Improving lives, at the heart of our community
Key partners and patrons
The work we do across Doncaster wouldn’t be possible without the support of our key partners and patrons, and these have been outlined below:
A reaffirmation of our commitment to excellence, innovation, and community-focused delivery
Introduction
A warm welcome to the Club Doncaster Foundation Strategic Plan 2026–31.
Across our organisation, we believe that since the launch of our last strategic plan, we have made significant progress in delivering our vision. Through dedicated work and strong partnerships, we have strengthened our programmes, achieved measurable outcomes against both our own standards and those of our partners, and created meaningful impact across the city that we serve.
This period has also been marked by extensive consultation with stakeholders, people we work with or support, and local partners to ensure that our next steps are guided by real insight and lived experience from our provision. These conversations have helped us identify opportunities to innovate, improve, and respond to emerging needs, while also confirming that the direction of travel we established to support Doncaster three years ago is one we wish to continue.
This work has created challenges, as demand for our services continues to grow, with many programmes experiencing oversubscription. This surge in demand has meant an over reliance on our fundraising strategies, directing resources to areas of need, such as our cancer support programme and veterans’ services. The consultation reiterated that we are moving in the right direction, therefore this strategic plan sets out a framework of which to continue this vital work.
Building on the learning and development of the past 3 years, this strategic plan outlines our priorities for the coming years. It is a roadmap for continued impact, sustainable growth, and a reaffirmation of our commitment to excellence, innovation, and community-focused delivery.
As we embark on this new strategy, I would like to thank the hard work of our staff, our volunteers, our key partners and everyone that attends or promotes our programmes. Without you, none of this would be possible.
John Davis CEO
225,276
4,053
PUPILS ENGAGED ACROSS PARTNER SCHOOLS
SCHOOL S
PREMIER LE AGUE INSPIRES
1,927
YOUNG PEOPLE ACCESSING SECONDARY SCHOOL SUPPORT AND MENTORING
REFUGEE DELIVERY SUPPORT AT TENDANCES
• DEMENTIA SUPPORT
• KEEP IN MIND
• WALK AND TALK PARTICIPANT VISITS
3,024
DIVERSIONARY PROGR AMME AT TENDANCES
3,401
ELE VATE ENGAGEMENTS
477
FIT FORCES
18,056
1,114
SESSION AT TENDANCES
We want to continue our work to support Doncaster to become a healthier, better connected and inclusive place
A registered charity at the heart of Doncaster
Club Doncaster Foundation is a leading charity embedded in the heart of our community. We want to continue our work to support Doncaster to become a healthier, better connected and inclusive place. The next phase of our work will deepen impact, strengthen partnerships, and evolve delivery to meet the changing needs of our city.
The challenge
Doncaster experiences higher-than-average rates of health problems, including obesity, mental health issues and alcohol-related conditions. Health inequalities are pronounced between different neighbourhoods placing strain on services.
Educational attainment and skills gaps are shortening, but they continue to provide challenges, particularly in deprived areas.
IMPROVING LIVES ACROSS DONCASTER
EDUCATION INCLUSION COMMUNITY
To care about what we do and who we work with
The plan
Our plan is to continue to grow and develop the work streams and provision we have, connecting more people to positive activities and the various pathways we offer. We believe growth of our services will come, organically through the increased demand and we’ll continue to service this need through expanding partnerships or driving fundraising resources to projects that need them.
Vision, mission and charitable values
Vision »
To support Doncaster to be a healthier, better connected, inclusive city.
Mission »
To improve lives across Doncaster by harnessing the power of sport and community reach to deliver high-quality, inclusive, and impactful provision across education, health and wellbeing, and community engagement.
Charitable values »
• To be inclusive in our approach
• To care about what we do and who we work with
• To work with and across the whole city
• To be professional in all that we do
• To be different and to push boundaries
Reducing waiting lists and enabling as many people to access our provision as possible
Strategic priorities
We have identified the following six strategic priorities:
Health and wellbeing »
Expand and strengthen health programmes to continue to address inequalities, focusing on mental health, obesity reduction, and prevention initiatives.
Awareness and engagement »
Deepen our understanding of community voice, ensuring that the people we work with are the basis of all our communications.
Social inclusion »
Continue to ally marginalised groups and communities, removing barriers to participation and creating pathways for sustained engagement.
Equality, diversity and inclusion »
Embed inclusive practice across all programmes, ensuring fairness, respect, and belonging.
Education and employability »
Continued growth of our educational pathways, reducing waiting lists and enabling as many people to access our provision as possible.
Sustainability and growth »
Diversify income streams to scale programmes and respond to emerging needs.
Our supporters
We rely on partners, funders, and community support. Individuals and organisations can help through funding, partnerships, and advocacy. You can support us in the following ways:
Individual giving »
Regular monthly donations help us plan, invest, and reach more people.
Corporate partnerships »
Businesses can contribute to measurable social impact, employee engagement, and targeted programme support.
Payroll giving »
Payroll donations are a simple, efficient way to support our work.
Legacy giving »
Leaving a gift in your will creates lasting impact for future generations.
The impact of giving »
Every contribution directly supports our work and community outcomes, helping us engage with 14,382 people per year, accessing programmes over 225,000 times.
Get involved ...
Support the Foundation through donations, partnerships, or advocacy. Join us in delivering sustainable, long-term change across Doncaster. Scan the QR code below to find out more. Every contribution directly supports our work and community outcomes
We will embed inclusive practice across all programmes, ensuring fairness, respect, and belonging
References and supporting documents
The following strategies have been reviewed within the strategy, either in the consultation phase or the refresh process:
• Doncaster Delivering Together - Borough Strategy (2021 to 2030)
• Get Doncaster Moving Strategy (2025 to 2030)
• Doncaster Environment & Sustainability Strategy (2020 to 2030)
• Doncaster Culture Strategy (2030 to 2035)
• EFL In The Community Strategy (2024 to 2029)
• Premier League Foundation Youth Engagement (2022 to 2025) & Safeguarding Strategy (2023 to 2025)
• Football Foundation Strategy (2025 to 2030)
• The FA: Inspiring Positive Change Through Football (2024 to 2028)
• NHS – 10-Year Health Plan: Fit For The Future
• Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy (2025)
As a charity at the heart of our three clubs, it is our mission to connect them to more members of the community, whilst supporting more people across Doncaster.
