The Harley Foundation

Analysis

The Harley Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Worksop. It was registered in October 1978, 48 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 trust. It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Harley Foundation reported income of £518k and spending of £1.1m, spending 214% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £414k to £518k (+25%), an average of +5.8% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income rose by 102%. Over the whole period it spent 175% 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 Harley Foundation sits at the 92nd percentile: it is larger than about 92% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 90th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Lichfield Festival Limited (£518k), Brighton Open Air Theatre (Boat) (£518k) and Pegasus Theatre Trust (£517k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 61%, charitable activities 22% and donations and legacies 17%. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £25.1m would cover about 268 months of spending at that rate. It employed 21 people.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.