UK COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS

Registered charity 1004630 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · Wikidata: Q5154744 · Wikipedia · also known as COMMUNITY FOUNDATION NETWORK

UK Community Foundations promotes local charitable giving through the quality accredited community foundations covering the UK. Community foundations work to connect donors and local groups to enrich lives for the better and build stronger communities.

Objects

(A) TO PROMOTE AND IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS IN DIRECT PURSUIT OF THEIR OBJECTS IN SUCH MANNER AS MAY BE THOUGHT FIT AND IN PARTICULAR BY RAISING AND DISTRIBUTING FUNDS FOR APPLICATION FOR THE GENERAL PURPOSES OF SUCH FOUNDATIONS (B) TO ADVANCE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC IN THE WORK OF SUCH FOUNDATIONS (C) TO PROMOTE OTHER EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY.

Area of benefit: UNITED KINGDOM

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · Economic/community Development/employment · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Southwark, London, England (from the postcode on the register)

Received the assets of:

LITTLE CHART PAROCHIAL CHARITIES (charity 211523) — merger registered 24/08/2021
SICK MAN'S FRIEND SOCIETY (charity 221259) — merger registered 24/08/2021
CHARITY OF MRS LEES (charity 236234) — merger registered 18/08/2021
DR LEES CHARITY (charity 208322) — merger registered 18/08/2021
FANNY CHARLOTTE LEE (charity 209718) — merger registered 18/08/2021
and 12 more

Source: Charity Commission register of merged charities (OGL v3.0).

Latest income

£11.3m

Latest spending

£11.4m

Registered

1991

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported an unrestricted deficit of £203k for the year ended 31 March 2025, which significantly depleted its unrestricted general reserves to £53k. However, the trustees note that a significant unrestricted trust transfer received in May 2025 replenished reserves, supporting a conclusion that the charity has adequate resources to continue as a going concern.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Restricted donations and grants (84% of income)

“Total income for 2025 was £11,286k, of which £9,434k was restricted” — page 12

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy

“At the balance sheet date, however, unrestricted general reserves fell significantly short of this target, at £53k” — page 14

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Trustees are employees or trustees of member community foundations; transactions (membership fees, grants) occur on normal commercial terms.

“Some of our trustees are also involved in local community foundations, listed below, which are members of UKCF. This involvement may be as an employee, a trustee, or by having a close family relationship with a trustee. Day to day transactions such as membership fees, licence fees and grant payments, take place between UKCF and its members. These transactions are on the same basis as the other members.” — page 39

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by HaysMac LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Year-over-year changes

Reserves position vs the charity's own policy moved from "within" (FY2024) to "below" (FY2025).

Comparing this charity’s FY2024 and FY2025 accounts as analysed by this site.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2025

Government income: £9,124,000 — grants £9,124,000 (2); 81% of the £11,286,000 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 3 (£60,001–£70,000: 1; £70,001–£80,000: 2)

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2024

Government income: £10,242,000 — grants £10,242,000 (2); 79% of the £12,961,000 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 4 (£60,001–£70,000: 2; £70,001–£80,000: 1; £100,001–£110,000: 1)

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2023

Government income: £3,868,000 — grants £3,868,000 (4); 47% of the £8,195,000 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 5 (£60,001–£70,000: 2; £70,001–£80,000: 2; £110,001–£120,000: 1)

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

In the news

Recent coverage mentioning this charity by name (automated match; headlines belong to their publishers).

Senior civil servant to lead UK Community Foundations thirdsector.co.uk · 14/10/2024
Rosemary Macdonald appointed CEO of UK Community Foundations alliancemagazine.org · 05/07/2020
UK Community Foundations appoints new CEO civilsociety.co.uk · 30/06/2020
Fabian French: Why celebrating volunteers is important for UK Community Foundations civilsociety.co.uk · 07/06/2018

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 02651777

Funders the charity credits

Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).

National Emergencies Trust — “From mobilising nationwide response to the pandemic as the National Emergencies Trust's main distribution partner” (source page)
Lead the Change — “collaborating with eight national funders for youth-led action on community cohesion through Lead the Change” (source page)
Welsh Government — “In 2024, £10 million was reinvested in Welsh communities by Community Foundation Wales and the Welsh Government.” (source page)

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

JOHNSTON, Adrian Brendan — director, appointed 24/06/2026on trustee list
RUDOLPH, Caroline Jane — director, appointed 04/11/2025on trustee list
GHAFOOR, Abdul — director, appointed 04/11/2025on trustee list
WEBSTER, Katherine Lucy — director, appointed 04/11/2025on trustee list
SELLAR, Katherine Cooper — director, appointed 04/11/2025on trustee list
ELLINGWORTH, Amanda Patricia — director, appointed 04/11/2025on trustee list
APPLEBY, Deborah Suzanne — director, appointed 14/11/2024on trustee list
ADAMS, Steve — director, appointed 14/11/2024on trustee list
RANCE, Leslie — director, appointed 22/03/2024on trustee list
WICKES, Hannah Rachel — director, appointed 31/01/2024on trustee list
MACDONALD, Neil Andrew — director, appointed 16/06/2023on trustee list
VAN OSS, Thomas Richard — director, appointed 22/10/2020not on trustee list
TUGGEY, Andrew Simon, Lt Col — director, appointed 24/06/2020not on trustee list
DE CLOSSET, Emma — secretary, appointed 01/04/2025

Official officers record.

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)

Total income

£11.3m

Total spending

£11.4m

Cost of raising funds

£103k

Reserves (reported)

£53k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~0.1 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (88% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.9% of total income — below the median for charities its size (3.7%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Received assets from another charity (09/09/2025) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (08/02/2023) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (19/04/2022) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (30/11/2021) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (26/08/2021) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (17/08/2021) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

Abdul Ghafoor · trustee of 1 other charity
Amanda Ellingworth · trustee of 3 other charities
Caroline Jane Rudolph
Deirdre Reid · trustee of 1 other charity
Derek Howell
Dr Adrian Johnston
Hannah Wickes
Katherine Cooper Sellar
Katherine Lucy Webster
Leslie Rance
NEIL MACDONALD
Steve Adams

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Northern Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£11.3m	£11.4m
31/03/2024	£13.0m	£13.1m
31/03/2023	£8.2m	£8.9m
31/03/2022	£6.4m	£8.0m
31/03/2021	£83.3m	£83.0m

Common questions

Is UK COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported an unrestricted deficit of £203k for the year ended 31 March 2025, which significantly depleted its unrestricted general reserves to £53k. However, the trustees note that a significant unrestricted trust transfer received in May 2025 replenished reserves, supporting a conclusion that the charity has adequate resources to continue as a going concern. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by HaysMac LLP.

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
UK government	01/04/2019	£135k	#iwill Fund - 10357736
UK government	01/04/2019	£33k	UK Community Foundations
UK government	01/04/2019	£3.5m	UK Community Foundations 19/20
UK government	01/04/2019	£20k	Revitalising Trusts Grant to UKCF
The National Lottery Community Fund	30/03/2019	£705k	#iwill Fund - UK Community Foundations
The National Lottery Community Fund	02/07/2013	£2.1m	Local Papers
The National Lottery Community Fund	21/03/2011	£2.1m	People Powered Change: Dispossessed Fund
The National Lottery Community Fund	05/12/2007	£500k	Growing Grassroots - developing sustainable finance for SW England VCOs
UK government	—	£1.5m	#iwill Fund

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
TRUST FOR LONDON	2	£5.7m
LOCAL TRUST	2	£1.6m
THE PARGITER TRUST	2	£647k
THE LAWSON TRUST CIO	1	£1.0m
BRIDGE HOUSE ESTATES	1	£1.0m
THE ROTHSCHILD FOUNDATION	1	£679k
THE LEGAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION	1	£535k
THE WESTMINSTER FOUNDATION	1	£400k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.

THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION income £313k
COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS FOR LANCASHIRE AND MERSEYSIDE income £32.2m
CITIZENS UK CHARITY income £12.0m
KENT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION income £4.5m
LOCALGIVING FOUNDATION income £8.0m
THE LONDON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION income £9.3m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
UK COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS	£11.3m	—	—	below	—	no doubt
THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FY2025	£313k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS FOR LANCASHIRE AND MERSEYSIDE FY2026	£32.2m	—	—	above	—	no doubt
CITIZENS UK CHARITY FY2025	£12.0m	—	—	above	—	no doubt
KENT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FY2026	£4.5m	—	2	below	—	no doubt
LOCALGIVING FOUNDATION FY2025	£8.0m	£100,001 - £110,000	1	below	—	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.