The Sussex Community Foundation

Analysis

The Sussex Community Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Lewes. It was registered in March 2006, 20 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives and disability, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 05670692). It says it makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Sussex Community Foundation reported income of £3.6m and spending of £4.2m, spending 120% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £4.9m to £3.6m (-27%), an average of -7.5% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income dropped by 29%. Over the whole period it spent 119% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, The Sussex Community Foundation sits at the 95th percentile: it is larger than about 95% 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 Derby County Community Trust (£3.5m), Pramacare (£3.6m) and Cure Eb (Formerly Known As Sohana Research Fund) (£3.5m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 90% and investments 9.6%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £10k. Charitable activities took 95% of spending and raising funds 3.8%. Reserves of £281k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 15 people.