Everton in the Community and Steve Morgan Foundation win top award at Football Business Awards

Everton in the Community and the Steve Morgan Foundation are thrilled to announce that their collaborative initiative, the ‘Steve Morgan Community Impact Model’, has been awarded the ‘Best Corporate Social Responsibility Scheme’ at the prestigious Football Business Awards.

Since 2020, Everton in the Community (EitC) has partnered with the Steve Morgan Foundation to deliver the Impact Model in Speke-Garston.

This initiative aims to protect young people from exploitation and inspire them to reach their full potential. The success of this program in South Liverpool has led to its expansion to Liverpool 4 and South Sefton last July, demonstrating its significant impact.

The Club’s official charity and the Steve Morgan Foundation fought off strong competition to win the Best CSR Scheme, which is open to clubs and organisations involved in football who can demonstrate the positive impact their CSR activities have had on local communities and key stakeholders.

The judges remarked the Impact Model as “a vibrant, impressive and far-reaching community scheme” and that they “were amazed at the scale of what EitC and the Steve Morgan Foundation does.”

Reflecting on its impact, EitC’s delivery of the Impact Model in Speke-Garston alone has generated a remarkable £35.6million of total social value in the last three years from March 2020 to December 2023.

Additionally, the charity has contributed to wider school changes within the area including improved Ofsted ratings in two of the three high schools it works in, where 40% of young people aged 16+ have no qualifications.

What’s more, EitC’s impact in Speke-Garston subsequently enabled the charity to secure additional multi-million-pound funding from the Steve Morgan Foundation to extend the Impact Model across L4 and South Sefton almost a year ago, with EitC having made a tangible difference to the lives of more than 27,000 young people in the four delivery areas across Liverpool City Region to date.

Sue Gregory, CEO at EitC, said:

“It’s a huge honour to win the Best Corporate Social Responsibility Scheme with our long-term partner, the Steve Morgan Foundation at this year’s Football Business Awards.

“It’s an accolade that is testament to the value of the Impact Model and recognises the beneficial impact it has had and continues to have on the lives of so many young people in the most socio-economically challenged communities across the city. We look forward to seeing what the strategic partnership will achieve a year from now.”

Liam Eaglestone, CEO at Steve Morgan Foundation added:

“Originally inspired by Steve Morgan’s desire to give back to the community where he was born, we are delighted that the Steve Morgan Foundation Community Impact Model has already changed the trajectories of so many young people and we are thrilled on behalf of the entire EitC team to see it rewarded with this accolade.

“Our partnership sets a real gold standard for what can be achieved with a committed and passionate delivery team backed up by long-term and secure funding.”

EitC also scooped up silver for the ‘Best Football Community Scheme’ during the awards ceremony, reaffirming its place as one of the UK’s Premier League community schemes due to the quality and reach of its life-changing work, with the charity having supported tens of thousands of individuals through its delivery in the past year and expanded its provision to more than 60 programmes.

Elsewhere, significant highlights in the last 12 months include the official opening of the charity’s mental health and wellbeing hub, The People’s Place, which completed a £13 million Goodison Campus and the regeneration of a key part of Liverpool 4.

EitC also unveiled Trinity Project, an ambitious five-year strategic plan which set out its bold vision to create stronger communities and brighter futures across the city. 

Launched in 2012, the Football Business Awards celebrate the elite in football business at The Brewery in London each year.

The judging panel is made up of Chief Executives of football clubs, Professional Football Associations and Grassroots Football Organisations.

Designed to recognise the organisations, teams and individuals who excel in a variety of business, CSR and football governance disciplines – with 25 award categories from ‘CEO of the Year – Premier League’ right through to ‘Commemorative Team Award’.

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