COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR SURREY
The Community Foundation for Surrey is an independent charitable trust dedicated to inspiring local giving, providing philanthropy advice and building permanent community funds to improve the lives of people in Surrey. The Foundation awards grants throughout Surrey to support local community and voluntary groups who make a real difference to the quality of life in their communities.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that total income for the year ended 31 March 2025 was £4,642,000, with unrestricted reserves held at £474,000. This reserve level is above the charity's stated policy target of £175,000, which is defined as four months of the subsequent year's budgeted operating expenditure. The Trustees confirmed that there are no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.
What the accounts disclose
“There was one employee whose emoluments (as defined for taxation purposes) amounted to between £80k-£90k in the year” — page 28
“It is the Reserves Policy of the Foundation that unrestricted funds, which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level of at least four months of the subsequent year's budgeted operating expenditure.” — page 12
Corporate structure
- Registered company of the charity Companies House 05442921
Leadership, per the charity’s website
- Dr. Beccy Bowden — Chief Executive
- Neelam Devesher MBE DL — Chair
Company officers (Companies House)
- BURKE, Judith Florence not on trustee list
- DAWES, Nicola Ann not on trustee list
- JESPERSEN, Erik Johan on trustee list
- STEAD, David Charles on trustee list
- BAILEY, Roshan on trustee list
- NEWBERY, Tamalie Jane on trustee list
- SANDERSON, Susan Elizabeth on trustee list
- BROOKS, Nicholas Martin on trustee list
- WHITTINGTON, Christina Diana Bridget on trustee list
- DEVESHER, Neelam not on trustee list
- DOWNES, Paul William Edwin on trustee list
- BOWDEN, Rebecca Stanton Wain, Dr
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (16/02/2026)
- Received assets from another charity (28/10/2025)
- Received assets from another charity (26/11/2018)
- Received assets from another charity (26/11/2018)
- Received assets from another charity (15/05/2017)
- Received assets from another charity (15/05/2017)
Trustees
- Neelam Devesher MBE DLchair
- Christina Diana Bridget Whittington
- David Stead
- ERIK JOHAN JESPERSEN
- Judy Llewellyn-Burke
- Nicholas Martin Brooks
- Nicola Ann Dawes DL
- Paul William Edwin Downes
- Roshan Bailey
- Susan Elizabeth Sanderson
- Tamalie Newbery
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £4.0m | £2.5m |
| 31/03/2024 | £2.3m | £2.6m |
| 31/03/2023 | £2.4m | £2.9m |
| 31/03/2022 | £3.3m | £3.1m |
| 31/03/2021 | £4.4m | £4.8m |
Common questions
Is COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR SURREY financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that total income for the year ended 31 March 2025 was £4,642,000, with unrestricted reserves held at £474,000. This reserve level is above the charity's stated policy target of £175,000, which is defined as four months of the subsequent year's budgeted operating expenditure. The Trustees confirmed that there are no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Alliotts LLP.
Who funds COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR SURREY?
Funders whose own accounts filings name COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR SURREY as a grant recipient include SEDEL - COLLINGS FOUNDATION, THE FIDELITY UK FOUNDATION, PETER HARRISON FOUNDATION, THE BUFFINI CHAO FOUNDATION, THE BORROWS CHARITABLE TRUST.
Known funders
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 06/11/2024 | £250k | "Surrey’s “Heritage for All” Grants Programme" |
| UK government | 22/11/2023 | £15k | Investment funds |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 08/07/2020 | £250k | Community Foundation for Surrey - Phase 2 Response Fund |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| CHAPMAN CHARITABLE TRUST | 2 | £3k |
| THE THALES CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | — |
| THE LYNN FOUNDATION | 1 | £6.5m |
| CHOBHAM POOR ALLOTMENTS | 1 | £1.9m |
| THE LAWSON TRUST CIO | 1 | £500k |
| CULLUM FAMILY TRUST | 1 | £495k |
| THE PARGITER TRUST | 1 | £400k |
| OPTIGENE FOUNDATION | 1 | £238k |
Charities like this
- SOUTH YORKSHIRE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LIMITED
- SURREY COMMUNITY ACTION
- THE SUSSEX COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
- THE SURREY CARE TRUST
- SUFFOLK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
- SURREY COUNTY FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION LIMITED
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR SURREY | £4.0m | — | 1 | above | — | no doubt |
| SOUTH YORKSHIRE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LIMITED | £2.4m | — | 0 | above | — | no doubt |
| SURREY COMMUNITY ACTION | £695k | more than £60,000 | 1 | above | — | no doubt |
| THE SUSSEX COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | £3.6m | £80,001 - £90,000 | — | above | — | no doubt |
| THE SURREY CARE TRUST | £2.2m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| SUFFOLK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | £6.8m | £90,000 - £99,999 | 1 | within | — | no doubt |