Participate Projects

What Participate Projects does

Participate Projects is a UK-registered charity (Charity Number 1147520) and private company (Company Number 07990889) headquartered at Manningham Mills Community Centre, Bradford, with a secondary presence in Shipley. It provides community development, social-enterprise coaching, and corporate volunteering-brokerage services rather than technology products. Core programmes include Social Venture School (start-up training for charities, CICs, co-ops, and community businesses), Existing Social Business Support (strategic planning, governance, income diversification, and bid writing consultancy), Business Volunteering Services (team volunteering days, skilled volunteering brokerage, and ESG/CSR delivery for businesses), The Venturists (a youth social action initiative in schools), Sport for Good (free mentoring for West Yorkshire sports clubs), Business for Good West Yorkshire (free one-to-one enterprise coaching), and the Bradford 2025 Corporate Volunteering programme for which it serves as Corporate Engagement Partner.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through a combination of restricted grant funding (West Yorkshire Combined Authority £2.3m 'You Can Make It Here' programme, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Unltd, Power to Change), cost-pass-through corporate volunteering fees, and limited paid consultancy for charities and social enterprises. Most programmes are free to end users when grant-funded, and the charity explicitly states it is not profit-motivated. Operating geographies span West Yorkshire primarily, with national extensions into Manchester, Leicester, and Birmingham through Social Venture School and Enterprise Coaching.

The organisation is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Susan, with Anthony as Chief Executive and a management team of roughly 14 staff and associates including Enterprise Coaches, a Business Manager, a Youth Social Venture Coordinator, Business Engagement Leads, and Associates. Distribution is delivered through direct regional delivery and a network of West Yorkshire infrastructure partners (Third Sector Leaders Kirklees, Community Action Bradford & District, Voluntary & Community Calderdale, Voluntary Action Leeds, Nova Wakefield District), plus national partners (Co-ops UK, School for Social Entrepreneurs, Stir to Action).

Name

Participate Projects

Legal name

Participate Projects

Website

https://participateprojects.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Participate Projects is a Bradford-based UK charity that coaches social entrepreneurs, supports existing charities with strategy and bid writing, brokers corporate volunteering for ESG programmes, and runs youth social action initiatives across West Yorkshire with extensions into Manchester, Leicester, and Birmingham.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Development & Social Impact Programs (EDAIAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI), Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

Keywords

• Community development services
• Social enterprise support
• Corporate volunteering programmes
• Youth social action
• Enterprise coaching services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bradford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Services and Consultancy: The organisation provides consultancy services to charities, social enterprises and community organisations including strategic planning, governance support, bid writing, and organisational development. Some support may be charged to cover costs.
2. Corporate Volunteering Services: Provides team building and skilled volunteering programmes to businesses, passing on costs rather than making profit. The organisation brokers relationships between corporate volunteers and community organisations.
3. Grant Funding: Receives grant funding from organisations such as Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, West Yorkshire Combined Authority (including the £2.3 million You Can Make It Here programme), and UK Shared Prosperity Fund to deliver programmes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Participate Projects is a registered charity that supports social entrepreneurs, charities, social enterprises, schools, sports clubs, and corporate partners through coaching, training, and facilitation services. Its core offerings include Social Venture School (start-up support), Business Volunteering Services (corporate volunteering), The Venturists (youth social action), and regional programmes such as Sport for Good, Business for Good West Yorkshire, and the Manningham Mills Community Enterprise Hub. All services are delivered as community development and capacity-building support rather than technology products.

Product overview

Participate Projects operates as a community development organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programmes rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Social Venture School (start-up training), Existing Social Business Support (consultancy), Business Volunteering Services (corporate engagement), and The Venturists (youth social action). These are complemented by geographic programmes such as Manningham Mills Community Enterprise Hub, Sport for Good, Business for Good West Yorkshire, and Bradford 2025 Corporate Volunteering. The organization does not offer a technology platform or SaaS product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Venturists: A Youth Social Action initiative that builds young people's confidence and skills to take a leading role in developing the communities of the future. Designed for schools, colleges and community settings.

Products and services

• The Venturists A youth social action initiative that builds young people's confidence and skills to develop their own social enterprises and ideas, enabling them to take a leading role in developing the communities of the future. Designed for primary schools, secondary schools, colleges and community settings.
• Social Venture School A free programme teaching individuals and groups how to start, develop and lead a social enterprise, small charity, co-op or other social project, covering business planning, legal structures, finance, marketing and impact monitoring. Delivered across West Yorkshire as two-day sessions or four-week formats with one-to-one coaching.
• Manningham Mills Community Enterprise Hub A community enterprise space in Manningham offering a community events venue, café, enterprise hub with hot-desking, co-working space, test trading space, peer networking, workshops and mentoring for local entrepreneurs.
• Business Volunteering Services Bespoke corporate volunteering services for businesses including team volunteering days, skilled volunteering matching specialist skills with nonprofit organisations, and donations facilitation. Designed to support companies' ESG/CSR strategy, team building, and community impact.
• Sport for Good West Yorkshire A free programme of mentoring and workshops for sports clubs and organisations in West Yorkshire, helping them increase resilience, engagement, sustainability and diversity. Delivered online and in-person across Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.
• Business for Good West Yorkshire A free service providing one-to-one support from an Enterprise Coach to help individuals set up socially focused businesses across West Yorkshire.
• Bradford 2025 Corporate Volunteering Corporate volunteering programme as the Corporate Engagement Partner for Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, providing team volunteering (5-50 volunteers), skilled volunteering, youth social action, and donation opportunities for businesses.
• Existing Social Business Support Consultancy services for existing charities, social enterprises and community organisations, including strategic planning, income diversification, governance support, bid writing, organisational diagnostics, coaching and mentoring. Provides one-off support through long-term coaching, facilitating and mentoring arrangements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 88% of young people on the Venturists programme said they were more motivated to put effort into challenges and school work
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Equality TogethercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn partnership with Equality Together, Participate is supporting the development of the Manningham Mills Community Enterprise Hub. The hub is intended to be eventually owned and operated by the community.
• Third Sector Leaders KirkleescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Sport for Good West Yorkshire consortium, bringing collective expertise to support sports clubs and organisations across West Yorkshire.
• Community Action Bradford & DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Sport for Good West Yorkshire consortium, supporting sports clubs and organisations in the Bradford district.
• Voluntary & Community CalderdalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Sport for Good West Yorkshire consortium, supporting sports clubs and organisations in Calderdale.
• Voluntary Action LeedscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Sport for Good West Yorkshire consortium, supporting sports clubs and organisations in Leeds.
• Nova Wakefield DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Sport for Good West Yorkshire consortium, supporting sports clubs and organisations in Wakefield district.
• TSL KirkleescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading the Business for Good West Yorkshire programme with local delivery partners including Participate.
• SEE AheadminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal delivery partner for Business for Good West Yorkshire programme.
• Stir to ActionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal delivery partner for Business for Good West Yorkshire programme.
• Coop CultureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal delivery partner for Business for Good West Yorkshire programme.
• Co-ops UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partner supporting Business for Good West Yorkshire programme with expertise in cooperative and social enterprise models.
• School for Social EntrepreneursminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partner supporting Business for Good West Yorkshire programme with expertise in social entrepreneurship education.
• England RugbyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner of IMAS (Inclusive Mixed Ability Sport) social venture supported by Participate. IMAS has established partnerships with England Rugby.
• Sport EnglandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner of IMAS social venture supported by Participate, working to break down barriers in sport.
• Premiership RugbyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner of IMAS social venture supported by Participate.
• Department for Culture, Media and SportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner of IMAS social venture supported by Participate.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations): UK umbrella body for the voluntary sector, providing research, policy, training and infrastructure support; comparable as an enabler of charities and community organisations but at national scale.
• Social Enterprise UK: UK membership body representing social enterprises nationally with advocacy, networks and policy work; broader/incumbent peer operating at UK-wide policy level rather than local delivery.
• Big Issue Invest: Social investment arm of Big Issue providing loans and support to social enterprises; comparable beneficiary base but operating via investment rather than grant-funded training.
• Co-operatives UK: UK membership body for co-operative enterprises; broader incumbent supporting co-ops with advice, training and standards, and is already a programme partner of Participate.

Direct peers

• Locality: UK membership body supporting community-led organisations and social enterprises; comparable as a national infrastructure body serving similar beneficiary organisations with advice, training and network access.
• Plunkett Foundation: UK charity helping rural communities set up and run community-owned co-operatives and enterprises; comparable model of supporting start-up community/social businesses with training, mentoring and network support.
• UnLtd: UK foundation providing start-up funding and support to social entrepreneurs; comparable as a direct provider of grants and mentoring to social ventures, and is already a funding partner of Participate.
• School for Social Entrepreneurs: UK charity running courses and support programmes for social entrepreneurs, including in the North of England. Directly comparable as a training/support provider for early-stage social ventures, and is already a programme partner with Participate.
• Power to Change: UK charitable trust funding community businesses and social enterprises; directly comparable mission and was previously a programme funder of Participate (Empowering Places in Manningham).

Emerging players

• Stir to Action: UK social enterprise focused on co-operative and democratic business education and events; emerging peer with overlapping education/community focus, already a delivery partner of Participate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/participate-projects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 Participate Projects