Cities for Children
Analysis
Cities for Children is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in November 2016, 10 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, overseas aid/famine relief and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under overseas aid and international. Legally it is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). It says it provides human resources, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.
In the financial year ending May 2025, Cities for Children reported income of £57k and spending of £35k, leaving 39% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from May 2021 to May 2025, income grew from £16k to £57k (+252%), an average of +37% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to May 2025, when income rose by 182%. Over the whole period it spent 79% of the income it received.
Among 1,223 England and Wales charities whose main cause is overseas aid and international and that reported income, Cities for Children sits at the 65th percentile: it is larger than about 65% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 63rd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Corpus Christi Carmelites (£57k), The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Andrew and St Peter, Blofield, Norfolk (£57k) and Emmanuel Church (£57k).
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Other 100%
In the charity's own words
We aim to protect the "right to a childhood" through three strands of work:The right to read - by supporting literacy and life skills relevant to a child's reality. The right to play - by creating child-friendly spaces with structured recreation programmes involving volunteer networks. The right to feel safe - by building staff/teacher capacity to offer protection and psychosocial support.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Corpus Christi Carmelites | Birmingham | £57k |
| The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Andrew and St Peter, Blofield, Norfolk | Norwich | £57k |
| Emmanuel Church | Suffolk | £57k |
| The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St George's, Ovenden | Halifax | £58k |