DIFFERENCE
To achieve our objectives of increasing equality and tackling discrimination, we will:1. Raise awareness of disability discrimination and influence public opinion and policy.2. Represent and speak out about the needs and concerns of disabled people.0001
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The document provided is an annual report detailing projects, campaigns, and member engagement metrics for the year 2024/25, rather than a set of financial accounts. Consequently, it does not contain specific financial data regarding reserves, income, expenditure, or staffing costs to assess financial health.
What the accounts disclose
Trustees
- Alistair Stuart Chisholm
- Caroline MacDonald
- GILLIAN LATHAN
- NICKY EREVIK
- VALERIE MILNES
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 01/01/2025 | £141k | £123k |
| 01/01/2024 | £127k | £99k |
| 01/01/2023 | £101k | £76k |
| 01/01/2022 | £68k | £67k |
| 01/01/2021 | £70k | £58k |
Common questions
Is DIFFERENCE financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The document provided is an annual report detailing projects, campaigns, and member engagement metrics for the year 2024/25, rather than a set of financial accounts. Consequently, it does not contain specific financial data regarding reserves, income, expenditure, or staffing costs to assess financial health.
Who funds DIFFERENCE?
Funders whose own accounts filings name DIFFERENCE as a grant recipient include THE KPMG FOUNDATION, IMPETUS - THE PRIVATE EQUITY FOUNDATION, THE DHL UK FOUNDATION, WATES FAMILY ENTERPRISE TRUST, KUSUMA TRUST UK.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| THE KPMG FOUNDATION | FY2024 | £300k | Inclusion: supports mainstream school leaders to reduce pupil exclusions |
| IMPETUS - THE PRIVATE EQUITY FOUNDATION | FY2021 | £245k | |
| IMPETUS - THE PRIVATE EQUITY FOUNDATION | FY2023 | £225k | Grant funding to portfolio charities |
| IMPETUS - THE PRIVATE EQUITY FOUNDATION | FY2025 | £224k | Grants to Impetus portfolio partners |
| IMPETUS - THE PRIVATE EQUITY FOUNDATION | FY2024 | £158k | Grants payable to portfolio charities |
| THE DHL UK FOUNDATION | FY2023 | £100k | Education & Employability |
| THE DHL UK FOUNDATION | FY2024 | £100k | Support for specialist senior school leaders |
| WATES FAMILY ENTERPRISE TRUST | FY2022 | £100k | Themed Awards |
| THE DHL UK FOUNDATION | FY2022 | £100k | Education & Employability |
| KUSUMA TRUST UK | FY2025 | £75k | Losing Learning Coalition |
| KUSUMA TRUST UK | FY2024 | £75k | Core Funding for the Join the Club strategy 2023-2026 |
| BRIDGES IMPACT FOUNDATION | FY2025 | £50k | |
| THE APAX FOUNDATION | FY2025 | £50k | Advancement of education |
| BRIDGES IMPACT FOUNDATION | FY2024 | £50k | |
| THE KURT AND MAGDA STERN FOUNDATION | FY2022 | £50k | to continue this work |
| BRIDGES IMPACT FOUNDATION | FY2023 | £40k | Support for specialist teacher training programmes |
| THE DULVERTON TRUST | FY2025 | £35k | The Difference Schools Partnership |
| THE KURT AND MAGDA STERN FOUNDATION | FY2025 | £28k | Funding for a new strand of work focused on understanding and addressing harmful and abusive behaviours among children and young people, including support for I |
| THE CHRISTOPHER AND HENRY OLDFIELD TRUST | FY2023 | £25k | |
| THE CHRISTOPHER AND HENRY OLDFIELD TRUST | FY2022 | £25k | |
| THE KURT AND MAGDA STERN FOUNDATION | FY2024 | £25k | Unrestricted funding |
| THE KURT AND MAGDA STERN FOUNDATION | FY2023 | £25k | Unrestricted funding |
| THE LOVINGTON FOUNDATION | FY2026 | £10k | |
| THE ALLEN OVERY SHEARMAN STERLING FOUNDATION | FY2024 | £5k | |
| BRIDGES IMPACT FOUNDATION | FY2022 | £0 | The Difference |
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 17/09/2025 | £109k | "North East Disability History: Past, Present & Future" |
| Community Foundation North East | 14/08/2025 | £6k | Grant to Difference |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 15/08/2024 | £20k | Where are the Disabled Victim/Survivors of Domestic Abuse in the North East? |
| Community Foundation North East | 11/04/2024 | £2k | Grant to Difference |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 21/02/2024 | £389k | Driving Difference Across the North East |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 17/02/2021 | £239k | Delivering Difference in the North East |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 21/10/2020 | £10k | North East Digital Accessibility Project |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 10/01/2020 | £10k | Getting out of the house: what stops disabled folk participating in public life |
| The National Lottery Community Fund | 16/04/2019 | £73k | Developing Difference across the North East |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| COLEFAX CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £23k |
| THE RIX-THOMPSON-ROTHENBERG FOUNDATION | 1 | £6k |
| THE TRUE COLOURS TRUST | 1 | £6k |
| GERALD PALMER ELING TRUST COMPANY | 1 | £5k |
| MISS W E LAWRENCE 1973 CHARITABLE SETTLEMENT | 1 | £4k |
| THE GEOFF & FIONA SQUIRE FOUNDATION | 1 | £3k |
| CHARLES S FRENCH CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £2k |
| THE JEANNINE VASSILIOU CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £1k |
Charities like this
- A4U
- WEST BERKSHIRE MENCAP
- CONWY DISTRICT CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU
- LORICA TRUST LIMITED
- BECOMING VISIBLE LIMITED
- BARKING AND DAGENHAM AB PHAB YOUTH CLUB
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIFFERENCE | £141k | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| A4U | £279k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| WEST BERKSHIRE MENCAP | £3.9m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| CONWY DISTRICT CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU | £1.2m | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| LORICA TRUST LIMITED | £1.1m | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| BECOMING VISIBLE LIMITED | £493k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |