Third Sector Trends is a longitudinal and comparative study which explores the structure, dynamics, energy, purpose and impact of the voluntary sector in the context of change.  

The core elements of the Third Sector Trends Study from across England and Wales in 2025 have now been completed and published.  To draw this round of the study to a close, a seminar was organised by Community Foundation North East, the project’s core financial backer.

Chaired by the Foundation’s Chief Executive, Rob Williamson,  presentations on the research evidence were made by Professor Tony Chapman of Policy&Practice and Hannah Mackay-Christie, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Advisor at Community Foundation North East.

Respondents to the findings, Jo Curry of Sir James Knott Trust and Martin Brookes of Voluntary Organisations Network North East (VONNE) pin-pointed key issues arising from the research and made valuable observations about their usefulness from both funders’ and voluntary sector infrastructure organisations’ perspectives.

Community Foundation North East’s interactive data portal communicates core findings from the study. It is now live and can be accessed here:  Third Sector Trends Interactive Data Portal.

The new site uses data visualisation tools to bring the study’s key findings to life across England and Wales, with a particular focus on North East England, including a breakdown for the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority.

Users can select areas of interest, such as employee numbers, volunteers, purpose, beneficiaries served, or social impact, and explore the results through graphs, maps, and infographics drawn from data gathered since the triennial surveys began in 2010.

“It’s a treasure trove for the sector, for funders, for researchers and for policy-makers – who need to take heed of the economic as well as the social value of what charities and community organisations do across the country,” said Rob Williamson, chief executive of Community Foundation North East

More detail on they history of the study and an annotated list of research publications can be located here: Third Sector Trends

The new evidence portal was featured in a number of sector press articles: Third Sector,  UK Fundraising, Charity Times.