Sustain: the Alliance for Better Food & Farming
Analysis
Sustain: the Alliance for Better Food & Farming is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in March 1993, 33 years ago. Its declared purposes cover the advancement of health or saving of lives, the prevention or relief of poverty, environment/conservation/heritage and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 02673194). It says it acts as an umbrella or resource body.
In the financial year ending March 2025, Sustain: the Alliance for Better Food & Farming reported income of £2.7m and spending of £2.4m, spending 89% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £2.6m to £2.7m (+3.6%), an average of +0.9% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income rose by 52%. Over the whole period it spent 88% of the income it received.
Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, Sustain: the Alliance for Better Food & Farming sits at the 94th percentile: it is larger than about 94% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Kusuma Trust UK (£2.7m), Beacon Centre for the Blind (£2.7m) and Nuneaton & Bedworth Leisure Trust (£2.7m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 97% and donations and legacies 2.8%. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 0.9%. Grants to other organisations totalled £502k. Reserves of £811k would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 30 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 2.8%
- Charitable activities 97%
- Investments 0.6%
In the charity's own words
Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming, advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity. We represent around 100 national public interest organisations, and are independent from the agri-food industry.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Kusuma Trust UK | London | £2.7m |
| Beacon Centre for the Blind | Wolverhampton | £2.7m |
| Nuneaton & Bedworth Leisure Trust | Warwickshire | £2.7m |
| Halton Haven Hospice | Cheshire | £2.7m |