The Chelmsford Diocesan Board of Finance

Analysis

The Chelmsford Diocesan Board of Finance is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Chelmsford. It was registered in October 1966, 60 years ago. Its declared purposes cover religious activities, which this site groups under religion. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00137029). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides other finance.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Chelmsford Diocesan Board of Finance reported income of £23.0m and spending of £25.8m, spending 112% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income fell from £24.8m to £23.0m (-7.4%), an average of -1.9% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2024, when income dropped by 15%. Over the whole period it spent 103% of the income it received.

Among 20,496 England and Wales charities whose main cause is religion and that reported income, The Chelmsford 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 Leeds Diocesan Board of Finance (£22.6m), The Representative Body of the Church in Wales (£23.0m) and St Laurence Education Trust (£22.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 78%, investments 10.0%, charitable activities 7.7% and trading 3.7%. Charitable activities took 97% of spending and raising funds 1.6%. Grants to other organisations totalled £2.1m. Reserves of £4.5m would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate. It employed 118 people.