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ARTICLE 19

Registered charity 327421 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as ARTICLE 19 RESEARCH AND INFORMATION CENTRE ON CENSORSHIP

ARTICLE 19 monitors, researches, publishes, advocates, campaigns, sets standards and litigates on behalf of freedom of expression wherever it is threatened.

Causes: Education/training · Human Rights/religious Or Racial Harmony/equality Or Diversity · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£15.0m
Latest spending
£15.2m
Registered
1987
Accounts read
FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that total income decreased to £15.0m from £17.4m in the prior year due to a difficult donor landscape, while total expenditure fell to £15.3m. The charity reported a net income surplus of £134,939 for the year, though free reserves dropped to £0.8m, sitting below the trustees' stated policy target of £1.8m.

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

What the accounts disclose

Fundraising cost ratio: 2.0% of fundraised income, as disclosed
“In 2024 ARTICLE 19 raised £15.0m (2023: £17.4m) and we spent £15.3m (2023: £16.7m).” — page 24
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £800k; policy: £1.8m)
“in comparing this with the general funds figure of £0.8m there is a shortfall against our target of £1.0m.”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Going concern: noted by the trustees or auditor
“Notwithstanding the general funds shortfall and challenging funding environment, the trustees are of the view that cash flow projections provide the necessary financial breathing space to make the necessary adjustments to secure the long term future of the charity.”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: ARTICLE 19 Brazil and South America (ARTIGO 19 Brasil), ARTICLE 19 Mexico and Central America (ARTICULO 19 Campaña Global por la libertad de expression), ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa, Stichting ARTICLE 19
“These include ARTICLE 19 Brazil and South America (ARTIGO 19 Brasil), ARTICLE 19 Mexico and Central America (ARTICULO 19 Campaña Global por la libertad de expression), ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa (based in Kenya), and Stichting ARTICLE 19 (Netherlands).”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Sayer Vincent LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Year-over-year changes

Comparing this charity’s FY2023 and FY2024 accounts as analysed by this site.

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

Total income
£15.0m
Total spending
£15.2m
Cost of raising funds
£303k
Reserves (reported)
£821k
Employees
169

Reported reserves equal ~0.6 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (71% 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: 2.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (3.8%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Bangladesh · Brazil · Burma · Cambodia · Iran · Kazakhstan · Kenya · Mexico · Russia · Senegal · Tunisia · Turkey

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/12/2024£15.0m£15.2m
31/12/2023£17.4m£16.7m
31/12/2022£15.2m£14.8m
31/12/2021£14.2m£13.2m
31/12/2020£11.8m£10.2m

Common questions

Is ARTICLE 19 financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that total income decreased to £15.0m from £17.4m in the prior year due to a difficult donor landscape, while total expenditure fell to £15.3m. The charity reported a net income surplus of £134,939 for the year, though free reserves dropped to £0.8m, sitting below the trustees' stated policy target of £1.8m. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Sayer Vincent 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.

FunderSimilar charities fundedAmount to them
THE EVAN CORNISH FOUNDATION3£25k
KHODORKOVSKY FOUNDATION1£11.0m
THE MOHN WESTLAKE FOUNDATION1£1.0m
THE HEALTH FOUNDATION1£496k
THE NUFFIELD FOUNDATION1£382k
THE LEGAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION1£313k
THE PEARS FAMILY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION1£300k
JOHN ELLERMAN FOUNDATION1£150k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with ARTICLE 39.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
ARTICLE 19£15.0m——below2.0%noted
ARTICLE 39 FY2025£437k——unclear—no doubt
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL UK SECTION CHARITABLE TRUST FY2024£24.1m—3above25.7%no doubt
THE 1959 GROUP OF CHARITIES FY2025£1.7m£60,001 - £70,000—unclear—no doubt
MEDIA LEGAL DEFENCE INITIATIVE FY2024£3.0m——above3.0%no doubt
JUSTICE FOR JOURNALISTS FOUNDATION FY2026£245k—0unclear—no doubt

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