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2024-12-31-accounts

Annual Report and Review 2024

Registered Charity Number: 1165663

GfGD Annual Report 2024

-- Report and Financial Statements 2024 --

Geology for Global Development

C/O Dr Joel C. Gill, School of Earth and Environmental Science, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT

Registered Charity: 1165663

Trustees (during reporting period):

Nicholas Bilham (Chair)

Kirsty Dawkes Florence Bullough Marie Fleming Sarah Gordon PhD Natasha Dowey PhD

GfGD Annual Report 2024

Overview

Geology for Global Development (GfGD) is a registered charity (England and Wales) working internationally to mobilise and reshape the geoscience community to help deliver sustainable and resilient communities, as expressed in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Geoscience is critical to eradicating poverty, reducing inequality, ensuring environmental sustainability, and securing universal and fair access to natural resources (e.g., water), food, energy, education, and healthcare. Geoscience underpins the work needed to ensure current and future generations are resilient to natural hazards, have access to sustainable and planned urban environments, and respond decisively to global environmental change. Many of these themes are captured within the SDGs (and associated intergovernmental agreements), aiming to transform societies globally, leaving no one behind.

2024 marked the second full year of our strategy implementation period and was significant for us in deepening the partnerships required to address the lack of progress being made on many SDG targets. We were delighted to work closely with GESINA Initiative for Geoscience Sustainability working across West Africa to improve understanding of how geoscientists can deliver meaningful change. We joined a Global Policy Task Team, meeting regularly with representatives from other international geoscience organisations to strengthen the science policy interface. We joined with the International Union of Geological Science’s Commission on Geoscience Education to explore how teaching on natural hazards could be strengthened; public understanding of geoscience topics supports both informed action and holding those in authority to account. Partnerships are central to the Sustainable Development Goals, and we are committed to working with those who share our values and have aligned priorities.

Through 2024 we used the resources available to us to deliver the priorities set out in our strategy aiming to transform understanding of, access to, and capacity to use the geoscience required to implement the SDGs. We advanced research on topics including water management, climate action, and disaster risk reduction. We contributed to intergovernmental forums, reflecting on the critical role that geoscientists can make to sustainability goals. We supported training – through webinars and an open-access course – that benefit the global geoscience community and strengthen their ability to deliver a sustainable and resilient future.

Our work through 2024 was made possible through the contributions of volunteers, input from consultants, the generous support of donors, and valued collaborations with partners. We are particularly grateful to the International Union of Geological Sciences and Geolog for supporting our activities.

Here we set out our charitable objectives ( Section A ) and a summary of the strategy agreed in 2022 to help implement these objectives ( Section B ). We proceed to give a report on activities ( Section C ), a summary of our governance and management ( Section D ) and an overview of our finances in 2024 ( Section E ). We explain our progress towards improving Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in our work ( Section F ). We then look to the future, with details of events and opportunities in 2025 ( Section G ), and ways you can stay informed about our work ( Section H ).

GfGD Annual Report 2024

From Our Trustees

The trustees of GfGD have the privilege of hearing throughout the year about the fantastic work done by our talented and committed team of volunteers, project workers, and partners. We are delighted to be able to share just some of this work with you in this report, and hope you will want to explore further through the ever-growing set of resources on our website (www.gfgd.org) and elsewhere, and support and engage with our activities. The trustees continue to be inspired and impressed by the quality and range of outputs and impacts our team are able to achieve with modest resources. The time and energy of all those involved, while not reflected in our financial statements, is our most precious resource, and we are immensely grateful.

The trustees’ own responsibilities primarily concern setting the strategic direction of the organisation, and ensuring its good governance. We continue to make good progress in delivering our 10-year strategy, and 2024 also saw a strengthening of our risk management processes, increasingly effectively linked to strategy delivery. A particular focus was to continue strengthening the make-up and structure of our team. As anticipated in our annual report for 2023, Viki O’Connor was appointed co-CEO at the start of 2024, alongside Joel Gill (formerly Executive Director) who also became a co-CEO. Viki and Joel’s ability to work in partnership, focusing on their respective areas of responsibility while working seamlessly together, has made this potentially disruptive transition a very smooth and effective one. With the new Senior Leadership Team structure fully established – our co-CEOs, together with Paul Hubley (People and Policies Coordinator) and Jesse Zondervan (Communications Lead) – a priority in 2024 was to expand our team of volunteers, strengthening our research, policy engagement, partnership building and communications capacity. We are delighted to have appointed some very talented and experienced people to key roles, and they are already having a really positive impact.

As 2024 came to a close, we started the search for new trustees to help steer GfGD and ensure its effectiveness and good governance in the coming years, in part to fill the shoes of Kirsty Dawkes, who steps down in 2025 after six years as a trustee. This annual report is the last to which I will contribute as chair of trustees, as I will hand over this role during 2025, before stepping down as a trustee in 2026. It has been a great pleasure and privilege to be a trustee ever since GfGD was established as a charity in 2016, and in recent years to chair the board. In this time, GfGD has rapidly evolved, providing leadership in the geoscience community’s participation in UN events and processes, helping to establish sustainable development and social justice as core concerns for the global geoscience community, and becoming a trusted and respected provider of high-quality information and education at the geosciencedevelopment interface. We are an increasingly global organisation, in terms of both our work and those who contribute to it, as well as a valued partner to a growing range of other organisations, helping to promulgate our values and objectives through dialogue and collaboration. I am excited for the future of GfGD, and look forward to seeing all it will achieve in the coming years.

Nic Bilham Chair of Trustees

GfGD Annual Report 2024

A. Charitable Objectives

Geology for Global Development, established in 2011, is a registered charity working to mobilise and equip the geology community to prevent and relieve poverty. As stated in our Governing Constitution, Geology for Global Development provides public benefit (nationally and internationally) through the following charitable objectives:

In this context, we note sustainable development to mean ‘ development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs ’ as defined in the Brundtland Report (1987).

In meeting these objectives, we provide public benefit through advancing education, at all levels, of the role of geology in supporting sustainable development, as well as using geological science to prevent and relieve poverty. In setting our aims for the year and preparing this review, the trustees have given due regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit.

B. Strategy

In 2015, global leaders came together at the United Nations to agree an agenda for change. Driven by an ambitious vision of a ‘ world free of poverty, hunger, disease and want, where all life can thrive ’, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development set outs 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with 169 targets.

At Geology for Global Development, we share this vision. Our purpose is to help build a sustainable future for all by transforming understanding of, access to, and capacity to use the geoscience required to implement the SDGs.

The SDGs are science intensive - requiring research, innovation, capacity strengthening, and technology transfer. They also make clear the need to understand, monitor, protect, manage, and restore the natural environment. Geoscientists are therefore essential to their successful delivery. This role, however, is often insufficiently recognised by the geoscience community itself and many others contributing to sustainable development initiatives. Barriers prevent access to geoscience data and expertise that could support decision making. Inequalities within the

GfGD Annual Report 2024

geoscience community hold us back from making a full and rich contribution in sustainability contexts.

Recognising the need to address these challenges, and with a focus on ‘ leaving no one behind ’, four interlinked strategic priorities are shaping our activities from 2022 to 2031:

  1. Shape and advance the geoscience research and communication agenda for sustainable

development : Generating, and catalysing others to generate, knowledge, tools, and

techniques that address global challenges in an ethical[1] , pro-poor[2] , and integrated[3] manner.

  1. Understand and address the barriers that prevent geoscience being used effectively in sustainable development : Identifying and bridging gaps between knowledge, policy, and practice to improve the planning and implementation of sustainable development initiatives.

  2. Empower the global geoscience community to contribute to sustainable development : Building an equitable and connected global geoscience community, that is inspired and equipped to serve society.

  3. Create an organisation that models the values embedded in the Sustainable

Development Goals : Investing in people and processes to ensure a culture where all members of our team can thrive, our work can be appropriately scrutinised, and financial and environmental sustainability can be realised.

We will achieve the above priorities by delivering high quality research and analysis, actively engaging in policy processes, and strengthening capacity through education and training.

Our Geographical Focus

Working on these four interlinked priorities, we embrace the ‘leave no one behind’ ethos running through the 2030 Agenda. With an emphasis on respectful partnerships (as characterised in the next section), we will use our resources, expertise, networks and influence to address development priorities of those countries who are furthest behind. We define this by the internationally recognised standard of eligibility to receive Official Development Assistance (according to the OECD Development Assistance Committee list of ODA recipients[4] ).

We recognise that the actions of individuals, organisations and nations outside of these countries can affect their ability to achieve a sustainable future. Our work will therefore involve some activities with a broader geography, with these focusing on securing positive impact in countries eligible to receive Official Development Assistance.

1 Adhering to well-established principles regarding ethical conduct in research (as described in the UKRI ESRC Framework for Research Ethics), in the practice of geoscience (as described in the Cape Town Statement on Geoethics), and in international development (as described in the Global Code of Conduct for Research In Resource-Poor Settings).

2 A commitment to the ‘leave no one behind’ ethos of the SDGs, aiming to reduce poverty and support knowledge creation and impacts that are of particular, although not exclusive, benefit to those who are furthest behind.

3 Working with other disciplines, as appropriate, and ensuring sufficient regard is given to any potential unintended consequences of our work.

4 www.oecd.org/dac/financing-sustainable-development/development-finance-standards/daclist.htm

GfGD Annual Report 2024

Our Values and Commitments

The values below define our approach to all aspects of our work:

Integrity : We will align our conduct with what we know to be excellent.

Respect : We will ensure the defining characteristic of our communications (internal and external) is compassion.

Boldness : We are driven by an ambitious vision and will innovate to realise it.

Collaboration : We will cultivate relationships to deliver impact that leaves no one behind.

Humility : We have much to learn and will take steps to listen and grow.

As an organisation headquartered in the Global North, we recognise our responsibility to ensure that our activities do not propagate existing injustices or create new ones. We commit to:

C. Activities in 2024

In seeking to fulfil our objectives and provide broad public benefit, we have undertaken the following charitable activities, expressed through the first three of our strategic priorities. Information relating to the fourth strategic priority (create an organisation that models the values embedded in the Sustainable Development Goals) is embedded throughout this report.

1. Shape and advance the geoscience research and communication agenda for sustainable development :

GfGD Annual Report 2024

2. Understand and address the barriers that prevent geoscience being used effectively in sustainable development :

3. Empower the global geoscience community to contribute to sustainable development :

GfGD Annual Report 2024

In 2024, we partnered with a variety of organisations to deliver the activities above and advance our charitable objectives. We are an affiliated organisation of the International Union of

Geological Sciences (IUGS) and, in 2024, received a grant of £2,363 from them to support our work. We are a member of the Bond network of international development NGOs. We continued our collaboration with GESINA International, a dynamic initiative dedicated to cultivating Earth science interest in Nigeria and across Africa. We strengthened our engagement with international geoscience groups including the American Geophysical Union, the European Geosciences Union, the Geological Society of London, and the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics.

Summary

These activities demonstrate the positive impact of Geology for Global Development , with respect to our two primary charitable objectives.

GfGD Annual Report 2024

D. Governance and Management

Board of Trustees: Trustees have been appointed to oversee and guide our work, in accordance with our Governing Document (based on the Charity Commission’s ‘Foundation’ model

constitution for a Charitable Incorporated Organisation whose only voting members are its charity trustees).

Nic Bilham (Chair of Trustees)

Nic is a consultant working on sustainable mineral supply chains and responsible sourcing of raw materials.

Kirsty Dawkes

Kirsty has an MSci in Geological Sciences and is a Chartered Geologist through the Geological Society of London . She currently works in the energy sector, with international engagement.

Marie Fleming

Marie is an Engineering Geologist at Arup , based in Ireland. She is a former president of the Institute of Geologists of Ireland .

Flo Bullough

Flo has an MSci in Geology from Imperial College London and a background in geochemistry research, contaminated land and groundwater. She has expertise in policy, currently working for the Royal Academy of Engineering .

Natasha Dowey

Natasha lectures in physical geography at Sheffield Hallam University , with specialisms in hazards, volcanoes, and igneous geology.

Sarah Gordon

Sarah is a geologist and a co-founder of the risk management company, Satarla . She has previously worked for Anglo American , working around the world, and has a PhD in the chemistry of meteorites.

GfGD Annual Report 2024

Team: Day-to-day responsibility for the running of the charity is delegated to two co-Chief Executive Officers (co-CEOs) of Geology for Global Development, working alongside a Senior Leadership Team and a wider team of volunteers. In 2024, we expanded our team with new recruits based in the UK, Kenya, and Canada helping to strengthen our research, policy, partnerships, and communications activities.

Information about the Senior Leadership Team in 2024 is noted below, with full and up-to-date team information available on our website (www.gfgd.org/our-team).

Joel Gill (Co-CEO)

Joel is responsible for GfGD’s research, policy engagement, and impact delivery, working with Viki O’Connor to build and strengthen the partnerships required to implement our strategy.

Viki O'Connor (Co-CEO)

Viki is responsible for key aspects of GfGD's charity governance, financial and operational compliance, along with the longer-term diversification of GfGD’s income sources.

Paul Hubley (People and Policies Coordinator)

Paul ensures that the relevant processes and procedures are in place to ensure appropriate governance for GfGD and oversees volunteer training.

Jesse Zondervan (Communications Lead)

Jesse oversees the delivery and monitoring of our external communications through our various channels.

GfGD Annual Report 2024

E. Financial Overview

The accounts below document financial activity (income and expenditure) that occurred in 2024 and 2023. The Statement of Financial Activities is calculated on a cash basis. The Balance Sheet shows total funds including non-cash assets and liabilities. For full details of activity in 2016 to - 2023, please refer to previous GfGD Annual Reports (www.gfgd.org/annual reports).

Key observations include:

In 2024, the net movement in unrestricted funds (excluding the non-cash assets and liabilities shown on the Balance Sheet) was therefore £5,346. The total net movement in cash funds (including both unrestricted and restricted funds) was £5,346.

Our Charity Reserves Policy, updated in 2022, sets an ambition to ensure free reserves of six to nine months operational costs (or 50 to 75%). Based on budgeted expenditure of £10,201 in 2025, this equates to £5,101 to £7,651. At the end of 2024, based on our balance sheet, our free reserves stood at £14,271, exceeding our free reserves target. For 2025 we have budgeted approximately £5,000 more expenditure than income, as part of our plans to scale up our work following the recent leadership changes; this will reduce the free reserves during 2025, however we are still projected to be above the six-to-nine-month target. The level of reserves held by the organisation will be monitored carefully by the Trustees and Senior Leadership Team.

Many of our activities were delivered through the dedication of a team of volunteers, representing significant in-kind support not shown in our financial statements. We are very grateful to all those who gave their time in 2024 to help realise our charitable objectives.

GfGD Annual Report 2024

GfGD Statement Of Financial Activities (as at 31 December 2024)

Income and endowments from:
Donations and legacies
Activities for Generating Funds (Fundraising Events)
Charitable activities
Other trading activities
Investment income
Total Income
Expenditure on:
Costs of Generating Voluntary Receipts
Raising funds
Investment Management Costs
Charitable activities
Governance Costs
Total Expenditure
Surplus/(Deficit) of income over expenditure
Net gains/(losses) on investments
Net income/(expenditure)
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
Unrestricted
Funds (£)
Restricted
Funds (£)
Total
2024 (£)
Total
2023 (£)
7,709
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
7,709
--
--
--
--
3,541
--
--
--
--
7,709 -- 7,709 3,541
--
--
--
(2,363)
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
(2,363)
--
--
--
--
(4,136)
--
(2,363) -- (2,363) (4,136)
5,346
--
--
--
5,346 (595)
--
5,346
--
--
--
5,346 (595)
--
5,346 -- 5,346 (595)
8,925 200 9,125 9,720
Total funds carried forward 14,271 200 14,471 9,125

GfGD Annual Report 2024

Balance Sheet (as at 31 December 2023)

Fixed Assets
Tangible Assets
Investments
2024 (£) 2023 (£)
--
--
--
--
Total Fixed Assets -- --
Current Assets
Debtors: Due in one year
Debtors: Due after one year
Cash at Bank and in hand
--
--
14,471
--
--
9,125
Total Current Assets 14,471 9,125
Current Liabilities
Creditors due within one year
Net current assets
--
14,471
--
9,125
Total assets less current liabilities 14,471 9,125
Funds
Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds1
14,271
200
8,925
200
Total Funds 14,471 9,125

Cash Flow Statement (as at 31 December 2023)

Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net cash provided by investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net cash provided by financing activities
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period
Change in cash and cash equivalents due to exchange rate movements
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period
2024 (£) 2023 (£)
5,346
--
--
5,346
9,125
--
14,471
(595)
--
--
(595)
9,720
--
9,125

1 Money raised for a project building resilience to volcanic hazards in Guatemala.

GfGD Annual Report 2024

F. Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

In our 2020 annual report, we recognised the need to listen, learn, and implement change where needed to help deliver a more diverse and inclusive geoscience community. Being accountable to both our supporters and beneficiaries, we note below some of our work on EDI in 2024:

Our work to improve monitoring of EDI within GfGD, taking actions where needed, and support the wider geoscience community to be a more equal, diverse and inclusive environment, continues through 2025.

G. Looking to the Future

In 2025, we will continue to deliver high quality and impact-driven research, engage in international policy mechanisms, and support education and capacity strengthening at all levels. Selected examples of planned work include:

GfGD Annual Report 2024

Updates on these activities will be detailed in our 2025 Annual Report (published in 2026), with live updates regularly posted on our website and social media.

H. Further Information

Find the latest GfGD news, events and opportunities to get involved on our website

(www.gfgd.org), Facebook (www.facebook.com/gfgd.org), LinkedIn

(www.linkedin.com/company/gfgd), and X (formerly known as Twitter)

(www.twitter.com/Geo_Dev).

Download this Annual Report and Review from our website (www.gfgd.org/annual-reports).

Geology for Global Development Geology for Global Development Geology for Global Development 1165663 CC16a
Receipts andpayments accounts
For the period
from
01-Jan-24 To 31-Dec-24
Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest
£
7,709
-
-
-
7,709
-
-
-
7,709
-
-
-
2,363
-
2,363
-
-
2,363
5,346
-
8,925
14,271
Restricted
funds
to the nearest £
Endowment
funds
to the nearest £
Total funds
to the nearest £
Last year
to the nearest £
Voluntary Receipts (Donations, Legacies
and Grants)
7,709 -
-
-
-
-
- 7,709 3,541
Investment Dividends/Interest - - - -
Activities for Generating Funds
(FundraisingEvents)
- - -
Charitable Activities - - - -
Other receipts - -
-
-
7,709
-
~~Sub total~~(Gross income for AR) 7,709 3,541
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- -
-
-
- - -
- -
-
-
-
-
~~Sub total~~ - -
Total receipts
A3 Payments
- - 7,709 3,541

Costs of GeneratingVoluntaryReceipts
- -
-
-
-
-
-
- - -
FundraisingCosts - - - -
Investment Management Costs - - - -
Costs of Charitable Activities 2,363 - 2,363 4,136
Governance Costs - -
-
-
2,363
-
**Sub total ** 2,363 4,136
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- -
-
-
-
- -
**Sub total ** - - -
Total payments
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end
- - 2,363 4,136
5,346 -
-
5,346 - 595
- -
200
- - -
8,925 - 9,125 9,720
14,271 200 - 14,471 9,125

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

08/08/2025

1

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Categories
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
B5 Liabilities
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
B3 Investment assets
B2 Other monetary assets
B1 Cash funds
N. DOWEY
Details
Signature
Details
Details
Details
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Details
Cash at Bank
Total cash funds
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
14,271
200
-
-
-
-
14,271
200
OK
OK
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(optional)
-
-
-
Nic Bilham
Natasha Dowey
Print Name
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
OK
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
When due (optional)
Date of approval
Nic Bilham 22-Jul-25
N. DOWEY Natasha Dowey 22-Jul-25

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

08/08/2025

2