State of the Sector Research

Building on previous research, the 2025 phase of the State of the Sector project is currently being developed across the Greater Manchester local infrastructure organisations (including Bury VCFA) with Nottingham Trent University as the academic research partner. This coordinated research maps and analyses the size, diversity, and value of the VCSE sector across the ten boroughs, providing up-to-date insights into its role, impact, and needs. The project is presently in the research design stage, with data collection set to begin in January 2026. 

Stay tuned!

The State of the Sector research, launched in 2021, was conducted across Bury using surveys and online focus groups, and is the first time that the research was successfully completed across every local authority in Greater Manchester.

The key objective of the research was to provide a comprehensive overview of the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Sector both within Bury and Greater Manchester. The data, insight, and concluding evidence in the report are clear: the VCSE sector makes a significant contribution within localities – addressing needs, reducing hardship, supporting those in crisis, promoting aspiration and driving social value.