Berkshire Community Foundation

Analysis

Berkshire Community Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Reading. It was registered in January 2014, 12 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 incorporated organisation (CIO). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Berkshire Community Foundation reported income of £2.1m and spending of £1.6m, leaving 25% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £4.3m to £2.1m (-51%), an average of -16% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income dropped by 67%. Over the whole period it spent 91% of the income it received.

Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, Berkshire Community Foundation sits at the 93rd percentile: it is larger than about 93% 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 Breast Cancer UK Limited (£2.1m), Buckinghamshire and East Berkshire Mind (£2.1m) and Citizens Advice Lancashire West (£2.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 80% and investments 20%. Charitable activities took 73% of spending and raising funds 22%. Grants to other organisations totalled £1.1m. Reserves of £147k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 7 people.