The Learned Society of Wales

Analysis

The Learned Society of Wales is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cardiff. It was registered in August 2016, 10 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. It says it provides services, provides advocacy/advice/information and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending July 2025, The Learned Society of Wales reported income of £736k and spending of £645k, spending 88% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from July 2021 to July 2025, income grew from £304k to £736k (+142%), an average of +25% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to July 2023, when income rose by 44%. Over the whole period it spent 96% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Learned Society of Wales sits at the 94th percentile: it is larger than about 94% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 92nd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Manifold Charitable Trust (£735k), The Coniston Institute and Ruskin Museum (£736k) and The Leeds Library (£735k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 68%, donations and legacies 29% and investments 2.1%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £75k. Charitable activities took 90% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Grants to other organisations totalled £29k. Reserves of £545k would cover about 9 months of spending at that rate. It employed 11 people.