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Make your donationAbout Essex Community Foundation
Essex Community Foundation is an independent charitable trust. Founded in 1996, it has built an endowed fund of nearly £50 million, and has awarded over £47 million in grants to community-based voluntary groups in Essex, Southend and Thurrock.By acting as a broker the Foundation helps donors achieve their charitable objectives, and local voluntary groups secure funding for their work.
Verified certifications
Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.
Focus areas & reach
· What they work on and whereHow it stacks up against peers
· vs. 8 similar community development in United KingdomConcerns
· None foundWhere every £1 goes
· FY2025 · Charity Commission (UK) (FY2025)GiveRadar Analysis
Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations
From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Essex Community Foundation has a substantially complete profile, cross-referenced across 3 independent sources including the Charity Commission.
- By reported annual revenue, it is larger than 97% of the 9,248 community development charities in the United Kingdom with financial records on GiveRadar. See the filings
- GiveRadar holds 5 years of financial filings for this organization, the most recent for fiscal year 2025. See the filings
- Its integrity score of 86 places it in the top 1% of the 10,732 community development charities in the United Kingdom GiveRadar tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its registration. View this cohort
- government registration
- financial records (5 filed years)
- disclosed leadership
- a website
- a contact email
- a donation page
- third-party accreditation
- an owner-submitted profile claim
Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-27. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.
Common questions
· Auto-generated from filings + methodologyEssex Community Foundation is a registered community development nonprofit based in Chelmsford, United Kingdom. It is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It was founded in 1996 and has been operating for 30 years. Its registration number is 1052061. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds registration with the UK Fundraising Regulator, which means it has committed to the Code of Fundraising Practice and accountable fundraising standards. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 86/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports £8M in annual revenue. 14 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected. Recent news coverage is predominantly positive.
Essex Community Foundation's registered charity number is 1052061. You can use it to look up the organization on the Charity Commission register.
Essex Community Foundation has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 86/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 86 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 93% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for community development charities in United Kingdom is 86/100.
Essex Community Foundation is located in Chelmsford, United Kingdom. The organization was established in 1996 and has been active for 30 years.
Based on official tax filings, Essex Community Foundation has £8M in annual revenue. It allocates 93% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 95% for community development charities in United Kingdom. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of £271K. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.
Essex Community Foundation is classified as a Community Development organization, registered in United Kingdom. It operates as a Charitable Company. By size, it is categorized as a large organization. It has £8M in annual revenue. The organization has 14 disclosed officers and directors.
No red flags have been detected for Essex Community Foundation. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.
According to GiveRadar's records, Essex Community Foundation holds registration with the UK Fundraising Regulator, which means it has committed to the Code of Fundraising Practice and accountable fundraising standards. It is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It reports that 93% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 95%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.
Essex Community Foundation is an independent charitable trust. Founded in 1996, it has built an endowed fund of nearly £50 million, and has awarded over £47 million in grants to community-based voluntary groups in Essex, Southend and Thurrock.By acting as a broker the Foundation helps donors achieve their charitable objectives, and local voluntary groups secure funding for their work. Essex Community Foundation is classified as a community development organization registered in United Kingdom. The organization was founded in 1996.
Among community development charities registered in United Kingdom: It allocates 93% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 95%. Its annual revenue of £8M is well above the peer average of £271K.
Essex Community Foundation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, the most common incorporated form for UK charities. It is registered with both Companies House and the Charity Commission, and must file annual accounts with both regulators. Directors (who are also charity trustees) have limited liability. Its Charity Commission registration number is 1052061.
You can verify Essex Community Foundation in several ways. First, search the Charity Commission Register at https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/ - every charity registered in England and Wales appears here with its registration number, trustees, governing document, and filed accounts. Because this is a charitable company, you can also check its filings on Companies House (https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/). Second, check whether the charity's annual return and accounts are up to date - the Commission flags charities with overdue filings. Third, look for the Fundraising Regulator badge on the charity's website, which signals voluntary compliance with the Code of Fundraising Practice.
You can donate to Essex Community Foundation directly through its donation page (https://www.essexcommunityfoundation.org.uk/give-to-your-community/). UK charities typically accept online card payments, direct debit, and bank transfer. Many also use platforms such as JustGiving or Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). If you are a UK taxpayer, make sure to tick the Gift Aid box: it lets the charity reclaim 25p from HMRC for every pound you give at no extra cost to you. Higher-rate taxpayers can claim back the difference between basic-rate and their marginal rate through Self Assessment. Payroll Giving (Give As You Earn) lets you donate pre-tax through your employer.
Yes, Essex Community Foundation is registered with the Fundraising Regulator (FR), the independent regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Registration means the charity has committed to following the Code of Fundraising Practice and the Fundraising Promise, which set standards for honest, respectful, and transparent fundraising. Donors can complain to the FR if they believe a charity has breached the Code.
Donations to Essex Community Foundation are eligible for Gift Aid if you are a UK income-tax or capital-gains-tax payer. Gift Aid adds 25% to your donation at no cost to you (the charity reclaims basic-rate tax from HMRC). Higher-rate and additional-rate taxpayers can also claim back the difference through Self Assessment or by adjusting their PAYE tax code. Gifts of shares, property, or land to charity are free of Capital Gains Tax and can be deducted from your income for Income Tax purposes. Legacy gifts (in your will) reduce the value of your estate for Inheritance Tax and can lower the IHT rate from 40% to 36% if you leave at least 10% to charity.
Essex Community Foundation is based in Chelmsford. The Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW) is the primary regulator. Scotland has its own regulator (OSCR), and Northern Ireland has the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI). A charity registered with the CCEW may operate across the whole of the UK or internationally.
Essex Community Foundation was first registered in 1996, making it approximately 30 years old. UK charities must file an annual return with the Charity Commission to remain on the register. A long registration history generally indicates sustained operations and continuous regulatory compliance.
Filing history
5 years on file from Charity Commission (UK) (FY2025): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.
See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.
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Tax-deductibility for donors
UK donations qualify for Gift Aid. ESSEX COMMUNITY FOUNDATION is registered with the Charity Commission. Eligible UK taxpayers can boost their gift by 25% at no extra cost.
ESSEX COMMUNITY FOUNDATION is in United Kingdom, a TGE (Transnational Giving Europe) member country. Dutch donors can route gifts via Stichting Transnational Giving Europe to receive Dutch ANBI-equivalent deductibility, subject to TGE's 5% pass-through fee.
ESSEX COMMUNITY FOUNDATION is registered in United Kingdom. US donors generally cannot deduct gifts to non-US charities directly. To claim a deduction, route the gift through a US 'Friends of' fiscal sponsor or a donor-advised fund that performs equivalency determination (IRS Rev. Proc. 92-94).
Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.
Leadership
From FY2025 filing
Officers & trustees (14)
Source: Public filings
14 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.
Latest news
From global news sources
10 articles found
From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.
Everett Residents Achieve Northern Essex Community College Dean’s List; BC High School Honor Roll - Advocate News Online
NHS trust honours ‘Leading Lights’ at Herts and Essex Community Hospital - Bishop's Stortford Independent
Essex community leader shortlisted for National Diversity Award - Your Thurrock
Young people score a winner at the PFCC-backed Essex Community Goals event - Essex PFCC
Essex Community Foundation appoints new director Gavin Benn - Chelmsford Weekly News
Essex Charity Launches Community Garden Project - Manufacturing Management
Essex community pharmacy changes hands to expanding operator - Christie & Co
Help police and local authorities tackle crime and anti-social behaviour by completing Community Safety Survey 2026 - Essex PFCC
Essex Community Speed Watch volunteers thanked for making roads safer - Colchester Gazette
Northern Essex First Community College in State to Offer X-Ray Operator Certificate - WHAV
Activity timeline
Filings and press mentions, merged
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Sign up to write a reviewCause areas in United Kingdom
How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.
Most common causes in United Kingdom
Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.
Sources and verification
- Registration and legal identity
- Charity Commission for England and Wales - Register of Charities
- Financial filings
- Charity Commission annual returns - Fiscal year 2025 most recent on file.
- Officers and trustees
- Charity Commission for England and Wales - Register of Charities - 14 disclosed in the public registry.
- News and media coverage
- GDELT Project + Google News
Data freshness
What we know and don't know
Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.
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Financial data · FY2025 on record
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Named leadership · 14 officers on file
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Government registration · Registered with an official registry
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Official website · On record
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Headquarters address · On file
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Direct contact · Email or phone published
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Tax-deductibility · Verified
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Founding date · 1996
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Executive payTop-officer pay not disclosed
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Mission statementNo self-published statement of purpose
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Programs & activitiesNo named programs listed by the charity
Methodology
GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.
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Quick facts about Essex Community Foundation
- What is Essex Community Foundation?
- Essex Community Foundation is a community development charitable company based in Chelmsford, United Kingdom. Essex Community Foundation is an independent charitable trust. Founded in 1996, it has built an endowed fund of nearly £50 million, and has awarded over £47 million in grants to community-based voluntary groups in Essex, Southend and Thurrock.By acting as a broker the Foundation helps donors achieve their charitable objectives, and local voluntary groups secure funding for their work.
- When was Essex Community Foundation founded?
- Essex Community Foundation was founded in 1996.
- Where is Essex Community Foundation located?
- Headquartered in Chelmsford, United Kingdom.
- What is Essex Community Foundation's annual budget?
- Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately £1M-£10M. 93% of expenses go to program services.
- Is Essex Community Foundation trustworthy?
- Essex Community Foundation has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 86 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
- What is Essex Community Foundation's registration number?
- Registration: 1052061 (United Kingdom).
- What is Essex Community Foundation's website?
- https://www.essexcommunityfoundation.org.uk
- Are donations to Essex Community Foundation tax-deductible?
- Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United Kingdom under local rules. US donors should check whether the charity has an equivalency-determination letter or a US-based fiscal sponsor before claiming a deduction.