Downing College in the University of Cambridge

Analysis

Downing College in the University of Cambridge is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cambridge. It was registered in August 2010, 16 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, which this site groups under education and training. It says it makes grants to individuals, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending June 2025, Downing College in the University of Cambridge reported income of £18.5m and spending of £21.1m, spending 114% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from June 2021 to June 2025, income grew from £10.2m to £18.5m (+80%), an average of +16% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to June 2022, when income rose by 25%. Over the whole period it spent 118% of the income it received.

Among 21,402 England and Wales charities whose main cause is education and training and that reported income, Downing College in the University of Cambridge 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 International House Trust Limited (£18.4m), Bury Grammar Schools Charity (£18.5m) and Dulwich Prep & Senior (£18.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 55%, donations and legacies 35%, trading 5.7% and investments 3.9%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £448k. Charitable activities took 90% of spending and raising funds 8.9%. It employed 214 people.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.