2023-03-31-accounts - The Ideas Partnership UK

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The Ideas Partnership UK

Charitable Incorporated Organization Registered Charity No. 1161389

Trustees’ Annual Report

1st April 2022 – 31st March 2023

Reference and administrative details

Name:

The Ideas Partnership UK (commonly ‘TIPUK’)

Registration no.:

Registered Charity Number 1161389, with the UK Charity Commission, 22nd April 2015

Address:

17 The Terrace, Port Isaac, Cornwall PL29 3SG

: Trustees on date of approval of report Elizabeth Katherine Gowing Keith Robert Hill Norgenta Lata (appointed during the reporting year) Sybille Idrac Raphael Aurelie Viard-Cretat Nicola Jane Williams Robert John Wilton

The CIO has no corporate trustees, and no trustee has held title to property belonging to the CIO during the reporting period nor on the date of approval of the report.

Structure, Governance and Management

TIPUK is a Charitable Incorporated Organization (CIO) governed by its Constitution, which uses the Charity Commission’s ‘Foundation Model’ template, and was developed with Charity Commission guidance during the process of registering, validated by them and formed part of the basis of the original registration. It has not been amended. Additional policies/procedures, including on grant-making and safeguarding, elaborate but do not supersede the Constitution. The Constitution describes the process for the proposal and approval of new Trustees by the existing set.

One new Trustee was appointed during this reporting year, after interview and by unanimous agreement of existing Trustees, to reinforce capacity and further

diversify the Board’s experience and demographic breadth.

Objectives and Activities

As registered with the Charity Commission, the objects of The Ideas Partnership UK (hereafter ‘TIPUK’) are, for the public benefit, by the making of grants and raising awareness using social media:

(1) the promotion of community capacity building to develop the capacity and skills of the members of the social and economically disadvantaged community of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian community in Kosovo and South Eastern Europe, in such a way that they are better able to identify and help meet their needs and to participate more fully in society;

(2) the relief of poverty and the improvement of the conditions of life in social and economically disadvantaged communities in South Eastern Europe; (3) the promotion of the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment in South Eastern Europe;

(4) to advance the education (including social and physical training) of people under the age of 25 years in South Eastern Europe in such ways as the charity trustees think fit;

(5) to advance the education of people in South Eastern Europe in the traditional folk cultures of the region.

In this, the eight year of its operation, TIPUK’s activities continued essentially unchanged.

TIPUK collected money – a combination of one-off and regular donations – in its UK bank account, as the basis for its funding of activities to advance its objects.
Consistent with its procedures and objects as defined by its Constitution and Grant-Making Policy, in 2022-23 the CIO offered grants from these funds, for work in south-eastern Europe, to advance its objects.

i) The Ideas Partnership charity in Kosovo submitted an application to renew the arrangement for support from the previous year. Their report on the previous year reflected an enduring commitment to supporting and educating the most marginalized minority communities, a track record of implementing practical and impactful projects and programmes on the ground, and high credibility among donors, institutional partners and beneficiaries. They proposed for 2022-23 a suite of activities to support the education, health, empowerment and integration of disadvantaged ethnic minority groups, including continuing to run a kindergarten, supporting groups of ‘young leaders’ and ‘young social workers’ to empower for future self-advocacy and a

‘girls club’ to empower young women and work against early marriage. The applicant also aimed to secure an official licence for their educational activities, reinforcing professional standards and inter-ethnic integration. Based on this application, and aware above all of the very substantial compatibility of the applicants’ activities and plans with the objects of the CIO, the Trustees agreed to maintain a Fund, the Community Empowerment Kosovo Fund, to gather donations to be granted to this beneficiary for the advancement of their work. UK donors aware of this work could choose to specify that their donations were for this destination, and such donations were placed in the Fund. The Trustees further agreed that a proportion of the general donations received would be allocated to the Community Empowerment Kosovo Fund. Transfers from the Fund were made to the beneficiaries during the year, and after the end of the year the beneficiaries submitted a full report of their activities and their impact.

ii) The Ideas Partnership charity in Kosovo separately applied for a one-off grant, approved by TIPUK Trustees, to support the completion and functionality of a new community/activity centre, which would be a safe, hygienic, appropriate and dedicated base for charitable, community-building, educational and healthcare activities focused on marginalized children and families.

iii) Under TIPUK’s ‘micro-project’ facility, offering grants of up to €500 through a simplified process (which nevertheless maintains the CIO’s insistence on consistency of values and objects and safeguarding), €500 was granted to the NGO ‘Rromani Baxt’ in Kosovo, to enable their ethnic minority traditional singing group to participate in an international cultural festival.

Some applications were rejected, following Trustee discussion and sometimes preliminary exploration with applicants, based on doubts about compatibility with the CIO’s objects or about the credibility of the proposal.

Achievements and Performance

Grants of money raised by TIPUK continue to have practical ground-level impact on the relief of poverty and the improvement of the conditions of life in social and economically disadvantaged communities in South Eastern Europe, to empower disadvantaged communities, and to pursue good work in education, environment and cultural heritage.

Disbursements from the Community Empowerment Kosovo Fund enabled a sustained programme of support to particularly marginalized minority communities, not only aiding but also empowering them and thereby contributing to wider social cohesion, and helped a young and volunteer-centred NGO to continue to learn and develop. TIPUK’s funding enabled among other

things: programmes of remedial and supplementary education to marginalized community children in four different locations; the expansion of kindergarten provision; the empowerment of women, especially from ethnic minority groups, through education and healthcare support; urgent basic healthcare support, and advice for new or expectant mothers; support to children with special needs; activities against early marriage; a literacy and numeracy programme for young women; a ‘science club’ to help 20 (typically marginalized) young students gain skills and develop interest in techn(olog)ical areas; a bursary programme for marginalized community individuals to complete schooling or further education; a programme to promote community leadership among young people; a programme to promote social work among young people; the promotion of volunteerism; and continuous professional development of the beneficiary’s young team. The beneficiary NGO has also been enabled to continue its regular charitable activities while building a new activity centre which will more sustainably, economically and effectively deliver benefits to those in most need. 556 children and 320 adults have been part of these activities, helped by 136 volunteers – an increase on the previous year at every level among both male and female participants. Because support to this beneficiary has been continuing, the CIO has been able to focus on medium-term empowerment around e.g. continuing professional development and grant writing/reporting, which improves individual skills and multiplies the CIO’s impact.

The community/activity centre of The Ideas Partnership in Kosovo, based in the heart of one of the country’s most disadvantaged and discriminated communities, opened during the reporting year – thanks meaningfully to the one-off grant from the CIO. The centre is already providing not only a far more appropriate base for the beneficiary’s activities (the beneficiary’s final report on this year’s grant mentions accessibility among many other transformations), but also a base for other positive groups and initiatives from within that community.
The singing octet of the NGO Rromani Baxt was able, thanks to TIPUK, to participate in a unique international cultural festival – both reinforcing the group’s self-expression and spreading awareness of their distinctive culture.

These details have been drawn from beneficiary reporting, submitted in accordance with grant agreement, supplemented by CIO Trustee visits. These are all meaningful achievements in the context of TIPUK's stated objects, specifically numbers 1, 2, 4 and (through the grant to Rromani Baxt) 5, focused on capacity building and improvement of the conditions of life of disadvantaged communities, education, and marginalized cultural heritage.

TIPUK continues to develop its processes and habits based on experience, and to try to sustain good habits:

i) the CIO raised a substantial amount of donated funding, and disbursed it in a way that led to tangible benefits for beneficiaries, consistent with the CIO's objects. The CIO applied its Constitution and Grant-Making Policy, with positive impact and without difficulty. The Trustees exercised their right to ask further questions of applicants before agreeing to a grant, helping to develop a more robust agreement and also fulfilling the Trustees’ wish to help develop beneficiary NGOs more sustainably

ii) the CIO has started to push beneficiaries harder to demonstrate or develop good safeguarding policy and practice, firmly encouraging them to adopt international best practice rather than rely on old local approaches. The CIO is also exploring a stronger environmental angle to its grant-making decisions, as well as reviewing its own habits;

iii) the CIO this year continued to benefit from the provisions of Gift Aid on private donations;

iv) the more focused and regular Trustees’ meeting to review project applications and implementation has continued to facilitate more efficient decision-making and beneficiary relations. Face-to-face engagement with beneficiaries where possible and appropriate, and consistent with the safeguarding policy, has enabled more strongly-grounded and nuanced decisions, and pro bono advice and support, further upholding the CIO’s intent to empower beneficiaries. The CIO has continue to look to the development as well as support of beneficiaries, encouraging appropriate project enhancements and good practices;

v) Trustees continued to do almost all meetings online, supplemented by email discussion. This enabled us to sustain our diverse Trustee representation, and avoided unnecessary costs;

vi) in the one case where there is an ongoing relationship with a beneficiary, the CIO continues its annual monitoring of personal data compliance and arrangements for reporting any ad hoc problems, consistent with the General Regulation on Data Protection. A review of any data issues is prompted as a standing item for Trustee meetings;

vii) the CIO continues to require beneficiaries to demonstrate satisfactory safeguarding habits and procedures as a condition of a grant, and if appropriate looks to help them strengthen their approach. Consistent with procedure, the safeguarding policy was reviewed this year and posted on the CIO website not only in English but also in the majority language of many beneficiaries. A review of any safeguarding issues is prompted as a standing item for Trustee meetings.

Financial Review

At the end of the reporting period the CIO had £3,120.72 in its current account. The CIO has no other bank accounts. The CIO has no investments, nor other assets. The CIO’s income is almost entirely from small private donations, many of them regular.

Accounts have been prepared for financial year 2022-23. Consistent with the requirements of the Charity Commission, the accounts have been formally reviewed by an Independent Examiner, who in his report dated 18th January 2024 confirms that he has found no material matters giving cause to believe that in any material respect accounting records were not kept in accordance with relevant legislation or that the accounts do not accord with the accounting records; he notes that he has no concerns and has come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

The CIO has no formal policy on holding reserves. With the exception of negligible administrative costs, the only CIO’s only outgoings are grants approved by the Trustees, so the Trustees do not judge a formal reserve necessary.

With no outstanding obligations, a positive balance in its current account, and a set of regular monthly donations, at the date of approving the report and accounts there is no uncertainty about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

No fund or subsidiary undertaking is materially in deficit.

Exemptions from disclosure

TIPUK neither seeks nor exercises any exemption from disclosure for this report.

Funds held as custodian trustee on behalf of others

The Trustees of TIPUK previously agreed to receive in the UK and transfer to Kosovo money earned by a social enterprise in Kosovo. The Trustees judged that the work of the social enterprise was consistent with the objects of TIPUK. TIPUK charged no fee for this convenience. Consistent with the Statement Of Recommended Practice, these transactions were not treated as income or expenditure in the accounts of the CIO. The social enterprise in Kosovo is now in the process of being wound up, consistent with local regulations, no transfers were made on its behalf during this reporting year, and the arrangement is not expected to revive.

Trustees’ Approval

In approving this report, the Trustees of TIPUK confirm that in exercising their powers or duties they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission.

Approved by the Trustees (individual electronic correspondence available) on 21st January 2024

and submitted on their behalf by

Robert Wilton Trustee 23rd January 2024.

THE IDEAS PARTNERSHIP UK FINANCIAL STATEMENT

FOR THE YEAR ENDING

31st MARCH 2023

CHARITY COMMISSION REFERENCE 1161389


		THE IDEAS PARTNERSHIP UK
	STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AS AT 31 MARCH					2023


			GENERAL FUND	COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT KOSOVO FUND	TOTAL 2023	TOTAL 2022

			£	£	£	£

FIXED ASSETS

CURRENT ASSETS

	Cash at Bank		4,159	-1,038	3,121	16,482


			4,159	-1,038	3,121	16,482

CURRENT LIABILITIES

	Creditors
			4,159	-1,038	3,121	16,482

REPRESENTED BY

	OpeningBalance of Funds		16,903	-421	16,482	16,384

	Adjustment toFunds (note 8)		-12,751	12,751	0	0

	Surplus/Deficit for the year		7	-13,368	-13,361	98

			4,159	-1,038	3,121	16,482


			THE IDEAS PARTNERSHIP UK
	RECEIPTS AND PAYMENT ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2023

				GENERAL FUND		COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT KOSOVO FUND		TOTAL
				2022/23	2021/22	2022/23	2021/22	2022/23	2021/22
				£	£	£	£	£	£
INCOME
		GiftAided		12767	21345	6967	13994	19734	35339
		Gifts (no”)		3172	4422	15535	25413	18707	29835
		Interest						0	0

				15939	25767	22502	39407	38441	65174

EXPENDITURE
		Grants		15477	465	35871	64291	51347	64756
		Shipment Costs						0	0
		Expenses		455	320			455	320

				15932	785	35871	64291	51802	65076

SURPLUS/DEFICIT OF FUNDS FOR THE YEAR				7	24982	-13368	-24884	-13361	98

SURPLUS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS				16903	13864	-421	2520	16482	16384

TRANSFER BETWEEN FUNDS				-12751	-21943	12751	21943	0	0


SURPLUS FUND CARRIED FORWARD				4159	16903	-1038	-421	3121	16482


				THE IDEAS PARTNERSHIP UK
					NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

	The accounts are			prepared on a cash basis with fixed assets recorded in
	the notes to the accounts.
	Accounts are prepared to the year ending 31st March.

2. ADMINISTRATION

	The Trustees do not charge any fees for their administration of the Charity

3. INVESTMENT POLICY

	The investment policy of the trust is conservative having regard to the funds available.

4. REGISTRATION

	The Ideas Partnership UK was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation
	on 22 April 2015.

5 THE TIP FUNDS

	The Ideas Partnership maintains two fund accounts:
		A General Fund (GEN)
		The Community Empowerment Kosovo Fund (CEK)
	Gifts nominated directly for the Community Empowerment Kosovo Fund are credited
	to that fund account. The disposition of gifts for the General Fund is determined
	by the Trustees.

6 TAX REFUNDS

	The Charity is entitled to claim for refund of tax paid on Gift Aid donations. Such gifts
	together with associated tax refunds are shown in the accounts as'Gift Aid'.
	No claim was made and paid in this reporting year.

	The estimatedvalue ofclaimsrelated to2022/23 GiftAidis £4,935; the actual
	receipt will be shown in the accounts once received.
	Other gifts include donations processed through charitable giving agencies; the
	tax refund element ofthese giftsisnot separatelyidentified.

7 FIXED ASSETS

	Nofixed assets are currentlyheld.

8 TRANSFER BETWEEN FUNDS

	During the yeartheTrustees transferred £12,750.84 fromthe General Fund
	to the CEK Fund.

9 DESIGNATED REMITTANCES
	TIPoccasionally agrees toreceiveremittancesfor namedNGOs orsocialenterpriseswhose objects
	and activities the Trustees judge to be fully consistent with those of the CIO. These are remitted in
	fulland arenot shown intheincome and expenditure of TIPUK.
	The amounts are:					2022/23	2021/22
			SaPune			£0.00	£24.00
			OJQVision02			£900.00	£0.00

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ The Ideas Partnership UK members of

On accounts for the year 31 March 2023 Charity no 1161389 ended (if any)

Set out on pages 1 to 4

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/03/2023.

Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”) .

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Date: 18/01/2024 Signed: Name: Alan Wilfred Packer Relevant professional FCCA (retd) qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 18 Tweed Green Peebles EH45 8AR

October 2018

IER