2025-03-31-accounts

Company no. 05669443 Charity no. (England & Wales) 1130568 Charity no. (Scotland) SC047314

The Involve Foundation Report and Audited Financial Statements 31 March 2025

The Involve Foundation

Reference and administrative details

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Company number	05669443
Charity numbers	1130568 and SC047314
Registered office and	Oxford House
operational address	Derbyshire Street
	London
	E2 6HG
Trustees	Trustees, who are also directors under company law, who served
	during the year and up to the date of this report were as follows:
	Claire Ainsley	(resigned 26 June 2025)
	Paul Braithwaite
	Andrew Cave
	Edward Cox	(resigned 26 June 2025)
	Temidayo Eseonu
	Delaweh Hamelo-Mensah
	Kathryn Jones
	Sharon Squires	(resigned 11 September	2025)
	Kevin Steele	(Chair) (appointed 26 June 2025)
	James Vacarro	(appointed 27 June 2025)
	Anna Wallace	(appointed 26 June 2025)
	Hannah White	(resigned 11 September	2025)
Company secretary	Sarah Castell	(resigned 13 June 2025)
	Gareth Bridges	(appointed 13 June 2025)
Key management personnel	Sarah Castell	CEO (resigned 13 June 2025)
	Stephanie Draper	Interim CEO (from 16 August 2025),
		Interim co-CEO (from 13	June 2025 to
		15 August 2025), Director of
		Innovation & Practice
	Carly Walker-Dawson	Interim co-CEO (from 13	June 2025 to
		15 August 2025), Director of Capacity
		Building & Standards,
	Kelly McBride	Director of Capacity Building &
		standards (parental leave cover) (from
		7 July 2025)
	Yasamin Alttahir	Director of Advocacy &
		Communications (from 28 April 2025)
	Calum Green	Director of Advocacy &
		Communications (resigned 29 January
		2025)
	Gareth Bridges	Director of Finance	and Support
		Services

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The Involve Foundation

Reference and administrative details

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Bankers Unity Trust Bank CCLA 9 Brindley Place Senator House Birmingham 85 Queen Victoria Street B1 2HB London EC4V 4ET Auditors Godfrey Wilson Limited Chartered accountants and statutory auditors 5th Floor Mariner House 62 Prince Street Bristol BS1 4QD

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The Involve Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2025

The trustees, who are also directors under company law, present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The reference and administrative information set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities (effective from January 2019).

Objectives

We have a vision of a vibrant democracy, where everyone can shape a society that works for us all. We believe that decision making needs to be more open, participatory and deliberative. Our mission is to lead the UK in making public participation an everyday part of our democracy, and help meet the challenges of our time.

If our mission is successful, we expect to see the following outcomes:

• Frequent use – There is frequent use of participatory and deliberative processes supported by the right resources (people, budgets) both inside and outside of political institutions;

• Democratic innovations – There is continuous learning and innovation to improve democracy and related practice;

• Clear standards – There are clear principles and standards that support good practice in delivering and embedding participatory and deliberative processes, which are widely understood and followed;

• Evidence and practice – There is an accessible and well-communicated body of evidence and practice that demonstrates the impact of our vision and how to achieve it;

• Democratic norms – Participation and deliberation are recognised as essential features for a healthy modern democracy by the public, society and decision-makers; and

• Political support – People in positions of power and influence across society and the political spectrum understand and actively support the use of participatory and deliberative decisionmaking.

Our vision and mission support our core charitable objectives, which are:

• To advance education for the public benefit in methods and processes of public participation; and

• To promote good citizenship for the public benefit by encouraging and facilitating participation by the public in democratic and decision-making processes, with an intended outcome of enabling people to develop their capacities, help meet their needs and participate more fully in society.

In shaping our objectives for the year, and planning our activities, the trustees have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit.

Activities, achievements and performance

Throughout the year Involve has worked with institutions across the UK to enable public involvement in the decisions that affect their lives. Through our processes, our capacity building and our advocacy and communications we have delivered improved decision making, increased trust in decisions, and shown how democracy can be transformed. Our activities break down into three areas of work: innovation and practice, capacity building and standards and advocacy and communications. Achievements against each are described below.

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The Involve Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Innovation and Practice

Through our pioneering practice, we deliver high quality participatory and deliberative processes, and promote continuous learning and innovation to improve democracy and deliver lasting solutions in key policy areas. This year we delivered 9,984 hours of dialogue and deliberation with 417 public participants. We created eight new approaches, including methods such as citizen scrutiny, that we view as transformational for the sector. We have also delivered 12 innovations within projects. Our achievements include:

• Citizen visioning and engagement on the Net Zero Living Programme. This major UK-wide project funded by UK Research and Innovation helps local authorities engage their citizens on how to get to Net Zero. We worked with 28 local authorities across the UK to bring residents together to create visions and recommendations for their area. These have been used to guide net zero strategies, projects and decisions that are shaped by people;

• Restorative scrutiny on Grenfell for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. We were the consultation scrutiny partner for the £42 million Grenfell Future Support Programme, aimed at supporting bereaved families, survivors, and affected community members following the 2017 Grenfell fire. Alongside our partner, Collaborate, we worked with the Council and community to scrutinise the consultation and engagement process, ensuring it was inclusive, respectful, and responsive to the community’s unique needs. The final models of support that emerged were not only informed by the needs of the community but also had high levels of support from across affected groups. This has had meaningful social impact through a trusted community support fund and a clear restorative route to express concerns and grievances. We believe that this new approach to involve residents in scrutiny could be an important intervention for many communities where there has been a tragic, traumatic event; and

• The Waltham Forest Citizen Assembly on neighbourhood policing, commissioned by the Council and Metropolitan Police together, delivered nine recommendations and a vision for policing in the borough. Two major projects have resulted and the recommendations are being taken up in different ways, including new funding. In addition, two Permanent Secretaries, from the Home Office and the Cabinet Office, attended the Assembly. This led to further action in their Departments, including a Sciencewise dialogue on AI in policing at the Home Office.

From our stated outcomes, this work contributes to frequent use and democratic innovations.

Capacity Building and Standards

We aim to embed change through building the capacity of public servants and practitioners, and developing the evidence, principles and standards that support participatory and deliberative practice. We have trained and mentored 252 people and developed a new set of standards for deliberative processes beyond citizens assemblies. We have supported 29 organisations with good practice in delivering and embedding participatory and deliberative processes. Our achievements include:

• The School for Everyday Democracy, a three-year programme funded by the National Lottery that is working to empower 100 people to make meaningful change in their communities all across the UK. We have worked with Act Build Change to deliver in-depth training with our first cohort of change makers this year;

• Providing policy-makers with assistance to carry out public dialogue to inform their decisionmaking on science and technology issues, through UK Research and Innovation’s Sciencewise programme. This year we published “Sciencewise: 20 years of public voice on science, technology and innovation” that outlined how the programme has improved decision making in science and shared learning on how to do it well; and

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The Involve Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2025

• We delivered a number of resources and toolkits to enable others to deliver participatory processes including a co-design framework with Belfast City Council; Inclusive Climate Action: A Toolkit for Effective Public Engagement in Decision-Making - with UK100; the Greenwich Community Engagement Pledge and Handbook with the London Borough of Greenwich and a Guide to Deliberative Engagement in the Albanian Parliament - with IDM and the British Embassy in Albania.

From our stated outcomes, this work contributes to clear standards and evidence and practice.

Advocacy and communications

We work to make the case for participation and deliberation through our advocacy and communications. We demonstrate why they are essential features of a healthy modern democracy and help those in positions of power to understand and support their use in addressing some of the UK’s most intractable issues. We have advised three government departments and two national governments in an official capacity this year; published 16 opinion pieces and reports; spoken at 22 events and had 13 media mentions. Our achievements include:

• Participatory and deliberative processes increasing salience in government departments following the Citizens' White Paper we wrote with Demos. A number of government departments are now exploring these approaches and the Participatory Methods Forum has brought key senior figures across government together with external experts like Involve to drive the participatory agenda hosted in the Cabinet Office; and

• The Welsh Government establishing a new Innovating Democracy Advisory Group, of which Involve is a member. We helped inspire the Deputy First Minister to champion participatory and deliberative democracy through a visit to our citizen forum on transport in Blaenau Gwent.

From our stated outcomes, this work contributes to democratic norms and political support.

You can find more information on our projects and work during the year on our website at www.involve.org.uk

Fundraising practices

Involve raises its funds through grant and consultancy funding. We do not proactively solicit funding from members of the public, and we are not registered with the Fundraising Regulator.

Financial review

2024/25 marked Involve’s largest ever year in terms of turnover and the volume of work we have delivered. At 31 March 2025 Involve had total funds of £551k (2024: £496k), of which £404k were unrestricted funds and £147K restricted funds The restricted funds are earmarked by grantors for specific projects as described in note 15 to the accounts. Historically, Involve’s funding has come from a mix of contracts and restricted grants, with limited core funding. Our core funding, since 2017, has come from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.

We have secured long term programmatic funding through projects such as the School for Everyday Democracy, a three-year National Lottery- funded project, we have been appointed for a further six years in our role on the Sciencewise programme and the Net Zero Living project runs throughout 2024/25 and 2025/26.

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The Involve Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Over the last three years, there has been gradual growth in our staffing headcount. This brings additional capacity to meet the demand for our work and have greater impact but also means our overhead costs have increased. We closely monitor our fundraising and income generation performance to ensure that we continue to be able to raise funds to meet the costs of running a larger organisation.

Our budget for 2024/25 included a plan to grow our unrestricted reserves in line with the growth of the organisation. The year saw a more modest increase in unrestricted reserves than had been planned for. The impact of the general election resulted in a smaller number of tenders being issued by commissioners in the middle part of the year. However, there was a small growth in unrestricted reserves and we have planned for further adding to reserves in 2025/26.

Reserves policy

Involve's reserves are made up of the balance of the unrestricted funds and represent the funds we have available that are not committed to specific projects. Reserves are held to ensure that Involve has sufficient funds for an orderly wind down in the event of financial difficulties and to provide working capital through peaks and troughs of funding. At the year end total reserves stood at £404k (2024: £398k).

The reserves policy is for Involve to have between three and six months of operating expenses within these funds. For the forthcoming year, this is between £350,000 and £700,000. As our operating expenses have increased due to the growth in our capacity described above, the level of reserve needed to meet this policy has increased. Current reserves are therefore towards the lower end of this range. For 2025/26 we have set a budget that includes a plan to grow our reserves with the intention of reaching a level equivalent to six months of operating expenses over a three-year period.

Going concern

The trustees consider that Involve will continue as a going concern for a period of at least 12 months from the date on which these financial statements are approved, for the following reasons:

• Involve holds cash reserves (including current asset investments) at 31 March 2025 of £732k and total unrestricted funds of £404k;

• ▪ Budget for 2025/26 is based upon generating net income of £2.1m from our work. At 31st March 2025, a total of £950k of this work had already been secured with an additional £1.3m of opportunities in the pipeline;

• Involve’s successful track record of securing and maintaining funding gives trustees some assurance that we will be able to continue to secure a pipeline of funding, and we continue to have opportunities in our pipeline. Trustees are also cognisant of the squeeze on public spending, and the risks that this presents to our future funding. Part of our funding strategy is to continue to build our capacity to originate work;

• We will manage any demands for increased capacity to deliver projects in ways that minimise the on-going liability for costs, for example by engaging additional staff on short-term contracts or by drawing on our pool of associates;

• Trustees will be keeping our funding pipelines, as well as budget performance, under careful scrutiny through the year ahead; and

• We have very well-established and real-time cash flow projections, which include trigger points to enable us to spot and manage any potential insolvency.

The trustees therefore consider it appropriate to adopt the going concern basis for the preparation of the accounts, as detailed in note 1(b) to the financial statements.

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The Involve Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Principal risks and uncertainties

Involve has a risk register, integrated with our Business Plan, which is actively managed by both the management team and by trustees. The detailed strategic risk register is a standing item on the Finance & Risk Subcommittee’s agenda, and is reported by exception to the full Board.

Our principal risks and uncertainties, and the steps we take to manage them, are outlined below:

Strategy and impact risks

• Lack of political will – there is a risk that Government and related UK institutions fail to make significant commitment to participation and deliberation, which adversely affects our ability to achieve our mission. In response, we continue to advocate for this approach and develop research and communications to strengthen the argument with all levels of government; and

• Impacts of new technology – there is a risk that technology-enabled deliberation could impact standards and quality both positively and negatively. In response, we are experimenting with different forms of technology to understand the potential and collaborating with the sector to maintain standards.

Fundraising and income risks

• Market transformation – there is a risk that we don’t respond sufficiently to changes in the market, including from AI and technology, which results in decreased pipeline and inability to meet fundraising targets. In response, we are reviewing our market and putting strategies in place to respond to changes and implement new fundraising strategies.

Strategy and impact risks

• Staff wellbeing – there is a risk that this is reduces due to high volumes of delivery and senior staff changes. In response, we are implementing new systems and processes and have good HR policies and line management practices in place;

• Equity, diversity and inclusion – there is a risk that we do not continue momentum internally and externally. In response, we are demonstrating what we are doing, embedding it across projects, and continually learning and challenging ourselves to go further; and

• Governance models – there is a risk that governance falls behind others in the sector especially around attitudes to participation, equity, diversity, inclusion and systemic change, which may adversely impact upon performance and reputation. In response, we have refreshed the Board and brought in new skills and are taking steps to further strengthen our approaches to internal participation.

Future plans

There is a growing recognition that the UK’s current model of democracy is not fit for purpose, and people are increasingly looking for ways to make it better. Our work offers practical approaches that can contribute to this challenge. Over the coming years we plan to accelerate the work we have started to show that a different type of democracy is possible.

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The Involve Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2025

We have a reputation for designing and delivering world-class participatory and deliberative decisionmaking processes and we will continue to innovate to deepen the impact of this work. But we are clear that individual projects are not enough to achieve the scale of change that is required. We will continue our strategy to shift the narrative about democracy and embed the principles of openness, participation and deliberation within institutions, through sustained advocacy and communications. We will broaden our impact through our established training and capacity-building, so that organisations and practitioners are equipped to make the shift to a better democracy themselves. This will be guided by our collaboration on standards setting and attention to the evidence base to demonstrate the value of this work. We also have a new impact framework in place that will allow us to better track and share the benefits of our approaches.

In these changing, turbulent times, we will apply our practical solutions to major societal challenges such as climate change, social cohesion and inequity. We will help institutions to create better outcomes, communities to be more resilient, governments to be more trusted and for people to be able to shape the decisions that affect them.

Structure, governance and management

Involve is a charitable company limited by guarantee. It was incorporated on 9 January 2006 and registered as a charity on 15 July 2009. We also registered as a charity with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator on 10 April 2017. Involve’s Memorandum of Association establishes the objects and powers of the charitable company, which is governed under its Articles of Association.

Involve has a Board of Trustees who meet quarterly and are responsible for the strategic direction, finances and policies of Involve. Our Articles of Association allows us to have up to 15 trustees. The CEO and management team attend the Board, but have no voting rights. Other staff also attend the Board as required. The Board has four sub-committees – Finance & Risk, Advocacy & Communications, Innovation & Practice and Capacity Building & Standards. The sub-committees enable Trustees to undertake scrutiny of each function in greater depth.

Responsibility for the day to day management of the organisation is delegated to the Chief Executive Officer. The CEO is supported by the senior management team.

Recruitment and appointment of trustees

The directors of the company are also charity trustees for the purposes of charity law and under the company’s articles are known as the trustees. Trustees are appointed for an initial period of three years by resolution of the trustees. This is renewable for a further term of three years. Trustees who have served six continuous years must leave and remain out of office for a period of one year unless the trustees resolve that it is in the best interests of Involve for that person to continue to serve as a trustee.

Due to the nature of Involve’s work, which is oriented towards participation, advocacy, democratic practice, and building capacity, the trustees have agreed that suitably experienced individuals are required to exercise adequate governance. Trustees identify potential new Board members through relevant networks and contacts and by open recruitment, followed by interview. When appointing new members, trustees look for a commitment to Involve’s vision and mission and attempt to achieve a balance of skills and experience on the Board.

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The Involve Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Trustee induction and training

All new trustees are provided with a pack of information about governance, management and the work of Involve. This pack includes key financial and governance documents. In addition, all new trustees attend a short training session with the Chief Executive Officer or Director of Finance and Support Services. The purpose of this session is to familiarise them with the charity, its purpose, structure, financing and activities, as well as the role of a Board member.

Related parties and relationships with other organisations

Involve is a small organisation and, although we have a strong set of skills and experiences amongst our staff and Associates, we partner with other organisations and individuals on a significant proportion of our work. This partnering includes work where we are the lead organisation in a partnership as well as subcontracting by us or to us.

A full list of our funders in 2024/25, and details of our Associates and partner organisations, is available on our website: https://www.involve.org.uk/.

Involve has an established conflicts of interest policy for trustees. Trustees, and senior management staff, are required to complete an annual declaration of interests. Declaring interests is a standing item at the start of all Board and subcommittee meeting agendas. The policy outlines how any interests are then handled at the meeting, guided by the overall principle that trustees should not be able to influence decision-making on issues where they have an interest. Note 17 in the attached notes to the financial statements provides details of related party transactions.

Remuneration policy for key management personnel

Involve’s pay policy and pay scales are approved by trustees. Pay progression for all staff at involve is considered within the annual appraisal process including for key management personnel.

Statement of responsibilities of the trustees

The trustees (who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the income and expenditure of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• ▪ observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; ▪ make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• state whether applicable UK accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.

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The Involve Foundation

Report of the trustees

For the year ended 31 March 2025

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the trustees are aware:

• there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company's auditors are unaware; and

• the trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditors are aware of that information.

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Members of the charity guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up. The trustees are members of the charity but this entitles them only to voting rights. The trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity.

Auditors

Godfrey Wilson Limited were re-appointed as auditors to the charitable company during the year and have expressed their willingness to continue in that capacity.

Approved by the trustees on 4 December 2025 and signed on their behalf by

Kevin Steele, Chair

10

Independent auditors' report

To the members and the trustees of

The Involve Foundation

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of The Involve Foundation (the 'charity') for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the statement of financial activities, balance sheet, statement of cashflows and the related notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion, the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the charity's affairs as at 31 March 2025 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and regulation 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and the provisions available for small entities, in the circumstances set out in note 8 to the financial statements, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

11

Independent auditors' report

To the members and the trustees of

The Involve Foundation

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

• the information given in the trustees’ report, which includes the directors’ report prepared for the purposes of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the directors’ report included within the trustees’ report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors’ report included within the trustees’ report. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate and proper accounting records have not been kept or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• ▪ certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or ▪ we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or

• the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in preparing the trustees’ report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.

Responsibilities of the trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out in the trustees’ report, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

12

Independent auditors' report

To the members and the trustees of

The Involve Foundation

Our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed as auditor under section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and under the Companies Act 2006 and report in accordance with the Acts and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The procedures we carried out and the extent to which they are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, are detailed below:

(1) We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework that the charity operates in, and assessed the risk of non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Throughout the audit, we remained alert to possible indications of non-compliance.

(2) We reviewed the charity’s policies and procedures in relation to:

• Identifying, evaluating and complying with laws and regulations, and whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance;

• Detecting and responding to the risk of fraud, and whether they were aware of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud; and

• Designing and implementing internal controls to mitigate the risk of non-compliance with laws and regulations, including fraud.

(3) We inspected the minutes of trustee meetings.

(4) We enquired about any non-routine communication with regulators and reviewed any reports made to them.

(5) We reviewed the financial statement disclosures and assessed their compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

(6) We performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected transactions or balances that may indicate a risk of material fraud or error.

(7) We assessed the risk of fraud through management override of controls and carried out procedures to address this risk. Our procedures included:

• ▪Testing the appropriateness of journal entries;

• ▪Assessing judgements and accounting estimates for potential bias;

• ▪Reviewing related party transactions; and

• ▪Testing transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business.

13

Independent auditors' report

To the members and the trustees of

The Involve Foundation

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. Irregularities that arise due to fraud can be even harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charity’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of part 16 of the Companies Act 2006, and to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Regulation 10 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s members and trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity, the charity's members as a body and the charity’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

William Guy Blake

Date: 4 December 2025

William Guy Blake ACA (Senior Statutory Auditor)

For and on behalf of:

GODFREY WILSON LIMITED

Chartered accountants and statutory auditors 5th Floor Mariner House 62 Prince Street Bristol BS1 4QD

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The Involve Foundation

Statement of financial activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account)

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Restricted Note £ Income from: Donations - Charitable activities 3 849,213 Other trading activities 4 - Investment income - Total income 849,213 Expenditure on: Raising funds - Charitable activities 799,801 Total expenditure 4 799,801 7 49,412 Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward 97,607 Total funds carried forward 147,019 Net income / (expenditure) and net movement in funds	Unrestricted £ 4,777 1,830,274 2 5,690 1,840,743 104,698 1,730,278 1,834,976 5,767 398,175 403,942	2025 Total £ 4,777 2,679,487 2 5,690 2,689,956 104,698 2,530,079 2,634,777 55,179 495,782 550,961	2024 Total £ 17,168 1,913,377 1,333 4,403
			1,936,281
			124,102 2,142,697
			2,266,799
			(330,518) 826,300
			495,782

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in note 15 to the accounts.

15

The Involve Foundation

Balance sheet

As at 31 March 2025

Note Fixed assets Tangible assets 10 Current assets Debtors 11 Current asset investments Cash at bank and in hand Liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due within 1 year 12 Net current assets Net assets 14 Funds 15 Restricted funds Unrestricted funds Designated funds General funds Total charity funds	£ 271,659 134,153 597,872 1,003,684 (461,726)	2025 £ 9,003 541,958 550,961 147,019 - 403,942 550,961	2024 £ 7,668 498,253 104,462 142,368
			745,083 (256,969)
			488,114
			495,782
			97,607 99,748 298,427
			495,782

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime.

Approved by the trustees on 4 December 2025 and signed on their behalf by

Kevin Steele, Chair

16

The Involve Foundation

Statement of cash flows

For the year ended 31 March 2025

Cash used in operating activities: Net movement in funds Adjustments for: Depreciation charges Interest from investments Decrease / (increase) in debtors (Decrease) / increase in creditors Net cash provided by / (used in) operating activities Cash flows from investing activities: Interest from investments Purchase of tangible fixed assets Net cash used in investing activities Increase / (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents in the year Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year Cash and cash equivalents: Analysed as: Cash at bank and in hand Current asset investments	2025 £ 55,179 5,437 (5,690) 226,594 204,757 486,277 5,690 (6,772) (1,082) 485,195 246,830 732,025 2025 £ 597,872 134,153 732,025	2024 £ (330,518) 4,343 (4,403) (98,612) (42,001)
		(471,191)
		4,403 (6,039)
		(1,636)
		(472,827) 719,657
		246,830
		2024 £ 142,368 104,462
		246,830

The charity has not provided an analysis of changes in net debt as it does not have any long term financing arrangements.

17

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

1. Accounting policies

a) General information and basis of preparation

The Involve Foundation is a charitable company limited by guarantee registered both in England and Wales and in Scotland. The registered office address is Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, London, E2 6HG.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities in preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

The Involve Foundation meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).

b) Going concern basis of accounting

The accounts have been prepared on the assumption that the charity is able to continue as a going concern, which the trustees consider appropriate having regard to the current level of unrestricted reserves. There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. Trustees continue to keep the financial sustainability of Involve under careful scrutiny to ensure long term viability. This includes reviewing fund balances, cashflow projections and the pipeline of funding opportunities at each meeting of the finance and risk subcommittee. These indicators provide confidence that Involve remains a going concern.

c) Income

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Income from the government and other grants, whether 'capital' grants or 'revenue' grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.

Income received in advance of provision of consultancy services is deferred until criteria for income recognition are met.

d) Donated services and facilities

Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item, is probable and the economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), general volunteer time is not recognised.

On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.

18

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

1. Accounting policies (continued)

e) Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity: this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.

f) Funds accounting

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charity's work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity.

g) Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.

h) Grants payable

Grants which have been authorised and paid are included as expenditure in the Statement of Financial Activities. Grants which have been authorised but not yet paid are accrued in the balance sheet and are included within creditors falling due within one year or after one year (as appropriate).

i) Allocation of support costs

Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Governance costs are the costs associated with the governance arrangements of the charity, including the costs of complying with constitutional and statutory requirements and any costs associated with the strategic management of the charity’s activities. These costs have been allocated between cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities on the following basis, which is an estimate of staff time spent on activities:

	2025	2024
Raising funds	6%	8%
Charitable activities	94%	92%

j) Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows: Website 3 years straight line basis Computer and office equipment 3 years straight line basis

Items are capitalised where the purchased price exceeds £750.

k) Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

19

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

1. Accounting policies (continued)

l) Current asset investments

Current asset investments consist of cash held on deposit in interest bearing accounts. Such investments are measured at their fair value.

m) Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

n) Creditors

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

o) Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently recognised at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

p) Pension costs

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for its employees. There are no further liabilities other than that already recognised in the SOFA.

q) Foreign currency transactions

Transactions in foreign currencies are translated at rates prevailing at the date of the transaction. Balances denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the rate of exchange prevailing at the year end.

r) Accounting estimates and key judgements

In the application of the charity's accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and underlying assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods.

The key sources of estimation uncertainty that have a significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements are depreciation as described in note 1(j).

20

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

2. Prior period comparatives

Prior period comparatives
Income from: Donations Charitable activities Other trade income Investment income Total income Expenditure on: Raising funds Charitable activities Total expenditure Net expenditure Transfers between funds Net movement in funds	Restricted £ £ 4,857 12,311 425,508 1,487,869 - 1,333 - 4,403 430,365 1,505,916 - 124,102 698,136 1,444,561 698,136 1,568,663 (267,771) (62,747) (49,382) 49,382 (317,153) (13,365) Unrestricted	2024 Total £ 17,168 1,913,377 1,333 4,403
		1,936,281
		124,102 2,142,697
		2,266,799
		(330,518) -
		(330,518)

3. Income from charitable activities

Grant income Consulting income Training income Total income from charitable activities Prior period comparative: Grant income Consulting income Training income Total income from charitable activities	Restricted £ £ 849,213 51,250 - 1,739,781 - 39,243 849,213 1,830,274 Restricted £ £ 425,508 100,000 - 1,342,920 - 44,949 425,508 1,487,869 Unrestricted Unrestricted	2025 Total £ 900,463 1,739,781 39,243
		2,679,487
		2024 Total £ 525,508 1,342,920 44,949
		1,913,377

• Included within unrestricted grants is £51,250 (2024: £100,000) of funding received from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust as contributions to core costs.

21

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

4. Total expenditure

Total expenditure
Direct costs Grants payable (note 5) Staff costs (note 8) Other staff costs Premises costs Office and IT costs Other costs Trustee meeting costs Audit fees Sub-total Total expenditure Allocation of support and governance costs	Raising funds £ - - 49,078 - - - 6,278 - - 55,356 49,342 104,698	Charitable activities £ £ 747,707 - 137,950 - 820,008 592,718 - 64,909 - 56,222 - 48,990 - 102,708 - 1,409 - 6,800 1,705,665 873,756 824,414 (873,756) 2,530,079 - Support and governance costs	2025 Total £ 747,707 137,950 1,461,804 64,909 56,222 48,990 108,986 1,409 6,800
			2,634,777 -
			2,634,777

Total governance costs were £34,027 (2024: £24,818).

22

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

4. Total expenditure (continued) Prior period comparative Direct costs Grants payable (note 5) Staff costs (note 8) Other staff costs Premises costs Office and IT costs Other costs Trustee meeting costs Audit fees Sub-total Total expenditure Allocation of support and governance costs	Raising funds £ - - 62,038 - - - 6,942 - - 68,980 55,122 124,102	Charitable activities £ £ 755,933 - 51,794 - 706,885 477,251 - 43,636 - 46,441 - 46,202 - 62,018 - 1,209 - 6,450 1,514,612 683,207 628,085 (683,207) 2,142,697 - Support and governance costs	2024 Total £ 755,933 51,794 1,246,174 43,636 46,441 46,202 68,960 1,209 6,450
			2,266,799 -
			2,266,799

5. Grants payable

Grants payable
Grants paid to institutions: Compassion in Politics Act Build Change Ltd Unlock Democracy Community Organisers Shared Future CIC UK100 Climate Outreach	2025 £ 6,000 67,950 6,000 13,000 - 45,000 - 137,950	2024 £ - - - - 16,515 30,209 5,070
		51,794

No grants were paid to individuals, and no support costs have been allocated to grant-making activities.

6. Government grants

The charitable company receives government grants, defined as funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to fund charitable activities. The total value of such grants in the period ending 31 March 2025 was £280,808 (2024: £nil).

23

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

7. Net movement in funds

This is stated after charging:

Depreciation Operating lease payments Trustees' remuneration Trustees' reimbursed expenses Auditors' remuneration: Statutory audit (excluding VAT) Other services	2025 £ 5,437 53,504 Nil 1,409 6,800 3,280	2024 £ 4,343 47,562 Nil 676 6,450 9,530

Trustees' reimbursed expenses in the current year relate to payments made to 6 trustees for reimbursed meeting, accommodation and travel expenses (2024: 4).

In common with other charities of our size and nature we use our auditors to assist with the preparation of the financial statements and to prepare and submit returns to the tax authorities. Our auditors have also provided payroll services to the charity during the year.

8. Staff costs and numbers

Staff costs were as follows:

Salaries and wages Social security costs Pension costs	2025 £ 1,257,911 139,139 64,754 1,461,804	2024 £ 1,076,964 114,367 54,843
		1,246,174

The key management personnel of the charitable company comprise of the CEO and Directors. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel were £444,908 (2024: £363,948). The comparative has been restated for consistency with the current year.

Salaries and wages costs include termination payments of £nil (2024: £4,678).

The average number of employees during the year was as follows:

Average head count	2025 No. 27.3	2024 No. 24.7

24

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

8. Staff costs and numbers (continued)

The number of higher paid employees was:	2025	2024
	No.	No.
£60,001 - £70,000	1	1
£70,001 - £80,000	1	1
£90,001 - £100,000	1	1

9. Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.

10. Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets
Cost At 1 April 2024 Additions in year At 31 March 2025 Depreciation At 1 April 2024 Charge for the year At 31 March 2025 Net book value At 31 March 2025 At 31 March 2024 Debtors Trade debtors Prepayments Accrued income Other debtors	Website £ £ 10,471 21,379 - 6,772 10,471 28,151 10,471 13,711 - 5,437 10,471 19,148 - 9,003 - 7,668 2025 £ 262,200 8,058 - 1,401 271,659 Computer and office equipment	Total £ 31,850 6,772
		38,622
		24,182 5,437
		29,619
		9,003
		7,668
		2024 £ 374,851 12,729 110,673 -
		498,253

11. Debtors

25

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

12. Creditors : amounts due within 1 year

Creditors : amounts due within 1 year
Trade creditors Accruals Other taxation and social security Deferred income (see note 13) Other creditors	2025 £ 118,367 88,517 151,394 94,000 9,448 461,726	2024 £ 77,773 42,268 119,389 - 17,539
		256,969

13. Deferred income At 1 April 2024 Released during the year Deferred during the year At 31 March 2025	2025 £ - - 94,000 94,000	2024 £ 29,600 (29,600) -
		-

Deferred income comprises consultancy income received in advance of work being delivered.

14. Analysis of net assets between funds

Tangible fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities Net assets at 31 March 2025 Prior period comparatives Tangible fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities Net assets at 31 March 2024	£ - 147,019 - 147,019 £ - 97,607 - 97,607 Restricted funds Restricted funds	£ - - - - £ - 99,748 - 99,748 Designated funds Designated funds	General funds £ 9,003 856,665 (461,726) 403,942 General funds £ 7,668 547,728 (256,969) 298,427	Total funds £ 9,003 1,003,684 (461,726)
				550,961
				Total funds £ 7,668 745,083 (256,969)
				495,782

26

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

15. Movements in funds

Restricted funds Network for Democracy Local Engagement on Climate Change Riverwoods Fellowship on impact of citizen's assemblies UK OGN Co-ordination 2023 Our Zero Selby follow up Positive Low Energy Futures English Devolution Call to Action Democracy Innovators Network NEF Conditionality in Welfare Local Engagement on Climate Change School for Everyday Democracy Graham Smith Restricted funds carried forward	At 1 April 2024 £ 22,353 14,964 (6,773) 11,312 134 6,089 5,741 12,982 8,270 1,947 22,046 (1,458) - 97,607	Income £ 305,789 - 16,250 1,348 - 15,000 135,018 - - - 90,000 280,808 5,000 849,213	£ (311,327) (12,538) (9,477) (12,660) (134) (11,328) (133,044) (12,982) (7,807) (1,947) (96,001) (185,556) (5,000) (799,801) Expenditure	£ £ - 16,815 - 2,426 - - - - - - - 9,761 - 7,715 - - - 463 - - - 16,045 - 93,794 - - - 147,019 Transfers between funds At 31 March 2025

27

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

15. Movements in funds (continued)

Total restricted funds

Unrestricted funds

Designated funds: Stability fund Total designated funds General funds

Total unrestricted funds

Total funds

At 1 April 2024 £ 97,607 99,748 99,748 298,427 398,175 495,782	Income £ 849,213 - - 1,840,743 1,840,743 2,689,956	£ (799,801) - - (1,834,976) (1,834,976) (2,634,777) Expenditure	£ £ - 147,019 (99,748) - (99,748) - 99,748 403,942 - 403,942 - 550,961 Transfers between funds At 31 March 2025	£ £ - 147,019 (99,748) - (99,748) - 99,748 403,942 - 403,942 - 550,961 Transfers between funds At 31 March 2025
				-
				-
				403,942
				403,942
				550,961

28

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

15. Movements in funds (continued) Prior period comparative Restricted funds Forum for the Future Just Transitions Just Transitions additional Climate Assembly Evaluation - European Climate Foundation Network for Democracy Local Engagement on Climate Change Rebooting Online Public Dialogue UK OGN impact strategy Riverwoods GLA Civic Data Innovation Challenge ECF KNOCA Innovations in Local Climate Authorities UPPERNet Climate Summit Fellowship on impact of citizen's assemblies UK OGN Co-ordination 2023 Our Zero Selby follow up Positive Low Energy Futures English Devolution Call to Action Democracy Innovators Network NEF Conditionality in Welfare Local Engagement on Climate Change School for Everyday Democracy Total restricted funds	At 1 April 2023 £ 14,881 40,971 3,599 213,914 107,877 19,409 3,766 (2,175) 7,735 (476) 5,259 - - - - - - - - - 414,760	Income £ - - - 113,794 50,000 15,000 - 48,750 1,500 4,667 5,985 23,587 6,000 7,500 40,000 19,688 12,300 31,594 50,000 - 430,365	£ (14,881) (40,971) (3,599) (305,355) (97,652) (34,409) (3,766) (53,348) (5,114) (4,191) (11,244) (12,275) (5,866) (1,411) (34,259) (6,706) (4,030) (29,647) (27,954) (1,458) (698,136) Expenditure	£ £ - - - - - - - 22,353 (45,261) 14,964 - - - - - (6,773) (4,121) - - - - - - 11,312 - 134 - 6,089 - 5,741 - 12,982 - 8,270 - 1,947 - 22,046 - (1,458) (49,382) 97,607 Transfers between funds At 31 March 2024

29

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

15. Movements in funds (continued) Prior period comparative

Prior period comparative Total restricted funds (from above) Designated funds: Stability fund Advocacy and communications Total designated funds General funds Total unrestricted funds Total funds Unrestricted funds	At 1 April 2023 £ 414,760 78,748 20,000 98,748 312,792 411,540 826,300	Income £ 430,365 - - - 1,505,916 1,505,916 1,936,281	£ (698,136) - - - (1,568,663) (1,568,663) (2,266,799) Expenditure	£ £ (49,382) 97,607 21,000 99,748 (20,000) - 1,000 99,748 48,382 298,427 49,382 398,175 - 495,782 Transfers between funds At 31 March 2024	£ £ (49,382) 97,607 21,000 99,748 (20,000) - 1,000 99,748 48,382 298,427 49,382 398,175 - 495,782 Transfers between funds At 31 March 2024
					99,748 -
					99,748
					298,427
					398,175
					495,782

30

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

15. Movements in funds (continued) Purposes of restricted funds Network for Democracy

These grants from the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust of £185,571 (2024: £108,936), Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust £76,868 (2024: £nil) and ChangeMakerXchange £43,450 (2024: £nil) enable Involve to work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders to build a stronger UK democracy network.

Local Engagement on Climate These grants from the Esmee Fairbain Foundation and the Change Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK branch) enables Involve to work with partner organisations to support local authorities to engage with their communities around climate change.

Riverwoods This grant from the Scottish Wildlife Trust enables Involve to work with partner organisations to support local community engagement in the delivery of riparian woodland and healthy river systems in Scotland. Fellowship on the impact of This Grant from Oxford University enabled Involve to citizen's assemblies research and present evidence on the impact of citizen's assemblies.

UK OGN Co-ordination This grant from Open Government Partnership enables Involve to lead the co-ordination of the UK Open Government Network.

• Our Zero Selby follow up This grant from Up For Yorkshire enable Involve to support on-going engagement in the net zero project in Selby.

• Positive Low Energy Futures This grant form Lancaster university enables Involve to run a citizens panel on energy demand.

• English Devolution Call to Action This grant from JRSST-CT enabled Involve to develop proposals for how participatory and deliberative processes could improve accountability in English devolution.

• Democracy Innovators Network This Grant from St Stephen's Green Trust enables Involve to develop a Democracy Innovators Network across the island of Ireland.

NEF Conditionality in Welfare

This grant from the New Economics Foundation has enabled Involve to undertake deliberative workshops to consider fairer solutions in the use of conditionality in the welfare system.

Local Engagement on Climate This Grant from Oxford University enabled Involve to Change research and present evidence on the impact of citizen's assemblies.

31

The Involve Foundation

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

15. Movements in funds (continued)

School for Everyday Democracy

This grant from the National Lottery enables involve to deliver the School for everyday democracy programme.

University of Westminster This grant enabled Involve to undertake research and Diversity & Inclusion Community development work on institutionalising public participation in national policy making

Purposes of designated funds

Stability fund This fund enables Involve, if necessary, to close down the organisation in an orderly and honourable manner.

Transfers between funds

The transfer from restricted funds to general funds in the prior year represents expenditure that was incorrectly allocated to general funds in the prior year. The Stability Fund was drawn down in 2024/2025.

16. Operating lease commitments

The charity had operating leases at the year end with total future minimum lease payments as follows:

2025 2024 £ £ Amount falling due: Within 1 year 46,747 44,524

17. Related party transactions

Ed Cox, a trustee (resigned 26 June 2025), is the Executive Director for West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). WMCA have joined a project that Involve are running, and during the year WMCA paid £84,384 to Involve to plan the Net Zero panel workshops (2024: £41,050, for the provision of training and coaching). No amounts were outstanding at year end (2024: No amounts).

Kathy Jones, trustee, is a partner in Forestville Communications Pty Ltd. Involve and Forestville Communications Pty Ltd jointly commissioned a small piece of illustration work that cost £1000 plus VAT. The invoice from SJ Charles Illustrations was sent to Forestville Communications, who then invoiced Involve £600 for 50% of this work. (2024: £nil).

Andrew Cave, a trustee, is a director of the Sortition Foundation. Involve paid the Sortition Foundation £53,912 (2024: £nil) for consultancy and project work. No amounts were outstanding at year end (2024: No amounts).

Paul Braithwaite, trustee, is European Regional Lead for the Open Government Network. During the year the charitable company received a grant for £nil (2023: £9,488) from the Open Government Network.

Julie Mellor, a trustee (resigned 10 August 2023), is a Director of Demos. Involve paid Demos £nil (2024: £3,600) for conference drinks.

32