes spanning football development, health and wellbeing, and education and employability. The football pathway progresses from Baby Bairns (18 months+) through Mini Bairns, Junior Academy, and community teams to senior football. Health initiatives include mental health training, Football Fans In Training, and The Changing Room. Education programmes encompass Centre Forward for young people with additional support needs, Off The Bench for NEET youth, Coalfields Sports Works, and Multiply numeracy courses. Community services include Falkirk Blind Club, Bairns Blether for seniors, and Football Memories. The Foundation functions as a unified platform delivering community engagement through sport, with facility hire supporting programme delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Baby Bairns & Mini Bairns The first step of the Player Pathway allowing boys and girls from 18 months to start playing football. Mini Bairns offers a semi-structured environment for ages 18 months to 5 years with parental involvement required. Delivers 38 coaching sessions per year.
• Male Teams Community Team programme for boys aged 6+ offering training and competitive matches against other community teams in the central region. Includes minimum 34 weeks of coaching, SYFA affiliated league participation, and full Falkirk FC match kit.
• Female Teams Full player pathway for girls from Under 7s to Women's senior football. The only complete player pathway in Central Region, offering structured development training on AstroTurf with SFA qualified coaches. Minimum 38 weeks of coaching per year with SWF small-sided festivals.
• Junior Academy Game Centre Safe environment for children aged 4-12 to develop football skills before joining a team. Provides game-type experience in monitored environment with community coaches, running 4-aside, 5-aside and 7-aside formats.
• Goalkeeping Academy Sessions for aspiring goalkeepers aged 8-14 to learn and develop skills. Features hourly weekly sessions on Astroturf at Falkirk Stadium with qualified SFA Goalkeeping coaches. Follows school term time curriculum.
• Girls Soccer Centre Designed to encourage girls of primary school age into football. Delivered in line with the Player Pathway from age 5 through to adulthood in a structured developmental environment on 4G astroturf with SFA qualified coaches.
• Down's Syndrome Football Group Dedicated football sessions for children with Down's Syndrome. Partnered with Down's Syndrome Scotland for specific coach training. Sessions run Monday 4:30-5:30 on Falkirk Stadium main pitch. Awarded SFA Regional and National 'Football for All Awards' in 2025.
• Schools Football / SFA Extra Time Scottish FA Extra Time Programme for children aged 4.5-12 years. Part of Scottish FA initiative to develop understanding of organized activities and wider engagement with local support services to improve outcomes for families on low incomes.
• Centre Forward 12-month course for young people aged 16-24 with additional support needs. Delivered in partnership with Forth Valley College, funded by National Lottery Community Fund. Combines SQA units with on-pitch activities, real-life work placements, and SFA coaching badges. Achieved 100% attendance rate.
• Off The Bench 12-week programme funded by Scottish Government's CashBack scheme for young people aged 16-24 not in education, employment or training. Delivers Scottish FA Level 1.1 Coaching badge, Sports Leader Award, Approach Saltire Award, and SQA Employability qualifications. 85% of participants move to positive destinations.
• Coalfields Sports Works 10-week programme (3 days per week) in partnership with Coalfields Regeneration Trust for young people aged 16-24 in coalfields communities. CRT Sports Works course achieving 100% positive destinations with SQA qualifications, digital skills, and employment support.
• Multiply 6-week numeracy course funded by UK Government. Combines educational and physical activity with numeracy skills development linked to football and sporting environments. Participants gain SQA qualifications related to numeracy.
• Football Fans In Training (FFIT) Europe's leading healthy lifestyle programme for people aged 35-65. Encourages men and women to lose weight through football training with Foundation coaches, nutrition education, and increased physical activity.
• The Changing Room 12-week behavioural change course promoting men's mental health and wellbeing. Uses football-themed activities including quizzes, stadium tours, walking football, and guest speakers. Funded by Movember Foundation, delivered with SAMH and SPFL Trust.
• Mental Health Training Getting Your Head in the Game project strengthening mental wellbeing. Delivered in partnership with FDAMH, SAMH and Positive Mental Health Scotland. Includes mental health awareness sessions for community teams with SAMH and Movember UK. Trained to deliver mental health awareness sessions to over 175 people.
• Bairns Blether Monthly community engagement initiative for residents aged 60+ to address social isolation. Takes place at Falkirk FC stadium second Monday of each month 12-2pm. Features activities, presentations, quizzes, and football memory sessions. £5 per session.
• Falkirk Blind Club Weekly social group for people with low vision or vision impairment. Meets Tuesdays 1-3pm in Falkirk Stadium's Kevin McAllister Stand. Founded in late 1990s, funded by local organizations including RS McDonald.
• Football Memories Project established in 2006 to help older people reminisce about football. Uses still images, film clips, and newsreels to trigger memories. Partnership with Alzheimer Scotland and Falkirk Football Heritage. Sessions at Falkirk Stadium.
• Holiday Camps Year-round holiday camps for children aged 2-14 at Falkirk Stadium and Woodlands. Offers full day care including summer camps, Mini Bairns camps, Girls Small Sided camps, Boys Advanced camps, and Girls 11-a-side camps.
• Facility Hire Two facilities available for hire: Community Pitch at Falkirk Stadium (Stadium Way, Falkirk FK2 9EE) and Woodlands Pitch at Woodlands Community Sports (Cochrane Ave, Falkirk FK1 1QE). Includes indoor hall for birthday parties.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of Off the Bench participants moved to positive destinations
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Coalfields Regeneration TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Coalfields Regeneration Trust to deliver CRT Sports Works programme improving job prospects for young people in coalfields communities through a 10-week course covering employment, skills development, and health & wellbeing.
• Forth Valley CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership delivering Centre Forward programme - a 12-month course for young people aged 16-24 with additional support needs, combining certificated SQA units with on-pitch activities and work placements.
• Scottish FAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers Scottish FA coaching pathway including Levels 1.1-1.3 at The Falkirk Stadium. SFA Extra Time Programme partnership providing organised activities for targeted families.
• SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivery partner for The Changing Room programme - a 12-week behavioural change course promoting men's mental health through football. Also delivers mental health workshops to community teams.
• FDAMHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health training delivery partner for Getting Your Head Into The Game project, professionally trained to deliver mental health awareness sessions to over 175 people.
• Positive Mental Health ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health training delivery partner for community mental health awareness sessions in Forth Valley area.
• Falkirk Football Heritage TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU partnership to deliver innovative programmes focusing on elderly community members including people living with dementia. Includes Football Memories and Senior Bairns initiatives.
• Down's Syndrome ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining partner for Down's Syndrome Football Group providing coaches with specific training to ensure participants receive the best possible experience.
• Big Hearts, Motherwell Community Trust, ST Mirren Charitable Foundation, Morton in the CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerT.E.A.M project consortium partners collaborating to use football to break down barriers and provide opportunities for demographics facing societal barriers.
• University of StirlingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partnership enabling sport students to support children's coaching sessions, foundation staff providing guest lectures, and research partnerships. Currently includes student work placements and dissertation research.
• SPFL TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for The Changing Room, FFIT, Community Hub initiative, and Winter Campaign (Festive Friends). SPFL Trust provides funding and support for community hub space in Kevin McAllister Stand.
• FlexAuto / Peter VardyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to supply electric vehicle for sustainable community transport in collaboration with The Robertson Trust funding.
• SGNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy support partner for community hub providing resources, tools and techniques for energy safeguarding, Priority Service Register and Carbon Monoxide awareness.
• Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Tickets for Carers initiative providing unpaid carers and their families with free tickets to Falkirk FC home matches.
• Falkirk Football ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial charity partner of Falkirk FC. Shared initiatives include Tickets for Carers programme, women's pathway integration, and community hub development.
• Falkirk CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partner supporting community initiatives and programmes.
• NHS Forth ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth sector partner collaborating on health and wellbeing programmes.
• TescominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood donations and participation in Stronger Starts Blue Token scheme supporting local community projects.
• Various Foodbanks and Community OrganisationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local foodbanks and community organisations for Winter Campaign hamper distribution including Bairns Blether, Kersiebank Community Project, Bo'ness Food Pantry, NU2U Furniture Project, and others.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Motherwell FC Community Trust: Motherwell FC Community Trust is the community organisation linked to Motherwell FC and delivers football, education, health, and inclusion programmes. It is a direct regional peer with a similar Scottish club-community operating model.
• Rangers Charity Foundation: Rangers Charity Foundation delivers health, education, employability, inclusion, and community programmes through a Scottish football club's brand and reach. It is directly comparable in mission, stakeholder base, and programme categories, although it operates at a larger scale.
• Kilmarnock FC Community Trust: Kilmarnock FC Community Trust is the charitable delivery arm associated with a Scottish professional football club, offering football participation, education, health, and inclusion programmes. Its club-linked, community-first model is closely comparable to Falkirk Foundation.
• Celtic FC Foundation: Celtic FC Foundation is the charitable arm of a major Scottish football club and runs fundraising, health, education, inclusion, and community-support initiatives. Its football-led social-impact model is directly comparable despite its substantially larger scale and reach.
• St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation: St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation is the charitable arm associated with St Mirren FC, using football and club facilities to support community participation and social outcomes. It is a close football-club foundation peer in the same Scottish market.
• Dundee United Community Trust: Dundee United Community Trust uses the club's identity and facilities to deliver sport, learning, health, and social-inclusion initiatives in its local community. It is a direct analogue for Falkirk Foundation's football-led programme model.
• Partick Thistle Community Trust: Partick Thistle Community Trust connects a Scottish football club with local sport, learning, health, and social-impact activities. Its community trust structure and target participants closely resemble Falkirk Foundation.
• Hibernian Community Foundation: Hibernian Community Foundation is the community arm associated with Hibernian FC, combining football participation with education, health, employability, and inclusion work. It targets a similar Scottish community through a professional-club partnership.
• Big Hearts: Big Hearts is a Scottish football-led community charity focused on health, wellbeing, inclusion, and support for vulnerable groups. It uses sport and stadium-linked engagement in a manner closely comparable to Falkirk Foundation.

Others

• SPFL Trust: SPFL Trust is the network and delivery body supporting community programmes across Scottish professional football. It overlaps with Falkirk Foundation in initiatives such as Football Fans in Training, The Changing Room, and community hubs, but is an ecosystem and funding partner rather than a single local club foundation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/falkirkfcf
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@falkirkfoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/falkirkfcf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/falkirk-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/falkirkfoundation_/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@falkirk.foundation?_t=ZN-8vPy7bGamcY&_r=1

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Falkirk Foundation