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THE PARTNERING INITIATIVE<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>



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Trustees’ Annual Report and<br>Accounts 2023-24<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>




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England & Wales Company Registration:  8528402<br>Charity Commission Number:  1164259<br>Address:  21b Park End Street, Oxford, OX1 1HU, United Kingdom<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>




The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

## TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT 


## 1[st] October 2023 - 30[th] September 2024 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Legal and administrative information ......................................................................... 4 1.1. Trustees .................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.2. Chief Executive .................................................................................................................................................................. 4 1.3. Registered Office .............................................................................................................................................................. 4 1.4. Auditors .................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 1.5. Bankers ................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 2. Structure, governance and management ................................................................. 5 2.1. Organisational structure.............................................................................................................................................. 5 2.2. Key management personnel remuneration ................................................................................................. 5 2.3. Risk management .......................................................................................................................................................... 5 3. Objectives and activities.................................................................................................... 6 3.1. TPI’s vision and mission ................................................................................................................................................ 6 3.2. TPI’s charitable purpose .............................................................................................................................................. 6 4. Details of significant activities for achieving objectives ....................................7 4.1. TPI’s approach .................................................................................................................................................................... 7 4.2. Foundational initiative: Partnership Accelerator for the 2030 Agenda ....................................... 8 4.3. Strategic programmes and research ................................................................................................................. 9 4.4. Services and support ....................................................................................................................................................11 4.5. Open and tailored trainings .................................................................................................................................... 13 4.6. Outreach ............................................................................................................................................................................. 14 4.7. Future plans ..................................................................................................................................................................... 16 

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5. Administration ....................................................................................................................... 17 5.1. Public benefit .................................................................................................................................................................... 17 5.2. Financial review .............................................................................................................................................................. 17 5.3. Reserves policy ................................................................................................................................................................ 17 6. Statement of trustees’ responsibilities ..................................................................... 18 7. Independent auditors’ report to the members of The Partnering Initiative ......................................................................................................................................... 19 7.1. Opinion ................................................................................................................................................................................. 19 7.2. Basis for opinion ............................................................................................................................................................. 19 7.3. Conclusions relating to going concern ........................................................................................................... 19 7.4. Other information ....................................................................................................................................................... 20 7.5. Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006 ......................................... 20 7.6. Matters on which we are required to report by exception ............................................................... 20 7.7. Responsibilities of trustees ...................................................................................................................................... 21 7.8. Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements .............................................. 21 7.9. Use of our report ............................................................................................................................................................ 22 8. Financial statements ......................................................................................................... 23 8.1. Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) for the period ended 30[th] September 2024 ........................................................................................................................... 23 8.2. Balance Sheet as at 30th September 2024 ................................................................................................. 24 8.3. Board approval .............................................................................................................................................................. 24 8.4. Statement of cash flows for the year ended 30[th] September 2024 ............................................. 25 8.5. Notes forming part of the financial statements for the period ended 30th September 2024 ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 26 

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The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

## 1. LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION 


## **1.1. Trustees** 

**James Cole Marta Garcia** (Treasurer) **Thomas Hale** 

**Katherine Hartley** (Chair) **Marianne Mwaniki Caron Rohsler Elizabeth Stuart** 

## **1.2. Chief Executive** 

## **Dr Darian Stibbe** 

## **1.3. Registered Office** 

21B Park End Street Oxford OX1 1HU United Kingdom 

## **1.4. Auditors** 

Wenn Townsend 30 St Giles Oxford, OX1 3LE, United Kingdom 

## **1.5. Bankers** 

## **Metro Bank** 

4-5 Queen Street, Oxford, OX1 1EJ, United Kingdom 

The Trustees, who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act, submit their annual report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 30th September 2024. The Trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” (FRS 102) in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the charity. 

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## 2. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT 


The charity is a charitable company limited by guarantee, set up on 14[th] May 2013. It is governed by a memorandum and articles of association. 

## **2.1. Organisational structure** 

The Partnering Initiative operates out of a central hub in the UK with a core staff working on programme development and delivery, partner relations and communication. Our development projects, action research, strategic consultancy support and training services are delivered internationally through both core staff and a global network of highly experienced Associates. A key feature of all The Partnering Initiative’s activities is the drawing out of cutting-edge knowledge on the theory and practice of partnership which is then disseminated widely through online knowledge exchange and webinars, guidebooks, reports and other publications. 

The Partnering Initiative is run by an Executive Director reporting to a multi-sector independent Board 

## **2.2. Key management personnel remuneration** 

The Trustees consider the Board of Trustees and the Chief Executive as comprising the key management personnel of the charity in charge of directing and controlling the charity and running and operating the charity on a day-to-day basis. All Trustees give of their time freely and no Trustee remuneration was paid in the year. Details of Trustee expenses are disclosed in note 4 to the accounts. 

Trustees are required to disclose all relevant interests and in accordance with the Trust’s policy withdraw from decisions where a conflict of interest arises. 

The pay of the Chief Executive is reviewed annually and is normally increased in accordance with average earnings. The remuneration is reviewed to ensure that it is fair and not out of line with similar roles. The pay of the senior directors is reviewed annually by the Executive Director to ensure salaries are competitive, fair and commensurate with the role, experience and performance and external costof-living increases. 

## **2.3. Risk management** 

The Trustees have implemented systems to be followed by Charity staff with a view of ensuring that the risks of financial loss are minimized. Trustees and Charity staff review the appropriateness of these procedures annually and ensure that they are being adhered to. The Trustees have also examined other operational and business risks that might arise and confirm that they have established systems to mitigate the significant risks. Over the course of the last year, the Trustees have considered the financial risks facing the Charity at every Trustees’ meeting. 

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## 3. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES 


**The Partnering Initiative is a UK-based, globally-operating charity dedicated to driving effective cross-sector collaboration for a sustainable future.** 

## **3.1. TPI’s vision and mission** 

TPI passionately believes in the power of collaboration across societal sectors to leverage complementary resources and unleash the innovation and scale necessary to achieve prosperous, sustainable business and societies. We are working to realize a world in which business, governments, NGOs, international organisations, communities and academia combine their resources through partnership at an unprecedented scale to maximize collective business and societal value and drive sustainable development. 

TPI’s ambitious mission is to drive the development of the enabling environment, the ‘infrastructure’ of support, the quality of collaboration, and the competencies necessary to scale up and mainstream effective partnerships for the SDGs globally. 

## **3.2. TPI’s charitable purpose** 

The charity is a charitable company limited by guarantee and was set up on 14th May 2013. It is governed by a memorandum and articles of association. TPI’s mission is to drive widespread effective cross-sector collaboration for a sustainable future by: 

## **1) Promoting sustainable development for the benefit of the public by:** 

- Raising awareness and promoting the use of cross-sector partnerships globally. 

- Building systemic, institutional and individual capacity across all societal sectors to develop and support effective partnerships. 

- Directly and indirectly supporting the development and effective delivery of cross-sector partnerships globally. 

- Promoting and undertaking study and research in cross-sector partnerships and disseminating useful results of such study to the public at large. 

- Supporting the development of an enabling architecture to drive the systematic use of crosssector partnerships globally. 

## **2) Advancing the education of the public in subjects relating to cross-sector partnerships globally.** 

Note: Sustainable development is defined as “development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own need” 

Cross-sector collaboration or partnership is defined as “any combination of public, private, NGO, UN or other bodies working together to achieve common objectives which contribute to sustainable development.” 

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## 4. DETAILS OF SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES FOR ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES 


## **4.1. TPI’s approach** 

TPI’s cutting-edge, holistic approach aims to enable, at scale, five key ‘building blocks’ required to engage business in development and drive multi-stakeholder partnerships as an essential mechanism towards delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 



TPI delivers its mission through a mixed portfolio: i) services and training to individual organisations; ii) strategic collaborative programmes which engage multiple organisations to collectively drive forward the state of the art of partnering in specific areas; iii) foundational initiatives – major programmes delivered collectively with other organisations to build an enabling eco-system that can deliver partnerships at scale. 

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## **4.2. Foundational initiative: Partnership Accelerator for the 2030 Agenda** 

The Partnership Accelerator for the 2030 Agenda is a major programme with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), along with UN Office for Partnerships (UNOP), UN Global Compact and UN Development Coordination Office. The programme works in two areas: 


- Partnership platforms: supporting effective country-driven multi-stakeholder partnership platforms and mechanisms that can engage business and other stakeholders and catalyse partnerships for the SDGs; drawing out best practices and guidance to assist optimizing emerging platforms; and supporting a new generation of UN Resident Coordinators and country teams. 

- Partnership skills and competencies: building capacity of relevant stakeholders to develop and implement partnerships for the SDGs, and to support organisations to develop their policy and strategy, systems and processes, legal agreements, and culture to support collaboration. 

## Activities and achievements over the financial year included: 

## **SIDS Partnership Symposium, Thailand** 

- The Partnership Accelerator developed and delivered two sessions at the UNESCAP Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development in February 2024: a partnership dialogue and a policy dialogue. 

- Symposium objectives included: gathering insights and perspectives from SIDS stakeholders on improving the SIDS Partnership Framework, exploring ways to enhance coalitions and partnerships on key SIDS priorities, and fostering peer learning and knowledge exchange among stakeholders to build effective collaborations for SIDS. 

- Key priorities addressed during the Symposium included partnerships for science, technology, innovation, and digitalisation; partnerships for climate finance; and the role of higher education in driving sustainable development in SIDS. These priorities were identified based on the Praia (Cabo Verde) Declaration, which emphasized the need to strengthen the SIDS Partnership Framework and enhance collaboration in various sectors. 

## **Development of briefing documents for SIDS partnerships** 

- TPI developed two briefs on: 1) Climate Finance Partnerships for SIDS; 2) Science Innovation and Technology Partnerships for SIDS. 

- The briefs developed a typology of partnerships, gave examples of partnerships from SIDS around the world, and gave a set of recommendations to key stakeholders on how to most effectively scale up the partnerships for SIDS. 

## **4[th] International Conference on SIDS, Antigua** 

- The Partnership Accelerator engaged in two side events at the 4[th] International Conference on SIDS, running two sessions: 1) Unlocking Opportunities for Blue and Green Economies (during the private sector forum); and 2) Partnerships in the new Decade of Action for SIDS (UN DESA and UN OHRLLS) during the main conference. 

- Both standing-room-only events were dynamic, highly-interactive experiences that garnered a lot of attention and engagement. The key question running through both sessions was the key question for the Partnership Accelerator: ‘what will it take to accelerate partnerships in SIDS’. 

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- The draft SIDS Partnership Framework was presented briefly in the private sector session and extensively in the main session. Considerable input was gained into the thinking for the new Framework, and the sessions contributed considerably to awareness of the new Framework and the work of the Partnership Accelerator. 

## **Online training, St George’s University, Grenada** 

- The Partnership Accelerator collaborated with Satesh Bidaisee, a graduate of the Accelerator’s training-of-trainers program and faculty member at St. George's University in Grenada, to develop and deliver an online partnership training course. 

- This course, attended by approximately 20 Caribbean participants, offered a comprehensive introduction to partnership development. The curriculum balanced partnership theory with practical insights from experienced speakers who shared their partnering experiences. 

- The success of this initiative demonstrates how the training-of-trainers model effectively cascades partnership knowledge and skills to the country level. 

## **4.3. Strategic programmes and research** 

## Partnering for Philanthropic Impact 

Partnering for Philanthropic Impact is a collaborative programme that brings together foundations from around the world to develop good practice, build sector knowledge and support foundations to deliver more transformational impact through multi-stakeholder, multi-sectoral partnerships. 

In August 2024, TPI, supported by Laudes Foundation and in collaboration with Philea, WINGS, African Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPA) and Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), launched a major survey to try to understand how philanthropy can better contribute to transformational change through multi-stakeholder partnerships. The report from this survey will be published in 2025. 

## **PPPPs for People and Planet** 

Public-private-philanthropy partnerships (PPPPs) are a powerful type of multi-stakeholder collaboration, with the potential to bring about systemic change. Philanthropy can play critical, diverse roles in such partnerships, enabling them to address complex challenges such as energy transition, climate adaptation and mitigation, food security, health, and education. 

In December 2023, TPI launched the report _Systems change activation: the essential role of philanthropy to unleash the power of PPPPs_ at COP 28. Supported by Laudes Foundation and the African Climate Foundation, and in association with the World Association of Public-Private-Philanthropy Units & Professionals (WAPPP), the report analysed 46 PPPPs to understand what they are able to achieve, the levers they apply to deliver transformation, and philanthropy’s role in making them happen. The findings from the report were disseminated through 11 online and in person events, several of the online webinar recordings are available on our website. 

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All examples analysed in our research were also collated into the ‘PPPPs library’ - although not initially planned, this database of PPPP examples emerged organically from the landscape analysis and, when published, received very positive feedback about its usefulness from foundations, as well as from those looking to partner with foundations. The WINGS network and Philea have both expressed a desire to continue to add to the library and, in the case of WINGS, to create a permanent home. We also produced two in-depth case studies as separate publications after completing the landscape analysis. 

With additional support from Laudes, TPI researched and prepared a practitioner-focused case study of the role that partnership has played in the Indian component of the Regenerative Landscape Production Collaborative (RPLC). The RPLC is a landscape-level public-private-people partnership (PPPP) operating in four countries that addresses multiple, interconnected issues within specific geographic areas. 

The PPPP developed a partnership involving people who rely on the landscape for food, livelihoods, income, culture, and identity. It brings together public agencies and civil society organisations working in the landscape, along with businesses that source products such as organic cotton from agricultural systems. These systems, introduced by RPLC partners, conserve and enhance natural resources whilst building community resilience. 

Laudes and its partners have commented on how useful the outputs from the case study have been, including as a central component of a recent national multi-stakeholder conference in Bangladesh. 

## Wellcome Trust 

TPI serves as an 'Accompanying Partner' to the Wellcome Trust's 'Strategic Partnerships Team', helping them refine and operationalise both their partnering approach and their support offerings to the rest of the organisation. 

This year, TPI has worked with partnership-focused teams to design monitoring and evaluation approaches and tools, as well as co-creating specific metrics for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) within Wellcome's programmes and partnerships. 

TPI has provided support to the Strategic Partnerships Team and other departments to develop their partnering capacity and approach through partnership roadmaps, plans, coaching, and tool development. Additionally, TPI has supported Wellcome in initiating and strengthening several key strategic global partnerships, for example by facilitating partnership vision workshops and creating partnership documents. 

## Global Forum for National SDG Advisory Bodies 

TPI continued to act as secretariat for the Global Forum, a network of national advisory bodies that promote national-level multi-stakeholder engagement in their government’s planning, implementation and reporting of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The secretariat supports members and strategic partners and provides mechanisms and advice to help members engage with each other and share learning. Its role is also to grow the number of these organisations and encourage national governments to recognise their value. 

## Activities included: 

- In January 2024, the Steering Group convened in Oxford to develop a new strategic direction. The strategic direction, including a new Theory of Change, was subsequently presented to the Global Forum community during the April Community Call for feedback. 

- In July 2024, TPI facilitated two events for Global Forum members at the High-Level Political _-_ 

- Forum (HLPF) in New York. The first event _VNR Lab 10: Showcasing multi stakeholder participation in a VNR - Country examples and a checklist for multi-stakeholder participation_ involved Global Froum members from Ecuador, Jamaica and Kenya reporting on the factors that determine 

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whether the progress of the 2030 Agenda can be successfully and constructively monitored. The second event, _VNR country peer review processes and the experiences of Global Forum members_ explored the Voluntary National Review (VNR) process in more depth. Learning notes from both these events are published on the Global Forum website. 

- The Global Forum also advertised events organised by other members, such as a virtual side event to the 2024 United Nations Summit of the Future Action Days, _Integrating the SDGs and Delivering a Sustainable Future: 2030 and Beyond_ . 

- TPI also organised several fundraising meetings with a voluntary fundraising committee made up of Global Forum members to diversify funding options and thereby secure the future of the Global Forum. 

## **4.4. Services and support** 

## CGIAR Network strategy development and implementation 

In 2024, TPI supported CGIAR to develop and implement a new strategy for the network. The project included the development of a roadmap and partnership stock take, and the development of the strategy itself, as well as implementation support including implementation planning, capacity building, institutional strengthening and MEL planning. In a subsequent phase of the project TPI is supporting CGIAR to pilot, socialise and test the strategy document. 

## Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 

TPI’s previous work with FAO involved helping the organisation to define ‘transformative partnerships’ and developing a guidance note setting out how to deliver this form of collaboration in practice. This phase focused on socialisation of the guidance note. A major element of this work concerned the creation of an online, self-guided series of modules that took FAO colleagues through the aspects covered in the guidance note, including a visualisation of the partnership contribution to agrifood systems; the levers of change available through partnerships to create change in those systems; and the forms of added value created by those partnerships. 

Two cohorts of staff were identified to receive further in-depth training following the completion of the online self-guided modules. These facilitated, interactive workshops enabled participants to contextualise and apply the materials from the guidance note in their specific programmes and spheres of operation. The workshops also provided a significant opportunity for colleagues who would not normally work together to engage with a shared language around the topic of transformative partnership. In addition, TPI moderated a webinar to share the transformative partnership guidance with FAO leadership. 

## Global Alliance for Drowning Preventions (GADP) strategy and governance 

TPI worked with the members of the newly formed GADP to develop its operational framework, setting out the vision, mission, high-level approach, operating procedures and key areas of focus for its initial phase 2024-25. Designed primarily for members of the GADP, the framework also served to inform the wider drowning prevention community of the GADP’s operations and plans. 

Outlining a pragmatic approach to membership, governance and ways of working in the immediate term, whilst allowing space for an inclusive process to adapt and expand as the Alliance develops, the framework drew on best practices from other global partnerships and was built on desk review, interviews and the outputs of a GADP workshop in Perth and a later TPI facilitated workshop in London. 

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## Islamic Development Bank 

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) identified the need to increase both the number and quality of its partnerships to benefit its 57 Member Countries. IsDB approached TPI to support this effort by researching and preparing an insights report that specifically profiled 35 of IsDB's most relevant current partners, reviewed the mandate of the Partnerships Unit which IsDB had created to drive partnership forward in the Bank, and advised on processes and procedures to optimise IsDB partnering. 

By developing an in-depth understanding of IsDB's partnering practice, the report provided an important baseline and essential material for IsDB's Partnership Approach, which TPI then also drafted at their request as an extension to the original work. This document, once adopted by senior management and the Board, will help to steer partnerships across the IsDB Group. 

The report and partnership approach draw from global best practices, including those of TPI. The research methodology included a review and analysis of IsDB documents, desk research of websites and other published materials, and in-depth interviews with IsDB Group staff. Additional input came through confidential interviews with several of TPI's contacts and benchmarking against other development banks. 

## School Partnerships Alliance 

The School Partnerships for Impact Guide, developed with the Schools Partnership Alliance in 2022, aimed to provide a common framework for, and best practice examples of effective and impactful cross-sector partnerships in the education sector. Building on that work, TPI supported SPA to develop a set of practical tools to support strategic partnering, designed for schools from all sectors to use when working collaboratively, to maximise the focus, value, and strategic impact of their partnerships. 

## United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Convention on Biological Diversity 

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNEP, working closely with the CBD secretariat, run the ‘Early Action Support’ facility, supporting countries to develop their National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plans. With a new phase of the initiative to begin shortly, TPI undertook a light touch partnership health check to understand the areas where the collaboration was operating effectively, and areas where there were inefficiencies or challenges. A series of interviews and analysis led to report circulated in advance of a workshop in Montreal for all secretariat staff. The highly successful workshop built up the relationship and colleagues’ collective understanding of effective collaboration, developed new ways of working and created new strategic frameworks and approaches focussing on the needs of the countries. 

## Urban Climate Finance Accelerator 

TPI facilitated a two-day meeting in London, bringing together a range of climate focused, NGOs, networks and foundations such as Leading Urban Climate Action, the C40, Global Covenant of Mayors, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The workshop helped the organisations further their collaboration on a new Urban Climate Finance Accelerator both in terms of strategy and the quality of the partnership. 

## UN Nutrition network health checks 

TPI worked with UN Nutrition, a FAO hosted UN coordination mechanism for nutrition that includes 14 UN members and the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centres (CGIAR), to carry out a Partnership Health Check and develop and action plan designed to maximise UN Nutrition’s impact. 

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Based on an extensive online survey and interviews with UN Nutrition members, the Secretariat, Chair and Steering Committee, the Partnership Health Check examined the health and efficiency of UN Nutrition's setup, operation and processes and assessed the extent to which the essential building blocks of partnership were in place. 

Based on the Health Check findings, TPI designed a two-day workshop to be held in November 2024 to build on areas of success and address challenges in order to maximise UN Nutrition’s impact at global, regional and country levels. 

## World Health Organisation Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (WHO EMRO) needs assessment 

The Partnering Initiative (TPI) was contracted to carry out a needs assessment and develop recommendations to inform a wider programme of work focused on partnering capabilities within the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (WHO EMR). TPI’s research focused on building a greater understanding of the strategic relevance and importance of partnerships to WHO EMR; WHO EMR’s current partnership landscape, including priorities and gaps; and key challenges and barriers to WHO EMR partnering strategically and effectively to support its mission. 

## World Resources Institute Partnership Unit Support 

In 2023, the World Resources Institute (WRI) established a new partnerships unit to leverage WRI's substantial collaborative legacy while expanding its vision to engage more diverse stakeholders for transformational impact. Building on foundational work from Phase 1 (June-September 2023), The Partnering Initiative (TPI) deepened its collaboration with WRI throughout October 2023-September 2024, executing the comprehensive "Fit for Partnering" assessment. During this period, TPI worked extensively with both the partnerships team and Global Executive Team to analyse existing partnership practices, facilitate consensus-building around WRI's strategic partnering vision, identify enablers and barriers to success, and determine critical organisational capability requirements. TPI's approach incorporated comparative analysis against partnership best practices from leading international organisations, providing valuable benchmarking to inform WRI's partnership roadmap development. 

## **4.5. Open and tailored trainings** 

## Open training 

TPI continued to develop and deliver its flagship _Building Effective Partnerships for Development_ open training course, aimed at individual partnership practitioners. The online training combines virtual group sessions with inter-module assignments, to be completed individually or in groups. These assignments are designed to provide space for both individual reflection and the opportunity to take the tools, frameworks and concepts covered in the sessions and apply them to their personal partnering context. 

In 2023-24 TPI held two _Building Effective Partnerships for Development_ courses, open to partnership practitioners from any global region or sector. The value of these online facilitated courses continues to be evident in the wide range of participants, allowing knowledge sharing among both practitioners with strong ‘on the ground’ experience and those with a more strategic outlook, leading to lively discussions and effective and interesting group work. 

TPI also delivered a range of trainings on a variety of topics to individual organisations, including: 

## The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) 

TPI continued its work with CIFF, delivering the third in a series of training courses designed to support CIFF’s new people strategy and leadership behaviour framework which include collaboration across the 

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organisation and strengthening external partnerships. This now _established Building Effective Relationships_ course develops competencies to support effective relationships, both internally and in external partnerships. The course, tailored to CIFF’s priorities, is based on seven modules including mapping collaborative landscapes, influencing with and without power, dealing with conflict and challenges, effective negotiation, facilitation skills, and an introduction to collaborative leadership. 

## World Health Organisation Easter Mediterranean Regional Office (WHO EMRO) 

Following the recommendations from the needs assessment, TPI worked with the WHO EMRO team to develop a tailored Creating & Managing Effective Partnerships course for two training cohorts from both the Regional and Country offices. Based on TPI’s flagship _Building Effective Partnerships_ course, the five training modules reflected both the outcomes of the needs assessment, a desk review of existing partnerships and partnership challenges and direct input from WHO EMRO staff and included the partnership fundamentals and the role of collaboration in WHO EMR’s strategic objectives, the partnership relationship, negotiation and communication and managing partnerships & planning for the future. A follow-up in-person course in Cairo is planned for late 2024. 

## United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) 

TPI has been a partner with UNSSC since 2007, and we are delighted to provide the partnership sessions into a range of UNSSC courses. In 2023/24, courses included a UNSSC workshop with FAO, a webinar with UNAIDS on influencing and building multi-sectoral partnerships, and in-person training in Bonn around partnerships and resource mobilisation. 

## University of Oxford, Masters in Global Health Leadership 

In September 2024, Executive Director, Darian Stibbe, led a partnerships workshop as part of the health policy module of the Oxford MSc in Global Health Leadership. 

## **4.6. Outreach** 

## COP 28 

At COP 28, TPI launched its groundbreaking report _Systems change activation: the essential role of philanthropy to unleash the power of PPPPs_ , developed with support from Laudes Foundation, the African Climate Fund, and in association with WAPPP. 

TPI Executive Director, Darian Stibbe, spoke at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Innovation hub at a high-level session on systems change and innovation for climate and sustainability action. 

## Cross Sector Social Interactions (CSSI) Symposium 2024: Power and Inclusion in Cross-Sector Social Interactions 

In April 2023, TPI had the pleasure of co-hosting the biannual CSSI Symposium at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business, in collaboration with PRME Chapter Africa and the Embedding Project. Bringing together 130 participants from 30 countries, the symposium highlighted the challenges of engaging government in partnerships for sustainable development and explored crosssector collaboration as a response to inequality and exclusion. For further insights, read our two blogs from the event: 

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- Bridging the academic-practitioner divide: insights from CSSI 2024 

- The critical role of government in partnerships for sustainable development 


## Global policy influence through the Partnership Accelerator 

Through the Partnership Accelerator, TPI contributed to several outreach events aimed at building global understanding of partnerships for sustainable development and highlighting the need to invest in both capabilities and enabling environments to make effective partnerships happen, including: 

- SIDS Partnership Symposium, Bangkok, Thialand (February 2024) 

- 4[th] International Conference on SIDS, Antigua (May 2024) 

- Online Partnership Training, St Georgie’s University, Grenada 

## Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group on the 2024 ECOSOC Partnership Forum 

- Darian Stibbe was appointed to the Expert Group Meeting of the Multi Stakeholder Advisory Group to the 2024 ECOSOC Partnership Forum 2024, advising the ECOSOC president on the agenda for the meeting and supporting outreach. 

## PPPPs for People and Planet 

TPI disseminated the findings from the _Systems change activation: the essential role of philanthropy to unleash the power of PPPPs_ report at several in person events and webinars, including: 

- Sneak preview: 'PPPPs for People and Planet' report in November 2023: 11 participants (closed online event) 

- Systems activation report findings launch event in November 2023: Empowering philanthropy's role in transformative PPPPs: 100 participants 

- Event at COP28 in December 2023: Approximately 100 participants from foundations and venture philanthropy networks 

- Session at Philea Forum in May 2024 with Laudes Foundation featuring #BuildingLife example: approx. 40 participants 

- Fishbowl conversation on the catalytic role of foundations in Public-Private-Philanthropy Partnerships (PPPPs) at Swiss Foundations Forum in September 2024: 60+ foundation representatives as well as 3 corporate sector and 1 public sector representatives 

## UN Summit of the Future 

In September 2024, Executive Director **,** Darian Stibbe represented TPI at the UN Summit of the Future 2024 in New York. Darian spoke on a panel "Earth vs. Space: What is collective humanity and pluralism?" at a side event from UNESCO IESALC and the Interstellar Foundation. Darian attended the launch of OECD netFWD’s “Statement on Philanthropy’s vision for the United Nations’ Summit of the Future and beyond”, endorsing this groundbreaking statement on behalf of TPI. He also moderated a discussion at Business Fights Poverty’s Global Goals Summit. 

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## Virtual side event to the 2024 UN ECOSOC Forum 

On the 30[th] of January 2024, TPI ran a virtual side event for the UN ECOSOC Forum in collaboration with Partnerships 2030, UN DESA and the Global Forum for National SDG Advisory Bodies entitled "Unite to Ignite: Accelerating the transformational power of partnerships for the SDGs and beyond." 

The event concluded with a call to action from Darian Stibbe, urging participants to implement the report's findings and invest in partnership capacities to accelerate transformative partnerships for the SDGs and beyond. 

## **4.7. Future plans** 

TPI will continue to provide services and training, build on existing programmes, and develop new major initiatives to scale up our impact. 

## 2030 Agenda Partnership Accelerator 

TPI’s future plans as part of the Partnership Accelerator include undertaking a training for the Ugandan government and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office. 

## Global Forum for National SDG Advisory Bodies 

TPI’s plans for the Global Forum revolve largely around groundbreaking new research on the mechanisms for whole-of-society engagement. This research will assist Global Forum members, governments and other stakeholders to have more effective mechanisms for whole-of-society engagement. The aim is to support an expansion in the range and quality of engagement processes and provide practical guidance on how to select and implement an the most effective mechanism for any particular development challenge.  TPI will support this research by developing a learning framework, and by coordination the Global Forum Regional Hubs, who will also be engaged in the research processes. 

The report will also from a key part of the fundraising strategy that will secure the future of the Global Forum. 

## Partnering for Philanthropic Impact 

TPI will continue to expand its work towards a step change within philanthropy, maximising its transformational impact through engaging in, and supporting, multi-stakeholder collaboration. It will do this through the development of a major new programme, TRANSFORM! 

With the continued support of WINGS and Laudes Foundation, TPI will produce a philanthropy sector needs analysis report. The report will be the culmination of extensive research and consultations with over 50 foundations, providing valuable insights into current partnering practices, the challenges faced, and the future aspirations of the sector. The findings will highlight both the progress made and the significant opportunities for growth in embracing transformative partnerships. By identifying key barriers and offering actionable recommendations, the report will equip foundations with the knowledge of the internal investments in organisational change they may need to make to maximise their impact. 

The next phase will involve the dissemination of the report and its research findings through our global partners (WAPPP, WINGS) and regional philanthropy associations (AVPA for Africa, AVPN for Asia, Latimpacto for Latin America and Philea for Europe) through virtual and in-person events such as ECOSOC 2025. 

**Page: 16** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

Additionally, TPI will use the philanthropy needs assessment report to develop a **Master Class for Foundations Series** that will equip foundations with the essential knowledge, skills and tools needed for effective partnership development and management. 

TPI is expanding its knowledge of public-private-people partnerships (PPPPs) through light-touch research of additional landscape-level partnership examples. This work builds on the Regenerative Landscape Production Collaborative (RPLC) case study prepared last year. The initiative includes disseminating the case study at various virtual and in-person events, with dual aims: to inspire other foundations to consider funding similar PPPP models and to help Laudes attract funders interested in building upon their work. 

## Open training 

TPI will continue to facilitate its flagship Building Effective Partnerships for Development open training course for individual partnership practitioners, and aims to re-introduce in-person courses, hosted in the Global South, in additional to continuing facilitated online learning. 

TPI also intends to build on its current open training options, utilising TPI’s extensive programmatic experience, thought leadership and materials developed for tailored training courses to focus on partnering with specific sectors. Initially this programme will focus on partnering with business. 

## 5. ADMINISTRATION 


## **5.1. Public benefit** 

The Trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties. 

## **5.2. Financial review** 

The results of the charity for the year can be seen on page 23. 

Income for the year increased slightly at £898,497 compared with £895,105 from the previous year. The net movement of funds was a positive £44,717, leaving total funds at £409,473 for the year. Of this, £6,647 is restricted, and £60,000 has been designated to the philanthropy programme and the communications function in the next financial year, leaving free reserves at the end of the year at a healthy £342,826. 

## **5.3. Reserves policy** 

The Partnering Initiative aims to maintain in reserve six months’ worth of operating costs (approximately £300k), along with a development budget for creating new cutting-edge programmes or investing in the organisation.  As of 30th September 2024, free reserves held were £342,826, which the Trustees deem acceptable. 

**Page: 17** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

## 6. STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES 


The Trustees (who are also directors of The Partnering Initiative 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 (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 charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for the year. In preparing these 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 2019 (FRS 102); 

- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; 

- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; 

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

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company 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 auditor is 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 auditor is 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. 

This report has been prepared having taken advantage of the small companies’ exemption in the Companies Act 2006. 

This report was approved by the Board, 23[rd] June 2025. 


## **Katherine Hartley Chair of Trustees** 

**Page: 18** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

## 7. INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PARTNERING INITIATIVE 


## **7.1. Opinion** 

We have audited the financial statements of The Partnering Initiative (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 30th September 2024 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement, and 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 charitable company’s affairs as at 30th September 2024, and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure (including income from the United Nations and related 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. 

## **7.2. 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 charitable company 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 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. 

## **7.3. 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 charitable company’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. 

**Page: 19** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

## **7.4. Other information** 

The trustees are responsible for the other information.  The other information comprises the information included in the trustees’ annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon.  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. 

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. 

## **7.5. Opinions 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 (incorporating the directors’ report) for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and 

- the directors’ report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements. 

## **7.6. Matters on which we are required to report by exception** 

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors’ report. 

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion: 

- adequate 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 directors’ 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 directors’ report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report. 

**Page: 20** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

## **7.7. Responsibilities of trustees** 

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 18, 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 charitable company’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 charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. 

## **7.8. Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements** 

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 specific procedures for this engagement and the extent to which these are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud are detailed below: 

- Enquiry of management and those charged with governance around actual and potential litigation and claims; 

- Enquiry of management and those charged with governance to identify any instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations; 

- Reviewing minutes of meetings of those charged with governance; 

- Reviewing financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations; 

- Performing audit work over the risk of management override of controls, including testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness, evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business and reviewing accounting estimates for bias. 

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. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation. 

**Page: 21** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

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. 

## **7.9. Use of our report** 

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members 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 charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. 


## **Benjamin Hayes BSc FCA (Senior Statutory Auditor)** 


## **For and on behalf of Wenn Townsend Chartered Accountants, Statutory Auditor** 

30 St Giles Oxford OX1 3LE 

**Page: 22** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

## 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 


## **8.1. Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) for the period ended 30[th] September 2024** 

|**Income from:**<br>**Note**<br>Charitable activities<br>**2**<br>**Total income**<br>**Expenditure on:**<br>Charitable activities<br>**3**<br>**Total expenditure**<br>**Net income for the year**<br>Transfers between funds<br>**Net movement in funds**<br>**8**<br>Balances b/f at 1stOctober 2023<br>Balances c/f at 30thSeptember 2024|**Unrestricted**<br>**funds**<br>**2024 (£)**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds 2024**<br>**(£)**<br>**Total**<br>**funds**<br>**2024 (£)**<br>**Unrestricted**<br>**funds**<br>**2023 (£)**<br>**Restricted**<br>**funds 2023**<br>**(£)**<br>**Total funds**<br>**2023 (£)**<br>642,272<br>256,225<br>898,497<br>717,738<br>177,367<br>895,105|
|---|---|
||642,272<br>256,225<br>898,497<br>717,738<br>177,367<br>895,105|
||604,202<br>249,578<br>853,780<br>697,679<br>177,367<br>875,046|
||604,202<br>249,578<br>853,780<br>697,679<br>177,367<br>875,046|
||38,070<br>6,647<br>44,717<br>20,059<br>-<br>20,059<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-|
||38,070<br>6,647<br>44,717<br>20,059<br>-<br>20,059<br>364,756<br>-<br>364,756<br>344,697<br>-<br>344,697<br>402,826<br>6,647<br>409,473<br>364,756<br>-<br>364,756|



All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities. The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised during the year. 

**The notes, section 8.5, page 26, form part of the financial statements.** 

**Page: 23** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

## **8.2. Balance Sheet as at 30th September 2024** 

||**Notes**|**2024**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|---|
|||**£**|**£**|
|**Current assets**||||
|Debtors|**6**|194,788|429,084|
|Cash at bank and in hand||321,693|41,377|
|||──────|─────|
|||516,481|470,461|
|**Creditors: falling due within one year**|**7**|(107,008)|(105,705)|
|||──────|──────|
|**Net current assets**||409,473|364,756|
|||──────|─────|
|**Net assets**||409,473|364,756|
|||═════|═════|
|**Funds:**||||
|**Restricted funds**|**8**|6,647|-|
|**Unrestricted funds**|**8**|||
|General funds||342,826|364,756|
|Designated funds||60,000|-|
|||──────|─────|
|Total unrestricted funds||402,826|364,756|
|||──────|─────|
|**Total funds**||409,473|364,756|
|||═════|═════|



## **8.3. Board approval** 

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime. The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the trustees on and signed on their behalf by: 


Marta Garcia Treasurer 

## **The notes, section 8.5, page 26, form part of the financial statements.** 

**Page: 24** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

## **8.4. Statement of cash flows for the year ended 30[th] September 2024** 

|**Reconciliation of net income to net cash flow**<br>**from operating activities**<br>Net income for year<br>Decrease / (increase) in debtors<br>Increase / (decrease) in creditors<br>**Net cash flow from operating activities**<br>**Net increase / (decrease) in cash and cash**<br>**equivalents**<br>**Cash and cash equivalents at 1st October 2023**<br>**Cash and cash equivalents at 30th September**<br>**2024**||**2024**<br>**£**<br>44,717<br>234,296<br>1,303<br>280,316<br>280,316<br>41,377<br>321,693|**2023**<br>**£**<br>20,059<br>(50,878)<br>(23,457)<br>(54,276)<br>(54,276)|
|---|---|---|---|
||||95,653<br>41,377|



**The notes, section 8.5, page 26, form part of the financial statements.** 

**Page: 25** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

## **8.5. Notes forming part of the financial statements for the period ended 30th September 2024** 

## 1. Summary of significant accounting policies 

## **a) General information and basis of preparation** 

The Partnering Initiative is a charitable company limited by guarantee and is incorporated in England.  In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £10 per member of the charity.  The address of the registered office is given in the charity information in these financial statements.  The nature of the charity’s operations and principal activities are detailed in the Trustees’ Report. 

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice. 

The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound sterling. 

The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated. 

## **b) Fund accounting** 

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes. 

Designated funds comprise funds set aside by the Board of Directors out of unrestricted funds for specific future purposes or projects. 

Restricted funds comprise grants and donations subject to conditions imposed by the donor. 

## **c) Income recognition** 

All income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the charity is legally entitled to the income after any performance conditions have been met, the amount can be measured reliably and it is probable that the income will be received. 

Income from grants are recognised at fair value when the charity has entitlement after any performance conditions have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. If entitlement is not met then these amounts are deferred. 

Project grants and service contract fees are included as income where any work involved has been undertaken by the period end date.  Any income received in advance is deferred until associated costs are incurred and based on the level of completion of the project. 

Gifts in kind donated for distribution are included at valuation and recognised as income when they are distributed to the projects. Gifts donated for resale are included as income when they 

**Page: 26** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

are sold. Donated facilities are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified and a third party is bearing the cost. No amounts are included in the financial statements for services donated by volunteers. 

## **d) Expenditure recognition** 

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category.  Expenditure is recognized where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties, it is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably 

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as an expense against the activity for which expenditure arose. 

Fund-raising costs are those incurred in seeking voluntary contributions and do not include the costs of disseminating information in support of the charitable activities. Support costs are those costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charity and include project management. Governance costs are those incurred in connection with administration of the charity and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements. 

## **e) Foreign currencies** 

Foreign currency transactions are initially recognised by applying to the foreign currency amount the spot exchange rate between the functional currency and the foreign currency at the date of the transaction. 

Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in a foreign currency at the balance sheet date are translated using the closing rate. 

## **f) Employee benefits** 

When employees have rendered service to the charity, short-term employee benefits to which the employees are entitled are recognised at the undiscounted amount expected to be paid in exchange for that service. 

The charity operates a defined contribution plan for the benefit of its employees. Contributions are expensed as they become payable. 

## **g) Debtors and creditors receivable/payable within one year** 

Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price.  Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure. 

## **h) Tax** 

The charity is an exempt charity within the meaning of Schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011 and is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. 

## **i) Going concern** 

The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the trustees believe that no material uncertainties exist.  The trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure is sufficient with the level of reserves for the charity to be able to continue as a going concern. 

**Page: 27** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

## 2. Income from charitable activities 

|come from charitable activities|||
|---|---|---|
||**2024**|**2023**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Service contract fees|426,942|342,401|
|Programmes|244,405|420,422|
|Training courses|130,121|123,019|
|Grants|95,830|8,484|
|Other income|1,199|779|
||─────|─────|
||**898,497**|**895,105**|



## 3. Charitable activities 

|Consultancy<br>Wages and salaries<br>Grants<br>Venue hire<br>Travel &<br>accommodation<br>Rent and rates<br>Website & IT costs<br>Marketing, postage &<br>stationery<br>Telephone<br>Bank charges<br>Insurance<br>General expenses<br>Audit fees<br>Bad debt expense<br>Foreign exchange<br>(gains)/losses|**Direct**<br>**charitable**<br>**costs £**<br>239,728<br>276,216<br>17,248<br>1,105<br>38,275<br>-<br>2,101<br>756<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>5,977<br>-<br>15,669|**Indirect charitable costs**<br>**£**<br>**Total 2024**<br>**£**<br>**Total 2023**<br>**£**<br>**Core**<br>**organisational***<br>**Governance**<br>6,946<br>-<br>246,674<br>221,216<br>152,052<br>21,539<br>449,807<br>525,855<br>-<br>-<br>7,298<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>17,248<br>1,105<br>45,573<br>8,559<br>7,846<br>36,491<br>27,782<br>-<br>27,782<br>26,317<br>4,742<br>-<br>6,843<br>9,012<br>1,094<br>-<br>1,850<br>7,809<br>999<br>-<br>999<br>1,160<br>2,632<br>-<br>2,632<br>3,281<br>766<br>247<br>1,013<br>839<br>10,198<br>34<br>16,209<br>12,584<br>-<br>5,600<br>5,600<br>3,900<br>4,000<br>4,000<br>9,519<br>1,257<br>26,445<br>13,177<br>**228,028**<br>**28,677**<br>**853,780**<br>**875,046**|
|---|---|---|
||**597,075**||



*Core organisational costs include all non-programme-attributable costs including administration, policy engagement, new programme research and development, unfunded knowledge product generation, communication and dissemination. 

**Page: 28** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

## 4. Trustees' and key management personnel remuneration and expenses 

During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration or other benefits (2023: £nil). 

During the year, no expenses were reimbursed to Trustees (2023; £102 to one Trustee). 

The total amount of employee benefits received by key management personnel was £207,351 (2023: £232,932). The Trustees consider the charity’s key management personnel comprise the Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive, and the senior management team. 

## 5. Staff costs 

||**2024**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|**£**|
|Wages and salaries|315,146|395,051|
|Social security costs|28,416|38,604|
|Pension costs|106,245|92,200|
||─────|─────|
||**449,807**|**525,855**|



The number of employees whose emoluments as defined for taxation purposes amounted to over £60,000 in the year was as follows: 

|£60,000 in the year was as follows:|||
|---|---|---|
||**2024**|**2023**|
|**Number**|**Number**||
|£80,001 - £90,000|-|1|
|£90,001 - £100,000|1|-|



The average number of employees, calculated on a full-time equivalent basis, analysed by function was: 

|function was:|||
|---|---|---|
||**2024**|**2023**|
||**Number**|**Number**|
|Charitable activities|6.5|8|
|Management and administration of the charity|1.5|2|
||─────|─────|
||**8**|**10**|
|6. Debtors|||
||**2024**|**2023**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Grants and fees receivable|194,769|127,524|
|Prepayments and accrued income|-|301,541|
|Other debtors|19|19|
||─────|─────|
||**194,788**|**429,084**|



**Page: 29** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

## 7. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 

|editors: amounts falling due within|one year||
|---|---|---|
||**2024**|**2023**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Trade creditors|19,353|19,958|
|Accruals and deferred income|37,275|57,453|
|Other tax and social security|23,352|19,666|
|Other creditors|27,028|8,628|
||**─────**|**─────**|
||**107,008**|**105,705**|



## 8. Funds 

|**Restricted funds**<br>Global Forum (GIZ)<br>PPPP<br>CSSI<br>Laudes Foundation –<br>Wellbeing<br>CITES|**At 1st**<br>**October**<br>**2023**<br>**£**<br>**Income**<br>**£**<br>**Expenditure**<br>**£**<br>**Transfers**<br>**£**<br>**At 30th**<br>**September**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>-<br>112,372<br>(112,372)<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>96,025<br>(96,025)<br>-<br>-<br>21,700<br>(21,700)<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>8,421<br>(1,774)<br>-<br>6,647<br>-<br>17,707<br>(17,707)<br>-<br>-|
|---|---|
|**Unrestricted funds**<br>Designated funds<br>Total restricted<br>funds<br>Individual personal<br>donation<br>PPPP|-<br>256,225<br>(249,578)<br>-<br>6,647<br>-<br>100,000<br>-<br>(40,000)<br>60,000<br>-<br>-<br>(36,000)<br>36,000<br>-|
|Total designated<br>funds<br>General funds<br>Total unrestricted<br>funds|-<br>100,000<br>(36,000)<br>(4,000)<br>60,000<br>364,756<br>542,272<br>(568,202)<br>4,000<br>342,826|
||364,756<br>642,272<br>(604,202)<br>-<br>402,826<br>**364,756**<br>**898,497**<br>**(853,780)**<br>**-**<br>**409,473**|
|**Total funds**||



## Global Forum (GIZ) 

Secretariat services for the Global Forum for National SDG Advisory Bodies. 

## PPPP 

Public Private Philanthropy Partnership research programme. The restricted fund relates to grants from Laudes Foundation and the African Climate Foundation awarded to the programme. 

**Page: 30** 



The Partnering Initiative Annual Report 2023-24 

The designated fund relates to TPI’s designation of funds from an individual personal donation to support the programme. 

## CSSI 

Funding to support the hosting of the Cross-sector Social Interactions conference (Cape Town, April 2024), and travel bursaries for a number of participants. 

## Laudes Foundation – Wellbeing 

A grant from Laudes Foundation towards staff wellbeing. 

## CITES 

Support services. 

## Individual personal donation 

Donation made anonymously via CAF. This donation was designated by management, in consultation with the Trustees, to support the development of a new programme on philanthropy and TPI’s new communications’ position. During the year, £36,000 was transferred to the PPPP restricted fund and £4,000 was transferred to TPI core costs (communication). 

## 9. Related parties 

There were no related party transactions in the current or preceding year. 

**Page: 31** 



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