THE WHITLEY FUND FOR NATURE

Registered charity 1081455 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as WFN · listed website unreachable when last crawled

Latest income
£2.6m
Latest spending
£2.6m
Registered
2000
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that total unrestricted funds stood at £2,664,912, which exceeds the identified reserves requirement of £1,375,175, satisfying the Trustees that the Charity holds sufficient reserves to operate efficiently. The charity reported a net income surplus of £40,138 for the year, with total funds increasing to £3,043,251. The Trustees confirmed that the assets and reserves are adequate to support on-going activities, though they noted a dependency on continued donation income to maintain current grant levels.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: total reserves of £1,475,175, comprising £420,000 for the Whitley Awards, £174,890 for the Awards Ceremony, and £880,285 for operating, fundraising, and planned events costs (held: £2.7m)
Such a policy requires total reserves of £1,475,175, comprising £420,000 for the Whitley Awards, £174,890 for the Awards Ceremony, and £880,285 for operating, fundraising, and planned events costs. Of this total, £100,000 will be funded from restricted funds and the remaining £1,375,175 from unrestricted funds. — page 7
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Going concern: noted by the trustees or auditor
The Trustees are of the opinion that the assets and reserves of the Charity, in the light of its committed income, expenditures and cash flows, are adequate to support its on-going activities and obligations. However, if donation income were to fall significantly, the Trustees would look to use some of the charity’s reserve to maintain its grant giving programme, or alternatively reduce the level of Continuation Funding awarded until income levels recovered. — page 7
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Donation from Whitley Animal Protection Trust
During the year the charity received: a donation of £50,000 (2024: £85,000) from the Whitley Animal Protection Trust where E.J. Whitley OBE is a Trustee; funds of £10,000 (2024: £10,000) from the LJC Fund where Lady Faulks is a Trustee; and, a donation of £22,000 (2024: £20,000) from the Points Family Charity where FJ Sullivan is a Trustee — page 28
On 1 July 2025, the charity entered into a three-year lease agreement with its Chairman for the provision of office premises. The initial annual rent of £30,000, which is subject to annual review, represents a 50% discount on the market rental value. — page 9
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Lease with Chairman
During the year the charity received: a donation of £50,000 (2024: £85,000) from the Whitley Animal Protection Trust where E.J. Whitley OBE is a Trustee; funds of £10,000 (2024: £10,000) from the LJC Fund where Lady Faulks is a Trustee; and, a donation of £22,000 (2024: £20,000) from the Points Family Charity where FJ Sullivan is a Trustee — page 28
On 1 July 2025, the charity entered into a three-year lease agreement with its Chairman for the provision of office premises. The initial annual rent of £30,000, which is subject to annual review, represents a 50% discount on the market rental value. — page 9
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Calders (1883) LLP.

Year-over-year changes

Comparing this charity’s FY2023 and FY2025 accounts as analysed by this site.

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Whitley Fund for Nature (matched by registered charity number).

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/06/2025)

Total income
£2.6m
Total spending
£2.6m
Cost of raising funds
£249k
Reserves (reported)
£1.4m
Employees
11

Reported reserves equal ~6.4 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Trustees

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

Operates in: Argentina · Armenia · Bangladesh · Belize · Bolivia · Brazil · British Indian Ocean Territory · Bulgaria · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Chile · China

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
30/06/2025£2.6m£2.6m
30/06/2024£2.6m£2.7m
30/06/2023£2.3m£1.7m
30/06/2022£1.9m£1.9m
30/06/2021£1.7m£1.7m

Common questions

Is THE WHITLEY FUND FOR NATURE financially healthy?

The accounts state that total unrestricted funds stood at £2,664,912, which exceeds the identified reserves requirement of £1,375,175, satisfying the Trustees that the Charity holds sufficient reserves to operate efficiently. The charity reported a net income surplus of £40,138 for the year, with total funds increasing to £3,043,251. The Trustees confirmed that the assets and reserves are adequate to support on-going activities, though they noted a dependency on continued donation income to maintain current grant levels. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Calders (1883) LLP.

Who funds THE WHITLEY FUND FOR NATURE?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE WHITLEY FUND FOR NATURE as a grant recipient include The William Brake Foundation, WHITLEY ANIMAL PROTECTION TRUST, THE RORY AND ELIZABETH BROOKS FOUNDATION, THE FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION OF WELL-BEING, THE CONSTANCE TRAVIS CHARITABLE TRUST.

Shared trustees with funders

Register facts shown side by side: a person serves as trustee of both this charity and a funder whose accounts record grants to it. Shared trusteeship is lawful and common; well-run charities manage it through declared-interest procedures.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

Government & lottery funding

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

FunderDateAmountPurpose
ARCADIA£936kWhitley Awards
ARCADIA£150kWhitley Awards

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.

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