Botanic Gardens Conservation International
Analysis
Botanic Gardens Conservation International is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Richmond. It was registered in August 2003, 23 years ago. Its declared purposes cover environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04673175). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides advocacy/advice/information and sponsors or undertakes research.
In the financial year ending December 2025, Botanic Gardens Conservation International reported income of £3.9m and spending of £3.7m, spending 95% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £2.3m to £3.9m (+65%), an average of +13% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 26%. Over the whole period it spent 101% of the income it received.
Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, Botanic Gardens Conservation International sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 98th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust Limited (£3.8m), The Wardens and Assistants of Rochester Bridge in the County of Kent (£3.9m) and Ribble Rivers Trust Limited (£3.8m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 97% and donations and legacies 2.6%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £500. Charitable activities took 97% of spending and raising funds 2.5%. Grants to other organisations totalled £1.4m. Reserves of £346k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 37 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 2.6%
- Legacies 0.0%
- Charitable activities 97%
- Investments 0.3%
- Other 0.0%
In the charity's own words
BGCI was founded in 1987 to link botanic gardens as a co-operating global network for effective plant conservation. BGCI aims to do this in four ways byleading and advocacy,leading innovative and strategic projects achieving outcomes in plant conservation policy, practice and education,building plant conservation capacity in botanic gardens and broader society,and by providing funding.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| The Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust Limited | Herts | £3.8m |
| The Wardens and Assistants of Rochester Bridge in the County of Kent | Kent | £3.9m |
| Ribble Rivers Trust Limited | Lancashire | £3.8m |
| Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West Ltd | Somerset | £3.9m |