DOWNING COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
TO FURTHER PUBLIC GOOD BY PROMOTING LEARNING, STUDY AND TEACHING IN A COMMUNITY OF SCHOLARS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the College reported a total surplus of £5.7 million for the year ended 30 June 2025, although the unrestricted operations showed a loss of £466 thousand. The College's free reserves were negative £7.9 million, a position the Governing Body considers not problematic due to access to liquidity sources including loan finance and unrestricted investment assets. The College continues to face financial pressures from an operating deficit in education costs and ongoing building refurbishments.
What the accounts disclose
“Unrestricted College income before donations is made up of academic fees (25%), charges to students for accommodation and meals (32%), conference income (25%), income from the College’s investment assets (18%).” — page 24
“The College has a number of trading subsidiary undertakings which are consolidated into these accounts. All subsidiary undertakings are 100% owned by the College and are registered and operating in England and Wales. The College has taken advantage of the exemption within section 33 of FRS 102 not to disclose transactions with wholly owned group companies that are related parties.” — page 76
“Net defined benefit (liability) (433) (536)”
Leadership, per the charity’s website
- Professor Graham Virgo — Master
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/06/2025)
Trustees
- PROF GRAHAM JOHN VIRGOchair
- DR DINO KADICH
- DR RACHEL COOMBES
- DR REBECCA FREUND
- DR SARAH KENNEDY
- Dr ALICE SOWTON
- Dr BRENDAN PLANT
- Dr BRIGITTE STEGER
- Dr Bonnie Claire Lander Johnson
- Dr Charlotte Christiane Hammer
- Dr DAVID ROBERT PRATT
- Dr David Solomon Halpern CBE
- Dr EWAN JONES
- Dr Emma Louise Hazelwood
- Dr Francesco Muschitiello
- Dr Frisbee Sheffield
- Dr Hamish Anthony Symington
- Dr JIE LI
- Dr John William Roger Morgan
- Dr KAMRAN YUNUS
- Dr MARTA MORGADO CORREIA
- Dr Maria Elena Martinez-Acacio Alonso
- Dr Maria Vera Morales
- Dr Maria-Andreea Filip
- Dr Michael Crisp
- Dr NATALIA MORA-SITJA
- Dr Neda Farahi
- Dr SOPHIA DEMOULINI
- Dr STEFANIA FIORENTINO
- Dr TIM BURTON
- Dr YANG LI
- Giulia Maltagliati
- James Christopher McCaffrey
- Joanne Finnie Jones
- Michael Ashby
- PROF AMY LOUISE MILTON
- PROF CHRISTOPHER ALLIM HANIFF
- PROF DAVID JOHN WALES
- PROF IAN GARETH ROBERTS
- PROF JOSEPH WEBSTER
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 30/06/2025 | £18.5m | £21.1m |
| 30/06/2024 | £16.2m | £18.2m |
| 30/06/2023 | £14.4m | £17.9m |
| 30/06/2022 | £12.8m | £15.6m |
| 30/06/2021 | £10.2m | £12.4m |
Common questions
Is DOWNING COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the College reported a total surplus of £5.7 million for the year ended 30 June 2025, although the unrestricted operations showed a loss of £466 thousand. The College's free reserves were negative £7.9 million, a position the Governing Body considers not problematic due to access to liquidity sources including loan finance and unrestricted investment assets. The College continues to face financial pressures from an operating deficit in education costs and ongoing building refurbishments. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by PEM Audit Limited.
Who funds DOWNING COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE?
Funders whose own accounts filings name DOWNING COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE as a grant recipient include The Hugh Mumford Charitable Trust.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hugh Mumford Charitable Trust | FY2024 | £8k |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE ISAAC NEWTON TRUST | 5 | £147k |
| CAMBRIDGE IN AMERICA (UK) LIMITED | 2 | £280k |
| THE ROTHERMERE FOUNDATION | 1 | £200k |
| THE JOHN BROWNE CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £105k |
| THE ALAN AND SHEILA DIAMOND CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £25k |
| THE C P CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £20k |
| THE ORR MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION LIMITED | 1 | £10k |
| THE GREG & ROSIE LOCK CHARITABLE FOUNDATION TRUST | 1 | £10k |
Charities like this
- CLARE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE
- CHURCHILL COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
- THE COLLEGE OF THE LADY FRANCES SIDNEY SUSSEX IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
- THE MASTER FELLOWS AND SCHOLARS OF EMMANUEL COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
- ROBINSON COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
- ST JOHN'S COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOWNING COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE | £18.5m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| CLARE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE | £16.0m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| CHURCHILL COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE | £28.6m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| THE COLLEGE OF THE LADY FRANCES SIDNEY SUSSEX IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE | £14.2m | — | — | below | — | no doubt |
| THE MASTER FELLOWS AND SCHOLARS OF EMMANUEL COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE | £22.9m | over £105,000 | 3 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| ROBINSON COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE | £11.2m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |