Overall GiG Score: 24 ?
Finance Score: 0
Governance Score: 6
Support Score: 18
  • Strong growth: +2
  • Multiple Deficits: -2
  • Good trustee age range: +3
  • Dynamic board: +3
  • Large volunteers +3
  • Grant maker support: +15

THE ACCESS PROJECT 

Overview

The Access Project (TAP) works with high-potential students from disadvantaged backgrounds, providing in-school and online personalised tuition to help them gain access to top universities.

Support of partner Impetus has helped to develop programmes and refined the way they impact students. The mass adoption of video tutoring during the pandemic has further propelled their expansions nationwide.

External evaluations have confirmed that TAP students have a significantly higher chance of winning a place at a selective University than similar peers. Graduates of the programme have commended TAP on the support given and alumni have even gone on to join their Trustee Board.

Source: Giving is Great

Mission:

Supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds to access top universities through tuition and mentoring
Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

  • This charity has been successful in attracting volunteers relative to its size
  • The charity has received backing from multiple prominent grant makers recently
  • There has been strong growth in spending over the last 5 years
  • The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of age and dynamic in terms of composition

Financial issues to consider:

  • On several occasions in recent years income has been less than spending
Established: 13 years

www.theaccessproject.org.uk

info@theaccessproject.org.uk

0204 513 5999

Charity Commission for England and WalesCompanies HouseFacebookInstagramXYouTube
UN SDGs
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How you can help

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?
Sources of Income ?
Y/E Income
£k
Spending
£k
Surplus/
Deficit
Fundraising
Cost £k
Total
Funds £k
Unrestricted
Funds £k
Mths
Rsrvs
Staff Volun-
teers
31/08/23£3,518£3,272£246£351£1,020£9663.5651,300
31/08/22£2,756£3,150£-393£416£774£7512.9671,700
31/08/21£2,814£2,751£63£310£1,167£1,1585.1631,812
31/08/20£2,173£2,438£-266£438£1,105£1,0775.3571,446
31/08/19£2,663£2,136£527£256£1,370£1,3707.7501,441
31/08/18£1,984£1,749£236£183£843£8505.8430
31/08/17£1,490£1,181£309£38£607£5956320
31/08/16£1,012£945£67£24£298£2873.6270
31/08/15£787£752£35£38£231£2043.3200
31/08/14*£524£510£14£5£196£771.8160
31/08/13£371£362£9£0£0£0n/a00
31/08/12£218£45£173£0£0£0n/a00

Financial Ratios
Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 10.1%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 10.7%
Senior Staff Costs/Total Spending: 9%
Highest pay band: £90,000-£100,000
Liabilities/Assets: 49%
Liabilities/Income: 28%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 95%
Reserves/Spending: 3.5 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 4 months
Quick Ratio: 2.1
Asset Split ?
Comment: School fees have become a substantial element of income and contribute a significant amount towards each school programme's running costs. Support from partner Impetus has also been significant in their growth

Source: Giving is Great

What it does
  • Education/Training
  • Recreation
The Access Project help motivated students from disadvantaged backgrounds win places at top universities. This is accomplished through a unique combination of tuition and in-school mentoring, creating applications, improving grades and helping young people transition successfully to the next stage of their education
Who works here?
  • 65 employees
  • 1,300 volunteers
Who it helps
  • Children/Young People
How it operates
  • Provides advocacy/advice/information
  • Provides human resources
  • Provides services
Where it operates
  • Birmingham City, Nottinghamshire, Throughout London,

Who's supporting them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following significant donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Major supporters in last 5 years
Impetus PEF£1,000,000
The EQ Foundation£130,000
Garfield Weston Foundation£125,000
Dulverton Trust£106,667
Tuixen Foundation£40,000
Specific Donations
Amount When
Months
To be used for
Nesta - AC01135
£15,000 21/05/2020
1
COVID19 Emergency Fund programme grant to The Access Project Grant Ref AC01135
Dulverton Trust - TAP Core Costs outside London
£40,000 07/02/2024
TAP Core Costs outside London
The EQ Foundation - Grant to The Access Project
£30,000 14/04/2023
12
Unrestricted
Impetus PEF -
£275,000 01/08/2022
Tuixen Foundation - Core grant to The Access Project
£40,000 19/07/2022
The Access Project use tutoring and in-school mentoring to helping disadvantaged children get to top universities
Garfield Weston Foundation - Multi-Year Grant (2 Years) award
£75,000 08/07/2022
Core Costs
David & Elaine Potter Foundation - Core funding
£20,000 28/04/2022
Core funding
The EQ Foundation - Grant to The Access Project
£50,000 15/03/2022
Unrestricted
Dulverton Trust - The Access Project in the Midlands and Bradford
£50,000 28/10/2021
The Access Project in the Midlands and Bradford
Woodward Charitable Trust - Core costs
£5,000 27/10/2021
Towards core costs
Impetus PEF -
£125,000 01/07/2021
CHK Foundation - CHK Discretionary Grant
£20,000 23/03/2021
to support specified work
The EQ Foundation - Grant to THE ACCESS PROJECT
£25,000 15/02/2021
For programme at Kensington Aldridge Academy
Garfield Weston Foundation - Main Grants award
£50,000 25/09/2020
Working together to help transform the lives of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds
Impetus PEF -
£275,000 01/07/2020
Dulverton Trust - Online tuition pilot (TAP)
£16,667 10/06/2020
Online tuition pilot (TAP)
The EQ Foundation - Grant to THE ACCESS PROJECT
£25,000 10/01/2020
For programme at Kensington Aldridge Academy
Impetus PEF -
£325,000 01/07/2019
The EQ Foundation - Grant to THE ACCESS PROJECT
£25,000 02/03/2019
For programme at Kensington Aldridge Academy
Impetus PEF -
£340,000 01/07/2018
Garfield Weston Foundation - Main Grants award
£20,000 18/06/2018
Bright young minds on a mission
The EQ Foundation - Grant to THE ACCESS PROJECT
£25,000 11/11/2017
To fund programme at Kensington Aldridge Academy
The EQ Foundation - Grant to THE ACCESS PROJECT
£25,000 11/11/2017
To fund additional tutoring
Impetus PEF -
£302,500 01/07/2017
Nesta - AC00626
£113,000 31/03/2017
19
Click Connect Learn programme grant to The Access Project Grant Ref AC00626
Nesta - AC00629
£39,013 31/03/2017
15
Second Half Fund programme grant to The Access Project Grant Ref AC00629
DCMS - Second Half Fund
£41,750 31/03/2017
Nesta is undertaking a programme called the ?Second Half Fund? (?the Programme?) which is supported and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport through the Office for Civil Society. The ....more
DCMS - Click Connect Learn
£56,500 31/03/2017
Nesta is undertaking a programme called the ?Click Connect Learn Fund? (?the Programme?) which is supported and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport through the Office for Civil ....more
The EQ Foundation - Grant to THE ACCESS PROJECT
£25,000 15/11/2016
To fund additional tutoring
Impetus PEF -
£255,500 01/07/2016
The EQ Foundation - Grant to THE ACCESS PROJECT
£25,000 15/11/2015
To fund additional tutoring
Nesta - AC00363
£100,953 13/12/2013
Centre for Social Action Innovation Fund programme grant to The Access Project Grant Ref AC00363
Show more rows

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (9)
Current Trustees appointed
Gender Split

Age Range of Trustees: 29-63
Commentary:It is notable that graduates of their programme now sit on their Board
  • ANDREW BURNS Appointed: 2016 Occupation: Executive Principal, Ormiston Academies Trust
Graduate of the The Access Project
Graduate of the The Access Project
Legal constitution
  • Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 21/07/2011, number: 1143011
  • Registered at Companies House on 17/12/2010, number: 07473072
Gift Aid
  • Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid
Event History
Policies in force
  • Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
  • Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures
  • Complaints handling
  • Complaints policy and procedures
  • Conflicting interests
  • Financial reserves policy and procedures
  • Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
  • Internal risk management policy and procedures
  • Investing charity funds policy and procedures
  • Paying staff
  • Risk management
  • Safeguarding policy and procedures
  • Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
  • Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
  • Social media policy and procedures
  • Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
  • Trustee expenses policy and procedures
  • Volunteer management
Filing Record
12 returns made; AR14: 6 days late,
Recent reorganisation events:
  • Asset transfer in from THE ROTHSCHILD & CO BURSARY FOUNDATION on 16/05/2023
Main office

The Access Project
First Floor
Canopi-Borough
7-14 Great Dover Street
London

Objectives

A) TO ADVANCE FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN SUCH WAYS AS THE TRUSTEES THINK FIT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:- MAKING FACILITIES AND SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THEM WITH THE PARTICULAR (BUT NOT LIMITED) AIM OF HELPING THEM WIN PLACES AT UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES OR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION; AND- AWARDING TO OR PROCURING THE AWARD TO THEM OF FINANCIAL OR OTHER SUPPORT.(B) TO PROVIDE FOR THE RECREATION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE BY PROVIDING FACILITIES AND SERVICES TO THEM, WITH THE PARTICULAR (BUT NOT LIMITED) AIM OF HELPING STUDENTS GAIN PLACES AT UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES OR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

Data Sources

Charity Commission for England and Wales
360 Giving
CharityBase

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