Community First

Analysis

Community First is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Devizes. It was registered in November 1983, 43 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under community and economic development. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01757334). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides services and acts as an umbrella or resource body.

In the financial year ending March 2026, Community First reported income of £2.8m and spending of £2.9m, spending 104% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2022 to March 2026, income grew from £2.1m to £2.8m (+32%), an average of +7.2% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 44%. Over the whole period it spent 97% of the income it received.

Among 1,869 England and Wales charities whose main cause is community and economic development and that reported income, Community First 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 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Canopi Foundation (£2.8m), National Centre For Universities and Business (£2.9m) and Safer Merthyr Tydfil Limited (£2.8m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 82%, trading 10%, donations and legacies 6.1% and investments 1.5%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £1,000. Charitable activities took 96% of spending and raising funds 2.8%. Grants to other organisations totalled £491k. Reserves of £345k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 57 people.