THE BGI
Registered charity 1183530 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register
The BGI educates the public about the cultural impact of digital games by running a museum, organising festivals and conducting and publishing research. We deliver vocational training in games development, advocate career paths for all candidates, promote diversity and inclusivity in studios and play, and educate about sustainable games development and the value, meaning and development of games
Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity generated a net surplus of £104,825 for the year ended 30 April 2025, with total income of £649,630 against expenditure of £544,805. However, the charity holds unrestricted reserves of £(32,014), which is below its stated policy target of two to three months' operating expenses, a goal it does not expect to meet until 2027. The trustees confirm the charity is a going concern, citing debt repayment and predictable visitor numbers as key indicators of financial stability.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £-32k; policy: two to three months’ operating expenses)
“Under current circumstances we do not expect to meet our reserves policy goals until 2027.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.
Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — The National Videogame Museum (matched by registered charity number).
Funders the charity credits
Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/04/2025)
Reported reserves equal ~0.0 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (82% 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: 0.5% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).
- Tracey Johnson-Murphychair · trustee of 1 other charity
- Anna Poulter-Jones
- Brian Christopher Baglow
- David Barrie
- Emily Jane Britt
- Emma Jean Cooper
- IAN LIVINGSTONE
- Jessica Rebecca Houghton
- John Oliver Patrick Booth
- Joseph Matthew Chetcuti
- Natalie Denise Kane
- Nicholas James Harries Poole
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Northern Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales
Income and spending
Common questions
Is THE BGI financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity generated a net surplus of £104,825 for the year ended 30 April 2025, with total income of £649,630 against expenditure of £544,805. However, the charity holds unrestricted reserves of £(32,014), which is below its stated policy target of two to three months' operating expenses, a goal it does not expect to meet until 2027. The trustees confirm the charity is a going concern, citing debt repayment and predictable visitor numbers as key indicators of financial stability. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
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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Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with BBGC.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.