MICROBIOLOGY SOCIETY

Registered charity 264017 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as SOCIETY FOR GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY, SOCIETY FOR GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY LIMITED · also registered in Scotland as SC039250 (OSCR)

The Society advances the understanding and impact of microbiology by publishing key academic journals, organizes international scientific conferences and supports the professional development of microbiologists.The Society promotes the understanding of microbiology to a diverse range of stakeholders through a comprehensive framework of communication activities and resources.

Causes: Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Overseas Aid/famine Relief · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Environment/conservation/heritage · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£4.2m

Latest spending

£5.3m

Registered

1972

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity ended the year with a net operating result of £1.07m and unrestricted reserves of £11.383m, which is above the stated policy target of £6.47m. Although the charity spent from reserves during the year due to investment underperformance and cost pressures, the trustees confirm there are no material uncertainties regarding going concern.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Publishing (66% of income)

“The Trustees modelled scenarios and developed and analysed the Society’s long-term financial forecast before carrying out a detailed evaluation of the potential risks to its income, of which 66% came from journal sales in 2025.” — page 24

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Moore Kingston Smith LLP. Discloses 3 of 6 completeness components.

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Microbiology Society (matched by registered charity number).

Property (HM Land Registry)

1 registered title in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (1 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

Electoral Commission register entries

Entries on the Electoral Commission’s public register where this charity (or its company) appears as the source — typically sponsorship of an APPG or an overseas visit provided to an MP, which charities may lawfully do. Shown with the Commission’s own reference; this is a transparency record, not an allegation.

Non Cash: Mr Martyn Day MP (MP - Member of Parliament) — £3k · 12/02/2024 · ref NC0575552
Staff costs

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2025)

Total income

£4.2m

Total spending

£5.3m

Cost of raising funds

£50k

Reserves (reported)

£11.4m

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~25.8 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (98% 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: 1.2% of total income — below the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Dr Elizabeth Allen
Dr Lorena Teresa Fernandez-Martinez
Jenny Boland
PROFESSOR GORDON DOUGAN · trustee of 1 other charity
Professor Alan McNally
Professor David James Clarke
Professor John Henry George Sinclair
Professor Kim Hardie
Professor Marguerite Mary Clyne

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

Operates in: Ireland · Northern Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£4.2m	£5.3m
31/12/2024	£4.0m	£5.8m
31/12/2023	£4.3m	£6.2m
31/12/2022	£4.4m	£6.2m
31/12/2021	£4.1m	£4.2m

Common questions

Is MICROBIOLOGY SOCIETY financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity ended the year with a net operating result of £1.07m and unrestricted reserves of £11.383m, which is above the stated policy target of £6.47m. Although the charity spent from reserves during the year due to investment underperformance and cost pressures, the trustees confirm there are no material uncertainties regarding going concern. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Moore Kingston Smith 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
THE COMPANY OF BIOLOGISTS	1	£110k
THE BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY	1	£18k
THE HORNERS CHARITY FUND	1	£6k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE FEDERATION OF EUROPEAN MICROBIOLOGICAL SOCIETIES.

THE FEDERATION OF EUROPEAN MICROBIOLOGICAL SOCIETIES income £2.0m
THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY income £4.8m
ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY income £1.7m
BRITISH SOCIETY FOR ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY income £2.7m
THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF BIOLOGY income £3.2m
THE GENETICS SOCIETY income £530k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
MICROBIOLOGY SOCIETY	£4.2m	—	—	above	—	no doubt
THE FEDERATION OF EUROPEAN MICROBIOLOGICAL SOCIETIES FY2024	£2.0m	€150,001 - €160,000	—	unclear	—	no doubt
THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY FY2024	£4.8m	—	—	above	—	no doubt
ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY FY2024	£1.7m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
BRITISH SOCIETY FOR ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY FY2025	£2.7m	£110,001 - £120,000	—	above	—	no doubt
THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF BIOLOGY FY2025	£3.2m	—	—	above	—	no doubt

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