Overall GiG Score: 16 ?
Finance Score: 1
Governance Score: 2
Support Score: 13
  • Low unrestricted reserves: -2
  • Fundraising costs low: +3
  • 12+ Trustees: -1
  • Dynamic board: +3
  • Grant maker support: +13

ROYAL COMMONWEALTH SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND 

Seventy five per cent of blindness in the world is either avoidable or treatable. Sightsavers works with partners in developing countries to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. Our work alleviates poverty among poor and marginalised communities and thus helps to realise the internationally accepted Millenium Development Goals.
Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

  • The charity has received backing from multiple prominent grant makers recently
  • This charity is endorsed by respected charity impact evaluators
  • There have been no material income shortfalls in recent years
  • Fundraising costs are low relative to funds raised
  • The Board appears to be dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

  • There are 14 trustees whereas the Charities Commission recommends a maximum of 12

Financial issues to consider:

  • Unrestricted reserves appear to be dangerously low at the latest year end
Established: 62 years

www.sightsavers.org

info@sightsavers.org

01444446601

Charity Commission for England and WalesCompanies HouseFacebookInstagramX
UN SDGs
?

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
31/12/22£313,352£309,174£4,178£22,249£68,698£47,9531.97900
31/12/21£236,775£213,622£23,153£18,531£65,417£43,7482.5745248,885
31/12/20£261,007£250,405£10,602£19,473£40,737£25,5651.26930
31/12/19£340,663£332,105£8,558£17,997£31,323£17,6430.66290
31/12/18£312,765£306,250£6,515£17,443£22,597£16,5310.65600
31/12/17£321,711£321,749£-38£19,286£16,422£11,1860.45160
31/12/16£302,017£298,210£3,807£18,449£15,753£12,8880.54760
31/12/15£198,303£196,864£1,439£17,438£13,334£11,1680.74220
31/12/14£187,578£185,041£2,537£13,734£11,218£9,9330.64020
31/12/13£199,688£200,406£-718£10,041£8,411£7,6580.54110
31/12/12£158,629£159,320£-691£9,411£10,738£9,3800.73880
31/12/11£161,311£158,681£2,630£8,590£12,359£10,6310.83670
31/12/10£173,471£173,002£469£7,790£10,617£8,5280.63520
31/12/09£100,168£99,212£956£8,185£9,430£7,1990.93620
31/12/08£101,576£101,659£-83£8,846£8,522£7,4390.93420
31/12/07£66,951£64,861£2,090£7,457£10,243£8,4361.63110
31/12/06£61,838£59,183£2,655£0£0£0n/a00
31/12/05£44,507£46,174£-1,667£0£0£0n/a00
31/12/04£31,576£29,961£1,615£0£0£0n/a00

Financial Ratios
Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 7.1%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 7.2%
Senior Staff Costs/Total Spending: 2%
Highest pay band: £150,000-£200,000
Liabilities/Assets: 27%
Liabilities/Income: 8%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 70%
Reserves/Spending: 1.9 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 2 months
Quick Ratio: 3.3
Asset Split ?
What it does
  • Disability
  • Economic/Community Development/Employment
  • Education/Training
  • Overseas Aid/Famine Relief
  • The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
  • The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who works here?
  • 790 employees
Who it helps
  • Children/Young People
  • Elderly/Old People
  • Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
  • People With Disabilities
  • The General Public/Mankind
How it operates
  • Makes Grants to Organisations
  • Provides advocacy/advice/information
  • Provides buildings/facilities/open space
  • Provides human resources
  • Provides services
  • Sponsors or undertakes research
Where it operates
  • Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Congo (Democratic Republic), Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-bissau, India, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Who's supporting them? ?

Endorsed by:
  • GiveWell (Deworming programme)
  • Giving What We Can (Deworming programme)
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
LUND TRUST£1,670,680
Brian Mercer Trust£300,000
Pears Foundation£200,000
Foundation Scotland£16,675
Specific Donations
Amount When
Months
To be used for
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Sightsavers
£5,000 12/12/2022
Donation from The Julie and Loren Hufstetler Foundation Fund
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Sightsavers
£200 28/04/2022
Unrestricted donation from W Scott
Brian Mercer Trust - Grant to Sightsavers
£300,000 26/01/2022
Unrestricted grant to Sightsavers
LUND TRUST - Towards an eye health fund.
£835,340 23/01/2022
Towards a range of new and existing eye care activities in Asia or Africa.
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Sightsavers
£10,000 13/12/2021
Donation from The Julie and Loren Hufstetler Foundation
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Sightsavers
£150 01/12/2021
Donation from Alan G R Findlay
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Sightsavers
£100 06/05/2021
General charitable donation from W Scott 2967936
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Sightsavers
£25 25/03/2021
Donation from John Frame
LUND TRUST - Towards an eye health fund.
£835,340 29/01/2021
To support a range of new and existing eye care activities in Asia or Africa.
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Sightsavers
£25 21/01/2021
General charitable donation from A C Storrar 096117
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Sightsavers
£100 02/12/2020
Donation from W Scott 095567
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Sightsavers
£125 05/11/2020
General charitable donation from Alan Findlay
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Sightsavers
£100 04/05/2020
General charitable donation from W Scott
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Sightsavers
£100 06/04/2020
In response to March 2020 letter - From Mark Urquhart
Pears Foundation - Grant to Sightsavers
£200,000 28/02/2020
24
Treating and preventing Trachoma in Ethiopia
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Sightsavers
£600 19/02/2020
In response to February 2020 appeal. From Mark Urquhart.
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Sightsavers
£100 16/01/2020
General charitable donation from William Scott 095560
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Sightsavers
£50 09/01/2020
General charitable donation J R Wilson 095323
National Lottery Community Fund - Improving livelihoods for young people with disabilities
£33,290 29/03/2019
22
Improving livelihoods for young people with disabilities
ARCADIA - To establish an eye health fund in Asia and Africa
£1,000,000 08/03/2019
To support existing and new eye health programmes in Asia and Africa.
National Lottery Community Fund - Improving livelihoods for young people with disabilities
£399,971 30/03/2017
34
The project will work with young people to improve their livelihoods through greater accessibility of Vocational Training Institute courses. They will also further develop capacity of disabled ....more
National Lottery Community Fund - Empowering young people with disabilities in East Africa
£192,741 24/03/2017
29
The project will support young people with disabilities to help them gain employable skills, thereby increasing their opportunities for employment, and increasing their access to financial services. ....more
Comic Relief - Leave no child behind: Improving Early Childhood Development in Malawi
£553,940 25/11/2015
36
Children with disability are often hidden away from public life and rarely participate in education. Families face numerous barriers ranging from general misunderstanding, lack of knowledge, lack of ....more
Show more rows

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (14)
Current Trustees appointed

Legal constitution
  • Charity registered in England & Wales on 22/09/1962, number: 207544
  • Registered at Companies House on 01/01/1970, number: RC000706
Gift Aid
  • Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid
Event History
Policies in force
  • Complaints handling
  • Conflicting interests
  • Investment
  • Paying staff
  • Risk management
  • Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Filing Record
19 returns made; all on time
Recent reorganisation events:
  • Asset transfer in from VOLUNTEERS FOR RURAL INDIA on 21/12/2020
  • Asset transfer in from STANLEY CLAYTON TRUST on 15/02/2021
  • Asset transfer in from THE GUTHRIE ESSAME CHARITABLE TRUST on 14/05/2021
Main office

35 PERRYMOUNT ROAD
HAYWARDS HEATH
RH16 3BW

Objectives

(A) THE PREVENTION AND CURE OF BLINDNESS AND THE EDUCATION ,REHABILITATION ,TRAINING, AND EMPLOYMENT OF THE BLIND IN THE AREA OF BENEFIT. (B) TO FOSTER COLLABORATION AMONG ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED WITH BLINDNESS AND ITS PREVENTION AND TO PROMOTE AND WHERE APPROPRIATE TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES LIKELY TO PREVENT BLINDNESS AND BENEFIT THE BLIND IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD.

Defined Area of Benefit:

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE COMMONWEALTH

Data Sources

Charity Commission for England and Wales
360 Giving
CharityBase
Authorised officials of this charity can add information to this page (including a Donate Now button) for no cost

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