Overall GiG Score: 4 ?
Finance Score: -3
Governance Score: 6
Support Score: 1
  • Fundraising costs high: -3
  • Good trustee age range: +3
  • Dynamic board: +3
  • Grant maker support: +1

BOOK AID INTERNATIONAL 

Book Aid International is the UK's leading international book donation and library development charity. Book Aid International's vision is a world where everyone has access to the books that will enrich, improve and change their lives.
Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

  • The charity has received modest backing from several prominent grant makers recently
  • There have been no material income shortfalls in recent years
  • The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of age and dynamic in terms of composition

Financial issues to consider:

  • Fundraising costs are extremely high relative to funds raised
Established: 58 years

www.bookaid.org

alison.tweed@bookaid.org

02077333577

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£17,701£17,421£280£776£8,620£8,3785.83177
31/12/21£12,568£15,588£-3,020£599£8,342£8,0166.23156
31/12/20£14,807£12,969£1,838£535£10,566£10,3769.62613
31/12/19£2,280£2,204£76£589£8,728£8,49746.328157
31/12/18£19,417£18,077£1,340£523£8,822£8,1025.42616
31/12/17£9,961£11,999£-2,038£566£6,555£5,8065.8230
31/12/16£15,460£12,385£3,076£546£8,594£7,7227.5210
31/12/15£14,164£11,509£2,656£614£5,518£5,0025.2190
31/12/14£12,057£11,908£149£647£1,758£1,4841.5190
31/12/13£8,259£8,392£-134£622£1,609£1,3972170
31/12/12£9,569£9,493£76£488£1,639£1,4351.8160
31/12/11£7,581£7,425£156£479£1,562£1,4212.3160
31/12/10£7,155£7,019£136£486£1,406£1,3012.2160
31/12/09£6,921£6,886£35£460£1,270£1,2082.1170
31/12/08£7,190£7,418£-228£531£1,235£1,0881.8210
31/12/07£5,397£5,554£-157£477£1,188£9452280
31/12/06£5,375£5,131£244£0£0£0n/a00
31/12/05£4,832£4,651£181£0£0£0n/a00
31/12/04£6,180£6,356£-176£0£0£0n/a00

Financial Ratios
Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 34.5%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 4.5%
Senior Staff Costs/Total Spending: 1%
Highest pay band: £80,000-£90,000
Liabilities/Assets: 2%
Liabilities/Income: 1%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 97%
Reserves/Spending: 5.8 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 5 months
Quick Ratio: 6.4
Asset Split ?
What it does
  • Education/Training
  • Overseas Aid/Famine Relief
Who works here?
  • 31 employees
  • 77 volunteers
Who it helps
  • Children/Young People
  • Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
  • Other Defined Groups
  • The General Public/Mankind
How it operates
  • Makes Grants to Organisations
  • Other charitable activities
  • Provides advocacy/advice/information
  • Provides buildings/facilities/open space
  • Provides services
Where it operates
  • Bhutan, Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Greece, Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Saint Vincent, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, The Gambia, Uganda, Ukraine, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

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.

Specific Donations
Amount When
Months
To be used for
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Book Aid International
£150 01/12/2021
Donation from Alan G R Findlay
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Book Aid International
£25 21/01/2021
Donation from A C Storrar 096116
Foundation Scotland - Grant to Book Aid International
£125 05/11/2020
General charitable donation from Alan Findlay
Dulverton Trust - The Shared Reading Project, Uganda
£27,400 25/10/2018
The Shared Reading Project, Uganda
Dulverton Trust - Digital future for Ugandan Libraries? project
£60,000 04/02/2015
Digital future for Ugandan Libraries? project

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (10)
Current Trustees appointed

Age Range of Trustees: 36-76
  • DR ANNE MAKENA Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Co-Director, Africa Oxford Initiative
  • PAM DIX Appointed: 2015, Occupation: Lecturer
  • ZAINAB UMAR Appointed: 2020, Occupation: Communications Specialist
Legal constitution
  • Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 04/07/1966, number: 313869
  • Registered at Companies House on 03/06/1966, number: 00880754
Gift Aid
  • Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid
Policies in force
  • Complaints handling
  • Conflicting interests
  • Investment
  • Paying staff
  • Risk management
  • Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
  • Volunteer management
Filing Record
19 returns made; all on time
Main office

Book Aid International
2 Coldharbour Place
39-41 Coldharbour Lane
Camberwell
London
SE5 9NR

Objectives

THE CHARITY’S OBJECTS (“OBJECTS”) ARE TO ADVANCE EDUCATION AND LITERACY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES BY CHARITABLE MEANS:(A) BY ESTABLISHING, PROVIDING AND CARRYING ON THE SERVICE OF PROCURING AND DISTRIBUTING READING AND INFORMATION MATERIAL REGARDLESS OF MEDIUM TO DEVELOPING AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN NEED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES;(B) BY DISTRIBUTING CONSIGNMENTS OF SUCH MATERIAL TO PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY LIBRARIES, UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, YOUTH AND CHILDREN'S CENTRES AND OTHER CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL NEEDS AND PRIORITIES; AND(C) BY PROMOTING OR SUPPORTING ANY TRAINING OR OTHER ACTIVITY WHICH IS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THE USE OF BOOKS, READING AND OTHER INFORMATION MATERIAL IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

Defined Area of Benefit:

OVERSEAS

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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