Building stronger, sustainable sports clubs.
Running a community sports club takes real dedication, from your players, your coaches, and especially your committee.
We are here to make sure that effort builds toward something sustainable: a well-governed, financially resilient club that serves your community for years to come.
About Us.
Build Foundations. Access Funding. Grow with Confidence
Most clubs are doing more than they realise, with less support than they deserve.
One in three grassroots clubs in the UK is currently operating with no financial reserves. Volunteers are giving more time than ever. And most committees are navigating legal structures, compliance, and funding applications with no professional guidance and very little time to spare.
That is not a failure of ambition. It is a gap in the support available to community sport.
Club Development Solutions was founded to close that gap. We work with grassroots and community sports clubs across the UK, across all sports and all stages of development, to help them put the right foundations in place, access the support they are entitled to, and build organisations that genuinely serve their communities for the long term.
We are not here to push clubs through a process. We are here to understand what your club needs and help you get there, at a pace that works for your committee.
What we do
We bring together the practical, legal, and financial support that most clubs have historically had to piece together themselves, or go without.
01
The right legal structure protects your volunteers, strengthens your organisation's credibility, and opens doors that remain closed to unincorporated clubs. We guide committees through every option and, where it is right for the club, handle the application from start to finish.
02
If your club is a registered charity or CASC and your supporters are UK taxpayers, Gift Aid allows you to reclaim basic rate tax on their donations at no cost to them. We handle the registration, the systems, and the claims.
03
Securing grant funding takes time, expertise, and an understanding of what funders want to see. We identify the right opportunities, write the applications, and build the case for support, so your committee does not have to.
04
Registered charities can access up to £7,500 per month in free Google search advertising. We handle the registration, set up the account, and manage your campaigns each month to keep them performing.
05
Practical, plain-English workshops for committees, trustees, and volunteers, covering governance, legal structures, funding, Gift Aid, and financial management. Online or in person, at a time that suits you.
Three ways to work with us
We have structured our support to meet clubs where they are.
You can start for free, engage us for a single project, or choose an ongoing package and hand the work to us entirely.
There is no obligation to do anything more until you are ready.
Resources, guides, and a free 30-minute consultation to understand your options. The right starting point if you are not yet sure what your club needs.
We handle your incorporation, Gift Aid registration, Google for Nonprofits setup, and get your club properly structured and funding-ready.
Our fully managed service. We set everything up, then run your Gift Aid claims, Ad Grants, grant applications, and governance support every month.
Our Impact
in Numbers
Facts & Figures
70+
Clubs Supported
We've helped over 70 clubs save money and generate new income
No Upfront Costs
Much of our work is free until you're reaping the benefits and generating new income
£0
£560m
Unclaimed Gift Aid
Up to £560 million in Gift Aid went unclaimed by charities last year
Average New Income
How much extra revenue we can typically help sports clubs generate. See how much we can help you generate with our free calculator.
25%
50%
Rising costs
50% of clubs had to dip into their reserves just to meet basic liabilities
New funding exploration
Only one in three clubs intend to identify new funding opportunities.
1 in 3
32%
Clubs in need
32% of grassroots clubs are operating with no financial reserves at all
Average volunteer hours
The average club now relies on over 12 hours of volunteering per week.
12h +
Case Study
Gala Fairydean Community Trust x CDS
We are delighted to have helped Gala Fairydean Rovers Community Trust unlock over £20,000 in Gift Aid, with funds reinvested directly into grassroots football provision including coaching qualifications, new equipment, and girls', para and walking football squads.
When the Trust approached CDS, Gift Aid administration had proved difficult to manage without dedicated staff. Within weeks, systems were simplified, backdated claims submitted and new policies put in place.
"Within a fortnight Andrew had streamlined our system and taken a lot of weight off our shoulders." - Dave Scott, Trustee
The partnership continues to cover governance advice, policy development and financial sustainability planning ensuring no available income is left on the table.
What Our Clients Say
"CDS's support in gaining charitable status was just what we needed. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and we are now positioned to reap the benefits"
Salisbury Stingrays Swimming Club
"CDS guided us through the process seamlessly of rewriting our constitution and completing the application forms. They made it straightforward and simple due to their expertise and experience"
Turriff Community Football Club
"CDS were key in helping us transition to a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation and register with HMRC to claim Gift Aid"
Aberdeen Athletics Club
"We were so grateful to CDS's support to help us through the process of applying for charitable status. They were always on hand to answer any questions we had. I can't stress enough how invaluable their help was."
Niddry Castle Golf Club
"At all times the professional, punctual and friendly support from CDS was most welcome in navigating the path. Any other clubs seeking help or advice couldn't hope for a more progressive and calm influence than that provided by Andrew and CDS".
Kirkcudbright Golf Club
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Our Clients
How we can help
Not sure where to start?
Drop us a note and get a free consultation.
That is exactly what the free consultation call is for. We will listen to where your club is, explain what is available to you, and give you an honest view of whether and how we can help. No obligation. We aim to respond within one working day.