NCVO increased membership and saw income rise 8 per cent in the year to March 2015, but would have seen a 4 per cent drop in income were it not for a merger with the Charities Evaluation Service.
According to its annual report and review for the year ending March 2015, published today, NCVO’s income rose from £9.6m to £10.4m. However £1.1m of this was down to assets transferred to it from the Charities Evaluation Service during a merger.
Membership rose by around 700 to over 11,500, and income from membership subscriptions went up by £29,000 to £931,000.
However grant and project income fell by £770,000, largely down to the end of funding for the Big Lottery Fund Stronger Communities project, which was worth £477,000 last year.
Total resources expended throughout the year was £8.8m, down by £131,000. The accounts show that NCVO’s total staff costs for the year were £5.2m.
The highest earning employee is its chief executive, Sir Stuart Etherington, who had an annual salary of £133,384, up by £3,000 on the year before. The average number of employees at NCVO remained consistent, with 105 employees in 2015.
NCVO closed its defined benefit pension scheme to future accruals in 2011, and at the end of the year its pension deficit was £6m, a significant change from £3.83m in the previous year.
Martyn Lewis, chair of NCVO, said: “This has been a positive year for NCVO, with membership and income both up. The figures in our accounts will always be affected by the start or end of any large projects, or in the case of this year, the end of our government grant, but what is important is that our strategy to continue growing earned income is proving effective.
“This will ensure that NCVO’s core work of representing our members and helping them to make a bigger difference will continue to be sustainable for the future. I firmly believe that the sector is at its strongest when we act together, so I am grateful as ever for the continued support of our members.”
In April 2014 NCVO launched its new five year strategy, with its core aims being to champion volunteering and the voluntary sector, strengthen organisations, grow and enhance volunteering and connect people and organisations.
In addition to the merger with CES, NCVO also took on of the core services of the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation.
