The Potanin Foundation

Analysis

The Potanin Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in January 2006, 20 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 05514908). It says it makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Potanin Foundation reported income of £2.2m and spending of £619k, leaving 72% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £766k to £2.2m (+192%), an average of +31% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2023, when income rose by 164%. Over the whole period it spent 34% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, The Potanin Foundation sits at the 96th percentile: it is larger than about 96% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 96th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Batsford Foundation (£2.2m), Foundation for Environmental Education (£2.2m) and The Surrey Care Trust (£2.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 100%. Charitable activities took 30% of spending and raising funds 40%. Reserves of £117.1m would cover about 1592 months of spending at that rate.