The Needham Research Institute

Analysis

The Needham Research Institute is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Cambridge. It was registered in December 1968, 58 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 provides buildings/facilities/open space and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending September 2025, The Needham Research Institute reported income of £583k and spending of £723k, spending 124% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from September 2021 to September 2025, income fell from £801k to £583k (-27%), an average of -7.6% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to September 2022, when income dropped by 31%. Over the whole period it spent 102% 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 Needham Research Institute sits at the 93rd percentile: it is larger than about 93% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 91st percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Mosaic Rooms (£583k), The Castle House Trust (£585k) and Coldharbour Mill Trust Limited (£582k).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from investments 65%, charitable activities 18% and donations and legacies 12%. Charitable activities took 93% of spending and raising funds 7.5%. Reserves of £4.0m would cover about 67 months of spending at that rate. It employed 9 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.