What Newcastle United Foundation does

Newcastle United Foundation is an independent registered charity (Charity Number 1124896) and the official charitable arm of Newcastle United Football Club, founded in 2008 and headquartered at NUCASTLE in Newcastle upon Tyne. The Foundation delivers community, education, health and wellbeing, and sports programmes across Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside, and Gateshead, serving over 69,000 people annually through 43 distinct projects. Core offerings include Premier League Kicks (free football for 8-18 year-olds), Premier League Primary Stars (in-school delivery to 146+ schools), Premier League Inspires (at-risk youth aged 11-18), the NU Futures employability programme for 12,000 young people aged 11-25, Walking Football and disability football sessions, and mental health campaigns such as Be A Game Changer. The Foundation operates the NUCASTLE community hub — a three-storey facility with a 3G rooftop pitch, fitness suite, sports hall, esports lounge, and digital STEM suites — which is powered by Newcastle Building Society and supports 100,000 visitors per year.

The underlying technology stack is modest and asset-light: virtual reality devices (funded by a £500,000 Sage partnership) enable career exploration, digital STEM suites support curriculum delivery, and the Abler.io platform handles online booking for paid activities. The business model is hybrid — primarily grant and donation funded, with a small but growing commercial fundraising layer. Major institutional funders include the North of Tyne Combined Authority (£2.6 million committed to NU Futures), Sage (£500,000 Technology Partnership), Premier League Charitable Fund, Harrison Foundation, and Baker Hughes. Commercial fundraising streams include a £2-per-ticket matchday lottery at St. James' Park, a £5-per-month Community Champions Draw subscription, and event-based fundraising (Great North Run, Family Fun Run). The Foundation employs 174 staff and sessional team members and operates under a community-led go-to-market model with event-driven engagement (holiday courses, Premier League Kicks sessions, disability football) delivered through schools, community venues, and the NUCASTLE hub.

The Foundation's customer base spans children and young people aged 5-25, NEET youth (16-24), people with disabilities, older adults (50+, including dementia and walking football cohorts), at-risk youth (11-18), and 140+ schools across the North East. Strategic direction since 2021 has been anchored by the NUCASTLE facility build, NU Futures programme launch, and a sequenced corporate-partnership expansion (Newcastle Building Society, Sage, Baker Hughes) that is converting the Foundation's brand affiliation with Newcastle United FC into recurring STEM and employability programme funding.

Name

Newcastle United Foundation

Legal name

Newcastle United Foundation

Website

https://nufoundation.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Newcastle United Foundation is the official charitable arm of Newcastle United Football Club, delivering community sports, education, employability, and health programmes to over 69,000 people annually across the North East of England via its NUCASTLE hub and 43 active projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Sports Charity

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

Keywords

• Community sports programmes
• Youth education programmes
• Disability inclusion sport
• Community fundraising services
• Health and wellbeing programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Newcastle upon Tyne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donations from supporters helping fund community programmes for children, young people and families
2. Fundraising Events: Community fundraising activities including Family Fun Run, Great North 10k, Great North Run with minimum sponsorship requirements
3. Matchday Lottery: Weekly lottery on home matchdays at St. James' Park, tickets cost £2 with funds directly supporting Foundation work
4. Community Champions Draw: Monthly subscription lottery at £5 per month offering Newcastle United prizes
5. Foundation Grants: Funding from Premier League Charitable Fund, Harrison Foundation, North of Tyne Combined Authority, and other institutional funders

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Newcastle United Foundation is an independent registered charity that uses the power of football to deliver community, education, health and wellbeing, and sports programmes across North East England. It operates the NUCASTLE community hub and runs a portfolio of free and low-cost programmes for children, young people, families and older adults, funded through donations, grants, lottery, fundraising events and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

Newcastle United Foundation operates as a unified community charity portfolio rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of community programmes centered around football and sports delivery, complemented by education, employability, and health and wellbeing services. Core sport offerings include Premier League Kicks, Walking Football, Disability Sessions, Active Through Football, and Holiday Courses, all delivered at NUCASTLE (the Foundation's world-class community hub) and across venues throughout the North East. Educational initiatives encompass Premier League Primary Stars (primary schools), Premier League Inspires (at-risk youth), and a broad Schools Programme. Employability support is provided through the NU Futures programme, which integrates STEM learning, mentoring, and career pathways. Fundraising mechanisms include Matchday Lottery, Community Champions Draw, and various events. The Foundation serves over 69,000 people annually across Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside, and Gateshead.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NUCASTLE: World-class community hub powered by Newcastle Building Society, located five minutes' walk from St. James' Park, offering sports, leisure, wellbeing and personal development activities.
• NU Futures
• Premier League Kicks

Products and services

• Premier League Kicks Free weekly football sessions for young people aged 8-18 delivered 48 weeks a year across the North East in safe, supervised environments with professional coaching staff.
• Premier League Primary Stars Primary school education programme using football to help children become active and develop essential life skills, with resources across curriculum subjects for Key Stage 1 and 2.
• Premier League Inspires Engages young people aged 11-18 at risk of not reaching their potential, developing personal skills and positive attitudes needed to succeed through mentoring, workshops, and social action projects.
• Disability Sessions Professional disability football coaching for adults and children with a range of disabilities including amputee football, visually impaired football, powerchair football, cerebral palsy football, and Down syndrome football through an inclusive approach to sport.
• Walking Football Low-impact football for older players and those recovering from injury, with sessions including specialist provision for people with acquired brain injuries, mental health conditions, and dementia.
• Active Through Football Free wellbeing activities for community members aged 16-29 facing barriers to physical activity, combining football with mental and physical health support.
• NU Futures Career building programme supporting young adults furthest from the jobs market through mentoring, personal development, digital STEM learning, apprenticeships, work placements, and regular interactions with local employers, engaging 12,000 young people annually.
• Holiday Courses Football holiday courses for children aged 5-13 held during school breaks at venues across the North East, providing skill-building activities and opportunities to meet Newcastle United players.
• Schools Programme Inclusive schools programme delivered through interactive lessons in classrooms, playgrounds, and at NUCASTLE, engaging over 140 primary and secondary schools with curriculum-based activities.
• Matchday Lottery Weekly matchday lottery raising funds for the Foundation's charitable work, with tickets available at St. James' Park on home matchdays at £2 per ticket.
• Community Champions Draw Monthly prize draw offering exclusive Newcastle United prizes through one-off tickets or subscriptions at £5 per month, supporting community work across the North East.
• NUCASTLE Community Hub World-class community hub powered by Newcastle Building Society, located five minutes from St. James' Park, featuring a 3G rooftop pitch, fitness suite, sports hall, cycling studio, esports lounge, STEM room, and digital suites, attracting 100,000 visitors annually.
• Fundraising Events Various fundraising activities including Family Fun Run, AJ Bell Great North 10k, and AJ Bell Great North Run, enabling supporters to raise funds for community programmes.
• Be A Game Changer Mental health awareness campaign using football to encourage conversations about mental wellbeing and provide support for young people.

Quantifiable outcome

• 69,849 people supported annually with 100% of disability football participants improving physical wellbeing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Baker HughescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Next Generation partner expanding STEM opportunities through work placements, skill-building workshops in schools, site visits and career pathways into STEM sector for young people.
• Newcastle Building SocietyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2022Power sponsor of NUCASTLE community hub. Long-standing partnership including agreement to fund community hub network and sustainable support for three community hubs creating opportunities for young people in the North East.
• SagecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2022Technology Partner providing £500,000 funding for virtual reality devices, tablets, and STEM skills events. Supports NU Futures programme with annual STEM event at NUCASTLE attended by over 2,000 school children.
• Premier League Charitable FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding body for Premier League Kicks, Primary Stars, and Inspires programmes delivered across the North East.
• Professional Footballers' AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership support for Premier League Inspires and NU Transitions programmes providing funding and player engagement.
• North Tyneside CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to boost opportunities for young people in sport, education, jobs, and training across North Tyneside.
• Stagecoach North EastminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransport partnership providing free travel passes for NU Futures participants to address transport poverty barriers.
• Port of BlythminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployer partner providing industry insight and career exploration opportunities for young people in the energy sector.
• The Prince's TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivery partner for Prince's Trust TEAM programme for 16-25 year olds not in employment, education or training.
• Newcastle United Football ClubflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial charity arm of Newcastle United with licence to use club brand. Provides player appearances, stadium access, and community connection.
• adidasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKit sponsor providing Newcastle United kits for 1892 Cup participants.
• EquansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with Newcastle City Council to improve sustainability, supporting PL Inspires Challenge environmental projects.
• Premier LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoverning body providing Inspires Challenge framework and sustainability targets aligned with UN Sports for Climate Action.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Liverpool FC Foundation: Official charity of Liverpool FC operating Kicks, Primary Stars, Inspires and health programmes in Merseyside. Direct structural peer with similarly regional service model and PL Charitable Fund dependency.
• Tottenham Hotspur Foundation: Official charity of Tottenham Hotspur delivering Kicks, education and employability programmes in North London boroughs. Closely comparable in scale, target cohorts (NEET, disability, schools) and funding mix.
• West Ham United Foundation: Official charity of West Ham United delivering PL Charitable Fund programmes, education and community sport initiatives in East London.
• Manchester United Foundation: Official charitable arm of Manchester United FC, delivering youth education, employability and community sports programmes across Greater Manchester. Closely comparable in structure, programme mix (Premier League Kicks, Primary Stars, Inspires), and Premier League-tied funding model.
• Aston Villa Foundation: Charitable arm of Aston Villa FC operating Kicks, Primary Stars, disability sport and education programmes across the West Midlands with the same Premier League-aligned structure.
• Everton in the Community: Official charity of Everton FC delivering Kicks, Primary Stars, Inspires and health programmes across Merseyside with comparable scale to Newcastle United Foundation.
• Chelsea Foundation: Chelsea FC's charitable arm running Kicks, Primary Stars, Inspires, education and inclusion programmes across London and beyond. Same Premier League funding channels and youth/education focus.
• Leicester City Football Club Community Trust: Official charitable trust of Leicester City FC delivering Kicks, Primary Stars, Inspires, education and disability programmes across Leicestershire with funding dependencies on PL Charitable Fund and corporate partners.
• Arsenal in the Community: Arsenal's community arm delivers sports, education and inclusion programmes in North London, leveraging the same Premier League charitable programmes and similar corporate-partnership-driven funding model.
• Manchester City in the Community: City Football Group's community charity, operating similar youth sports, education and disability programmes using the Premier League Charitable Fund's national framework. Same primary beneficiary base and revenue model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NU_Foundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/NewcastleUnitedFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/newcastleunitedfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/nu_foundation
• TikToktiktok.com/@nufoundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Newcastle United Foundation