International Documentary Festival Sheffield

Analysis

International Documentary Festival Sheffield is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Sheffield. It was registered in August 2019, 7 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). It says it provides services, provides advocacy/advice/information and other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending July 2025, International Documentary Festival Sheffield reported income of £1.4m and spending of £1.5m, spending 108% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from July 2021 to July 2025, income fell from £1.7m to £1.4m (-20%), an average of -5.5% a year. Over the whole period it spent 98% 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, International Documentary Festival Sheffield sits at the 96th percentile: it is larger than about 96% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 95th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Southampton Forward (£1.4m), Chichester Cathedral Restoration and Development Trust CIO (£1.4m) and Zion Arts Centre Limited (£1.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 37%, charitable activities 32% and trading 31%. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 0.7%. Reserves of £43k would cover about 0 months of spending at that rate. It employed 20 people.