Higher Education Policy Institute

Ratios have to be put in context. They should be read in conjunction with the charity’s financial statements on which they’re based if they are to be interpreted correctly and sound conclusions drawn. For example the accounting rules affect what can be classed as income or expenditure. Where a charity which purchases land to further its objects the accounting rules do not permit including the purchase cost as charitable spending in its accounts. Instead it is ‘capitalised’ and shown on the balance sheet. Similarly a charity that receives an endowment it can’t spend may have a lower percentage of charitable spending as a proportion of income in the year of receipt as compared to the previous year as a result. Ratios may also be affected by the way a charity operates. For example, a charity which primarily generates income from investments may have lower cost of raising funds than one which employs fundraisers. A grant-making charity funding other charities to undertake an activity will have much lower staffing costs compared to a charity employing staff to perform that activity.