ESMEE FAIRBAIRN FOUNDATION
Activities
As described by the charity on the register
We are one of the largest independent foundations in the UK. Our primary interests are in the arts, children and young people, the environment and social change.
Latest income
£9.5m
Expenditure
£56.4m
Financial year end
2024-12-31
Income & spending history
As reported to the Charity Commission, by financial year end
| Year end | Income | Expenditure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-12-31 | £4.8m | £59.8m | |
| 2021-12-31 | £5.1m | £58.4m | |
| 2022-12-31 | £7.2m | £44.4m | |
| 2023-12-31 | £8.4m | £66.5m | |
| 2024-12-31 | £9.5m | £56.4m |
Latest detailed return
Year end 2024-12-31
Income mix
| Donations & legacies | £0 |
| Charitable activities | £444k |
| Trading | £0 |
| Investment income | £9.0m |
| Total income | £9.5m |
Spending
| Charitable spend | £53.1m |
| Raising funds | £3.3m |
| Grants to institutions | £48.7m |
| Governance | £0 |
| Total expenditure | £56.4m |
Balance sheet
| Reserves | £1.28bn |
| Total funds | £1.28bn |
| — restricted | £0 |
| — unrestricted | £1.28bn |
| — endowment | £0 |
| Total assets | £1.28bn |
| Cash | £3.4m |
People
| Employees | 41 |
Classification
The charity's own register classification
What it does
- General Charitable Purposes
- Education/training
- Disability
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
- Accommodation/housing
- Arts/culture/heritage/science
- Environment/conservation/heritage
- Economic/community Development/employment
- Human Rights/religious Or Racial Harmony/equality Or Diversity
Who it helps
- Children/young People
- Elderly/old People
- People With Disabilities
- People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin
- Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
- Other Defined Groups
- The General Public/mankind
How it works
- Makes Grants To Organisations
- Provides Other Finance
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
Source: Charity Commission for England and Wales register, 2026-07-28. Detailed figures as filed in the charity's annual return. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.