VIRUNGA FOUNDATION

Registered charity 1111806 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as AFRICA CONSERVATION FUND (UK)

A conservation and development organisation with minimal overheads, delivering timely and effective support to the Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in the form of financial and management input.Campaigning worldwide for support for Virunga National Park to raise awareness of and educate people about the Park.

Causes: Education/training · Animals · Environment/conservation/heritage · Economic/community Development/employment · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£43.1m

Latest spending

£40.6m

Registered

2005

Accounts read

FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net surplus of USD 3.1 million for the year ended 31 December 2024, with total consolidated funds of USD 104.0 million. The charity holds USD 50.9 million in unrestricted funds, though the trustees note that establishing sufficient free reserves remains a significant challenge due to the majority of funding being restricted. The going concern basis is supported by adequate forecast income and access to bridge funding facilities.

Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Institutional and foundation grants (90% of income)

“large institutional and foundation grants continue to comprise in excess of 90% of total income.”

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: half a year of operational costs (held: £50.9m)

“sufficient to cover the value of at least half a year of operational costs” — page 26

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Crowe U.K. LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

In the news

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

SCE to deliver infrastructure for Virunga foundation’s wheat mill initiative in DRC millingmea.com · 17/05/2025

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Virunga National Park (matched by registered charity number).

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook (119,177 followers) · instagram (244K followers)

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)

Total income

£43.1m

Total spending

£40.6m

Cost of raising funds

£14.4m

Reserves (reported)

£40.2m

Employees

1,009

Reported reserves equal ~11.9 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (67% 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: 33.5% of total income — above the 90th percentile for charities its size (median 3.8%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

JAN BONDE NIELSENchair
Annette Lanjouw · trustee of 1 other charity
Dr Antoine Kesia-Mbe Mindua
FRANCOIS XAVIER DE DONNEA DE HAMOIR
Joanna Natasegara
Michael Samuel Joseph

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

Operates in: Congo (Democratic Republic)

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2024	£43.1m	£40.6m
31/12/2023	£49.9m	£29.5m
31/12/2022	£30.9m	£31.3m
31/12/2021	£25.5m	£22.0m
31/12/2020	£25.9m	£17.0m

Common questions

Is VIRUNGA FOUNDATION financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net surplus of USD 3.1 million for the year ended 31 December 2024, with total consolidated funds of USD 104.0 million. The charity holds USD 50.9 million in unrestricted funds, though the trustees note that establishing sufficient free reserves remains a significant challenge due to the majority of funding being restricted. The going concern basis is supported by adequate forecast income and access to bridge funding facilities. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Crowe U.K. LLP.

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
OLSEN ANIMAL TRUST	1	£921k
TUSK TRUST LIMITED	1	£438k
THE DAVID SHEPHERD WILDLIFE FOUNDATION	1	£106k
THE JEAN SAINSBURY ANIMAL WELFARE TRUST	1	£9k

Charities like this

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

THE POLE POLE FOUNDATION UK income £225k
THE OKAPI FUND FOR NATURE CONSERVATION IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO income £1.2m
ALBERTINE RIFT CONSERVATION SOCIETY income £11.5m
FOUNDATION FOR THE PARKS AND RESERVES OF COTE D'IVOIRE (FPRCI-UK) income £4.7m
THE GORILLA ORGANIZATION income £2.0m
VICTORIA FALLS WILDLIFE TRUST income £444k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
VIRUNGA FOUNDATION	£43.1m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
THE POLE POLE FOUNDATION UK FY2025	£225k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE OKAPI FUND FOR NATURE CONSERVATION IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO FY2024	£1.2m	—	—	above	0.0%	no doubt
ALBERTINE RIFT CONSERVATION SOCIETY FY2024	£11.5m	£60,000 or less	0	unclear	—	no doubt
FOUNDATION FOR THE PARKS AND RESERVES OF COTE D'IVOIRE (FPRCI-UK) FY2024	£4.7m	—	0	above	—	no doubt
THE GORILLA ORGANIZATION FY2024	£2.0m	£103,780	1	above	—	no doubt

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