Impetus - the Private Equity Foundation
Analysis
Impetus - the Private Equity Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in June 2013, 13 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under community and economic development. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 08460519). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.
In the financial year ending March 2025, Impetus - the Private Equity Foundation reported income of £24.1m and spending of £52.5m, spending 218% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2020 to March 2025, income grew from £13.1m to £24.1m (+83%), an average of +16% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2021, when income rose by 58%. Over the whole period it spent 177% of the income it received.
Among 1,869 England and Wales charities whose main cause is community and economic development and that reported income, Impetus - the Private Equity Foundation sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Education and Training Foundation (£20.4m), The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (£28.3m) and The Outward Bound Trust (£17.3m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 70%, investments 22% and trading 7.9%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £2,821. Charitable activities took 97% of spending and raising funds 3.0%. Grants to other organisations totalled £32.1m. Reserves of £131.6m would cover about 30 months of spending at that rate. It employed 112 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.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 70%
- Legacies 0.0%
- Trading 7.9%
- Investments 22%
- Other 0.1%
In the charity's own words
Impetus transforms the lives of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds by ensuring they get the right support to succeed in school, in work and in life.We find, fund and build the most promising charities working with these young people, providing core funding and working shoulder-to-shoulder with their leaders to help them become stronger organisations.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| The Education and Training Foundation | London | £20.4m |
| The Institution of Mechanical Engineers | London | £28.3m |
| The Outward Bound Trust | Penrith | £17.3m |
| Community Security Trust | London | £35.0m |