Great Lakes Outreach

Analysis

Great Lakes Outreach is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Chesham. It was registered in April 2003, 23 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives, the prevention or relief of poverty and overseas aid/famine relief, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04686283). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides human resources.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Great Lakes Outreach reported income of £2.4m and spending of £2.3m, spending 97% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £1.5m to £2.4m (+61%), an average of +13% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2024, when income rose by 41%. Over the whole period it spent 99% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, Great Lakes Outreach 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 Peacehaven House (£2.4m), Bird Song Trust (£2.4m) and Bha for Equality (£2.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 99%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £65k. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 0.3%. Grants to other organisations totalled £1.7m. Reserves of £735k would cover about 4 months of spending at that rate. It employed 13 people.