Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF) has published its annual accounts for the financial year 2024-25, revealing a landmark year for the charity. A record-breaking £2.5 million in grants was awarded to grassroots charities across the county, thanks to the generosity of philanthropists, partners and supporters where in-year income has topped over £2 million.
2024-25 has been a year of significant progress for OCF. Our Grants Team has expanded its reach through events across Oxfordshire, connecting with more community groups including smaller, lesser-known organisation, helping to better understand local needs. At the same time, our Development team strengthened long-term donor relationships following the successful relaunch of our Patrons programme. Together, these efforts have created strong foundations for continued growth in the year ahead.
Key highlights from the annual report include:
- Record grant-making: In our 30th year we awarded nearly £2.5 million to 139 local organisations. This includes donor-advised giving and open grant rounds led by OCF, marking our fifth consecutive year of awarding around £2 million annually. Our funding priorities were guided by the four themes identified in Oxfordshire Uncovered: unaffordable essentials, poor health, lack of opportunity, and loneliness and fear.
- Strong fundraising performance: We exceeded our target by generating £2.08 million in income for grant-making through new donations and existing investments. Significant restricted donations were made to support collective grant rounds, while many donors contributed through our 30+ donor-advised funds. Planned increases in grant disbursements from restricted funds at the start of the year account for the rise in expenditure over income.
- Healthy reserves position: OCF maintains unrestricted reserves to ensure operational stability, with a policy to hold at least six months’ expenditure and a prudent target of nine months. At 31st March 2025, reserves stood at approximately 11 months budgeted expenditure. Trustees have since considered how best to deploy some of these funds to further our mission, and have approved the creation of a new training and development fund to support the skills of staff and volunteers in grassroots charities.
- Strengthened leadership: To reflect our growing ambition for the county, two new trustees with significant philanthropic expertise joined our Board. We also enhanced our staff leadership team with the promotion of Kate Parrinder to Deputy Chief Executive.
- Commitment to security: Within Finance and Operations, we continue to prioritise cyber security. Staff undertake regular training and simulated phishing exercises. We also maintain our Cyber Essentials certification and have added enhanced cyber insurance.
Ian Busby, Chair of Trustees, said:
“It was a record-breaking year reflecting a very successful year of delivery and development. Looking ahead to the next financial year, I am delighted that we will be reporting more record-breaking results on growing philanthropy for our county.”
Read our full audited accounts and find out more about our grant-making activity in our 2025 impact report.
The cover picture features the following charitable organisations that have all received funding from OCF during 2024-25. Clockwise from top left: FarmAbility, The Abingdon Bridge, Wallingford Accessible Boat Club, Northway Together.