Homeless Connect

What Homeless Connect does

Homeless Connect is a non-profit membership body for organizations working in the homelessness sector across Northern Ireland, established in 1983 as the Council for the Homeless (Northern Ireland) and operating under the working name Homeless Connect (registered charity number 103325). The organization functions as both a sector coordination body and a direct service provider, running membership networking, policy advocacy, and a portfolio of programs including FareShare NI (a regional food redistribution service redistributing 656 tonnes of surplus food to 170+ charities, schools, and community groups weekly from a Mallusk warehouse), Home Starter Packs (essential household goods for individuals moving into new tenancies, contributing to a 94% tenancy sustainment rate over six months), a Lived Experience program (Echoes of Home group), the Northern Ireland Frontline Network, and the annual NI Homelessness Conference. The organization also holds the secretariat for the All-Party Group on Homelessness at the Northern Ireland Assembly, providing it direct influence over legislation and strategy.

The organization operates with 17 staff from a Belfast headquarters and Mallusk warehouse, serving member organizations (charities such as Simon Community NI, Depaul, and Hosford; housing associations), policymakers (NI Assembly, Department for Communities, NI Housing Executive), frontline practitioners, and individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The technology stack is standard office tooling (Microsoft Office 365, secure web-based case management, Google Analytics) with no proprietary technology products or AI/ML capabilities.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid charity-sector model comprising undisclosed membership fees from sector organizations, government statutory funding (the NI Housing Executive's Supporting People Programme allocated £33 million for homelessness services in 2024/5), donations and fundraising, and conference and training ticket sales (early bird £103.50–£148.50, standard £115–£165 per attendee for the 2026 conference). Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. The organization partners with FareShare UK as part of a national food redistribution network, and with statutory bodies including the NI Housing Executive as a core strategic partner.

Name

Homeless Connect

Legal name

Council for the Homeless (Northern Ireland)

Website

https://homelessconnect.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Homeless Connect is a non-profit membership body for Northern Ireland's homelessness sector, founded in 1983, coordinating policy advocacy, training, and direct services including FareShare NI food redistribution and Home Starter Packs for new tenancies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homelessness Prevention Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Homelessness prevention services
• Food redistribution charity
• Membership advocacy body
• Policy influence services
• Tenancy support programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Homeless Connect operates as a membership body with organizations paying membership fees to join and access support, resources, policy influence, and networking opportunities.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The organization accepts donations from individuals and organizations to support their programs including FareShare NI and Home Starter Packs.
3. Conference and Training Events: Revenue from ticket sales for the annual NI Homelessness Conference and training workshops. Early bird tickets range from £103.50-£148.50 for members/non-members, with standard pricing at £115-£165.
4. Government and Statutory Funding: Funding from government bodies including NI Housing Executive and Department for Communities to support homelessness prevention services and policy work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Homeless Connect is the membership body for organisations working in the homelessness sector in Northern Ireland, providing paid membership, policy advocacy (including the All-Party Group on Homelessness secretariat), training and networking events, and the annual NI Homelessness Conference. It also delivers direct charitable services including FareShare NI food redistribution (656 tonnes annually to 170+ charities, schools, and community groups) and Home Starter Packs (essential household goods for individuals moving into new tenancies, supporting a 94% tenancy-sustainment rate beyond six months).

Product overview

Homeless Connect is a membership body for organisations working in the homelessness sector in Northern Ireland, offering a portfolio of interconnected charitable services. The core offerings include FareShare NI (food redistribution), Home Starter Packs (household goods for new tenancies), the Lived Experience Program (service co-design with people who have experienced homelessness), and the NI Frontline Network (support for frontline workers). Additional services include membership networking, policy influence/advocacy, and events/training. The organisation operates a Furniture Voucher Scheme as an extension of the Home Starter Pack program. Founded in 1983, the organisation connects services, connects people with lived experience, and delivers direct assistance to prevent and alleviate homelessness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FareShare NI A regional food sharing service that redistributes surplus food donated by the food industry to charities, schools, hostels, and community groups across Northern Ireland, helping alleviate food poverty. Reaches 170+ charities and community groups weekly with 656 tonnes of food annually.
• Home Starter Pack Project Provides packs of essential household goods to individuals and families moving into new tenancies after experiencing homelessness, supporting tenancy sustainability (94% of tenancies sustained for over 6 months) and helping make a house feel like a home.
• Northern Ireland Frontline Network A network for people working or volunteering on the frontline of the homelessness sector, ensuring their views are heard and providing stress management, burnout prevention workshops, and peer support.
• Lived Experience Programme Involves people with lived experience of homelessness in shaping strategy and bringing about positive change to services, promoting best practice through the Echoes of Home group.
• Membership Services Paid membership body for organisations working with people experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless in Northern Ireland, providing networking, policy influence, training, and shared learning opportunities.
• NI Homelessness Conference Annual ticketed flagship conference bringing together experts, practitioners, policymakers, and people with lived experience in the homelessness sector. Member tickets £103.50–£115, non-member tickets £148.50–£165.
• Furniture Voucher Scheme Partnership with EBM Restore providing vouchers to NI Housing Executive clients in Belfast, Lisburn, and Derry/Londonderry, allowing them to choose furniture items from Restore shops to help furnish their new homes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of tenancies sustained for over 6 months
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Partnerships

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

• ArkmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint sponsor of the NI Homelessness Conference 2026, providing support for the annual flagship event bringing together homelessness sector stakeholders
• Public Health Agency (PHA)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint sponsor of the NI Homelessness Conference 2026, supporting public health collaboration in homelessness sector
• Choice HousingmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint sponsor of the NI Homelessness Conference 2026, supporting housing sector collaboration
• NI Housing ExecutivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey statutory partner providing funding through Supporting People Programme (£33 million for homelessness services in 2024/5) and administering homelessness services. NIHE is a major supporter of Homeless Connect's work.
• Frontline NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHomeless Connect partners with the Frontline Network to deliver the Northern Ireland Frontline Network, supporting people working on the frontline of the homelessness sector
• FEANTSAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless. Freek Spinnewijn, FEANTSA Director, spoke at the NI Homelessness Conference sharing European perspectives on homelessness policy
• Homeless Network ScotlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant Campbell from Homeless Network Scotland shared Scottish perspectives on innovative approaches to homelessness at the NI Homelessness Conference
• FareShare UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFareShare NI is part of the FareShare UK network, which redistributes surplus food from industry to charities across the UK
• Community Foundation Northern IrelandmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupports Homelessness Awareness Week through their NI Housing and Homelessness Fund, providing funding for awareness and educational events
• Food Industry (surplus food donors)coreOthersFood industry companies donating surplus food for redistribution through FareShare NI to charities and community groups across Northern Ireland

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Crisis UK: Major UK-wide charity tackling homelessness through research, policy, and direct services. Larger and better resourced than Homeless Connect; operates across the UK but is the dominant player in shaping national homelessness policy.
• Shelter UK: One of the UK's largest housing and homelessness charities with national policy influence and direct services. A broad incumbent with overlapping mission but a much larger operational and fundraising footprint than Homeless Connect.

Direct peers

• Homeless Link: England-wide membership body for homelessness organizations, the closest structural analog to Homeless Connect. Operates similar membership, policy, training, and frontline support functions but at a national UK scale rather than regionally within Northern Ireland.
• FEANTSA: European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless; Homeless Connect has a partnership relationship. Provides the pan-European membership body equivalent for cross-national policy coordination.
• Centrepoint: UK charity focused on youth homelessness providing accommodation, support, and policy advocacy. Comparable in mission to the New Foundations Pilot and broader Homeless Connect work, though operating at UK scale.
• Homeless Network Scotland: Scotland's national homelessness membership network, directly comparable in mission and model. Homeless Connect has a documented partnership with this peer, sharing Scottish policy approaches at the NI Homelessness Conference.
• St Mungo's: Major UK charity providing homelessness accommodation, recovery, and support services. Direct peer in service delivery model with overlapping policy advocacy; substantially larger than Homeless Connect.
• Depaul: Homelessness charity operating across the UK and Ireland providing accommodation and support services; listed as a Homeless Connect member. Direct peer in service delivery and member of the same coordination ecosystem.
• Simon Community NI: Northern Ireland-based homelessness charity providing direct services including hostels and outreach; named as a Homeless Connect member organization. Operates frontline delivery in the same NI sector that Homeless Connect coordinates.

Regional players

• Tai Pawb: Wales-wide equality and housing organization addressing homelessness and housing-related inequality. Comparable mission but operates primarily in Wales rather than competing directly in Northern Ireland.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HomelessNI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC68J4s0af74J8OqjI6PHqpg
• Facebookfacebook.com/homelessconnectNI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/homeless-connect

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Homeless Connect