The St Albans Diocesan Board of Finance

Analysis

The St Albans Diocesan Board of Finance is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in St Albans. It was registered in September 1966, 60 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, overseas aid/famine relief, religious activities and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under overseas aid and international. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00145227). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides human resources.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The St Albans Diocesan Board of Finance reported income of £35.7m and spending of £32.1m, spending 90% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £25.3m to £35.7m (+41%), an average of +9.0% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2025, when income rose by 56%. Over the whole period it spent 93% of the income it received.

Among 1,223 England and Wales charities whose main cause is overseas aid and international and that reported income, The St Albans Diocesan Board of Finance 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 World Animal Protection (£30.1m), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Britain (£38.5m) and Sarjudas Foundation (£25.8m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 38%, donations and legacies 37%, charitable activities 11% and investments 9.9%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £34k. Charitable activities took 69% of spending and raising funds 30%. Grants to other organisations totalled £1.6m. Reserves of £53.0m would cover about 20 months of spending at that rate. It employed 53 people.