The David Lean Foundation

Analysis

The David Lean Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Stafford. It was registered in December 1997, 29 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The David Lean Foundation reported income of £7.3m and spending of £258k, leaving 96% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £251k to £7.3m (+2809%), an average of +132% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2025, when income rose by 3517%. Over the whole period it spent 13% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The David Lean Foundation sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 99% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College (£7.2m), Royal Exchange Theatre Company Limited (£7.3m) and The Young Vic Company (£7.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 98%. Charitable activities took 78% of spending and raising funds 12%. Grants to other organisations totalled £149k. Reserves of £7.6m would cover about 320 months of spending at that rate.