Finance Score: 3

Governance Score: 4

Support Score: 14

Low unrestricted reserves: -2
Strong growth: +2
Fundraising costs low: +3

No volunteer policy: -2
Good trustee age range: +3
Gender balanced board: +3

Large volunteers +3
Grant maker support: +11

Overall GiG Score: 21

SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK TRUST

We want to see more land managed for wildlife, more rare habitats protected, more local communities thriving and more people able to access and enjoy their National Park. This requires more investment and we want to secure and direct the substantial goodwill that exists for the South Downs to places where it can make a real difference.

Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

This charity has been successful in attracting volunteers relative to its size
There has been strong growth in spending over the last 5 years
There have been no income shortfalls in recent years
Fundraising costs are low relative to funds raised
A significant proportion of recent income was derived from major grant makers
The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of age and gender

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

This charity is not recognised by HMRC for Gift Aid according to its latest published return
Although this charity works with volunteers it does not have a Volunteer Management policy

Financial issues to consider:

Unrestricted reserves appear to be dangerously low at the latest year end

Established: 7 years

www.southdownstrust.org.uk

JAMES.WINKWORTH@SOUTHDOWNS.GOV.UK

01730819218

Charity Commission for England and Wales

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Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?

Sources of Income ?

Y/E		Income £k	Spending £k	Surplus/ Deficit	Fundraising Cost £k	Total Funds £k	Unrestricted Funds £k	Mths Rsrvs	Staff	Volun- teers
31/03/23		£1,631	£1,017	£614	£94	£1,695	£208	2.5	2	300
31/03/22		£873	£761	£112	£131	£1,115	£149	2.4	2	300
31/03/21		£898	£591	£307	£104	£983	£80	1.6	0	300
31/03/20		£635	£332	£304	£120	£613	£73	2.6	2	300
31/03/19?	*	£499	£316	£183	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	300
30/04/18		£236	£74	£163	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0

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Financial Ratios

Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 5.8%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 9.2%
Highest pay band: Less than £60,000
Liabilities/Assets: 1%
Liabilities/Income: 1%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 12%
Reserves/Spending: 2.5 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 16 months
Quick Ratio: 32.5

Asset Split ?

Listed activities

Economic/Community Development/Employment
Education/Training
Environment/Conservation/Heritage

How it operates

Makes Grants to Organisations
Provides services

Where it operates

East Sussex, Hampshire, West Sussex,

Who it helps

The General Public/Mankind

Who works here?

2 employees
300 volunteers

Who's supporting them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following significant donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Major supporters in last 5 years

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	£8,961,896
National Lottery Community Fund	£151,005
National Lottery Heritage Fund	£130,511
DCMS	£69,250
Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government	£40,000
Sussex Community Foundation	£39,900

Specific Donations

Amount	When Months	To be used for
Esmee Fairbairn - TASK to South Downs National Park Trust
£10,000	19/10/2023	TASK fund donation towards core costs
National Lottery Heritage Fund - Grant to South Downs National Park Trust
£130,511	14/09/2022	Downs to the Sea: Recovery & Resilience in Wetland Habitats
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - National Parks Funding FY 2022-25 (South Downs 64609)
£8,961,896	31/05/2022	National Park grant funding FY2022 - 23The purpose of this grant is to support local planning authorities in their preparations for the introduction of mandatory BNG. Biodiversity net gain (BNG) is ....more National Park grant funding FY2022 - 23The purpose of this grant is to support local planning authorities in their preparations for the introduction of mandatory BNG. Biodiversity net gain (BNG) is an approach to development that leaves biodiversity in a measurably better state than before. This means protecting existing habitats and ensuring that lost or degraded habitats are compensated for by enhancing or creating habitats that are of greater value to wildlife and people.
The Foyle Foundation - Learning (MGS)
£11,000	03/12/2021	towards Footsteps - a free walking app providing audio walks exploring the lives and experiences of individuals important in the heritage of the South Downs National Park (awarded grant in response ....more towards Footsteps - a free walking app providing audio walks exploring the lives and experiences of individuals important in the heritage of the South Downs National Park (awarded grant in response to coronavirus)
Sussex Community Foundation - Grant to South Downs National Park Trust
£4,950	17/11/2021 12	Funding was provided towards fully funded day visits to the South Downs National Park for school children from 27 disadvantaged schools.
DCMS - GRCF2021: Hampshire Hedgerows - Enhancing Wildlife Corridors in the Farmed Landscape
£69,250	21/06/2021	Restore 20km+ hedgerows within & immediately adjoining South Downs National Park (SDNP) protected landscape.Working collaboratively with landowners through Selborne & Winchester Downs ....more Restore 20km+ hedgerows within & immediately adjoining South Downs National Park (SDNP) protected landscape.Working collaboratively with landowners through Selborne & Winchester Downs Farmer-led Clusters.Complements work delivered though Stewardship (no double-funding).Nature recovery: landscape scale, within & extending from protected landscape, many sites in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, increasing connectivity between habitats (e.g. woodland to pond)/into identified Hampshire ecological networks/opportunity areas & close to urban areas. Benefits target species - harvest mouse, dormouse, yellowhammer, brown hairstreak, provides bat foraging routes.Nature-based solutions: increase climate change resilience, carbon sequestration, reduce flood risk (including cross-field flows), stabilise soils, provide shade.Connecting people & nature: includes sites close to footpaths, roads & on nature reserve, hedge laying training, surveys.Supports 25yr EP, Landscapes Review, NRN, SDNP Partnership Management Plan, SDNP People & Nature Network, SDNP Biodiversity Monitoring Framework, Hampshire LNP.Supports self-employed Farm Cluster facilitators & work for c6 contractors/trainers.No consents/planning permissions required.Project locations (& alternatives if necessary) identified by Farm Clusters & therefore ready for immediate project start (commissioning works), although seasonality of hedgerow work & tree planting, means work on the ground will necessarily start October 2021.NB: location in 1d is central to area as no site has most work.
The Grocers' Charity - 2021 - South Downs National Park Trust
£5,000	02/06/2021	Towards project costs to extend The Egrets Way, a mixed-use path for walkers and cyclists and wheelchair users and families from Lewes to Newhaven. Grocers' support would pay for signage, access ....more Towards project costs to extend The Egrets Way, a mixed-use path for walkers and cyclists and wheelchair users and families from Lewes to Newhaven. Grocers' support would pay for signage, access furniture (gates), cycle park, picnic tables.
Sussex Community Foundation - Grant to South Downs National Park Trust
£25,000	17/12/2020 7	Funding was provided towards a new visitor centre at Seven Sisters Country Park.
Sussex Community Foundation - Grant to South Downs National Park Trust
£4,950	18/11/2020 9	Funding was provided towards the project costs of free outdoor learning days for school children
National Lottery Community Fund - Ouse Valley CARES: Climate Action Resilient Ecosystems Sustainability
£151,005	05/10/2020 12	This project will bring together a range of riverside communities along the Ouse Valley. The aim is to reduce their carbon footprint leading to an engaged community where residents landowners and ....more This project will bring together a range of riverside communities along the Ouse Valley. The aim is to reduce their carbon footprint leading to an engaged community where residents landowners and decision makers understand the threats posed by climate change and collaborate on climate action building resilience at personal community and ecosystem levels.
Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government - NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING - SECTOR SUPPORT
£40,000	01/04/2020	To provide technical (technical support packages) and financial support support (grant) to neighbourhood planning groups in order to perform neighbourhood planning.
Wates Foundation - Foundation Grant-South Downs National Park Trust-17/09/2019
£10,000	10/09/2019	• 2 individuals from deprived backgrounds completing a two year Apprenticeship as Future Foresters
Sussex Community Foundation - Grant to South Downs National Park Trust
£5,000	05/07/2019 23	Funding was provided to help establish two South Downs Forestry Apprenticeship roles 'Future Foresters' for a two year pilot programme.
Sussex Community Foundation - Grant to South Downs National Park Trust
£5,000	20/11/2017 11	South Downs National Park Trust aim to enhance and protect the beautiful and inspirational landscapes and to strengthen the vibrant communities of the South Downs. Funding was provided towards ....more South Downs National Park Trust aim to enhance and protect the beautiful and inspirational landscapes and to strengthen the vibrant communities of the South Downs. Funding was provided towards enabling 17 schools and 1000 children to claim a travel grant to visit the park.

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Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (6)

Current Trustees appointed

Gender Split

Age Range of Trustees: 42-81

CHRISTOPHER JOHN KNELL Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Finance Director

DANIELE MONTAGNANI Appointed: 2017, Occupation: Managing Director

DEAN ORGILL (Chair) Appointed: 2017, Occupation: Solicitor, Other trusteeship: THE VALERIE EMILY MUNDAY DAY CENTRE TRUST,

JANET DUNCTON Appointed: 2019, Occupation: Partner In A Farm

JOSEPHINE CARR Appointed: 2017, Occupation: Farmer

VANCE RUSSELL Appointed: 2017, Occupation: Ecologist

Legal constitution

Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 04/10/2017, number: 1174975
Registered at Companies House on 10/04/2017, number: 10719031

Gift Aid

NOT registered with HMRC for Gift Aid

Policies in force

Complaints handling
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Filing Record

6 returns made; AR19: 3 days late,

Main office

SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY
SOUTH DOWNS CENTRE
NORTH STREET
MIDHURST
GU29 9DH

Objectives

1.1 THE OBJECTS OF THE CHARITY ARE:1.1 TO PROMOTE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC THE CONSERVATION, PROTECTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE PHYSICAL, NATURAL AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT PRIMARILY WITHIN THE SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK AND SURROUNDING AREAS AND ALSO WITHIN SUCH OTHER NATIONAL PARKS AS THE TRUSTEES MAY FROM TIME TO TIME DETERMINE IN PARTICULAR BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY BY:(1) CARRYING OUT WORK TO IMPROVE THE LANDSCAPE, ENVIRONMENT AND BUILT HERITAGE;(2) RECORDING LOCAL TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS, SUPPORTING TRADITIONAL SKILLS AND PROMOTING ALL ARTS INSPIRED BY THE SOUTH DOWNS; AND(3) SUPPORTING COMMUNITY GROUPS AND FACILITIES WHICH HELP ACHIEVE THESE AIMS;1.2 TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC IN PARTICULAR IN THE SUSTAINABILITY, CONSERVATION, PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE PHYSICAL, NATURAL AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK.

Data Sources