Sense about Science is an independent registered charity and our accounts are available on the Charity Commission website. Our work is made possible thanks to the generosity of a range of funders, including scientists, members of the public, trusts and foundations, professional and learned societies, universities, and scholarly publishers.
We recognise that there is a public interest in the funding of charitable organisations and are committed to openness and transparency about the sources of our funding. We provide a detailed breakdown of our funding, listing all organisations who have given over £100 in our annual reports (available below).
As our funding policy makes clear, Sense about Science maintains independence from its funders who do not influence our work in return for their financial support.
We don’t generally take commercial donations. The exception to this is from science publishers, most of whom are now commercial, who we ask to support work on researcher skills and outreach. We are not against commercial donations in principle, but in practice it is hard to think of a sector where it wouldn’t be compromising. We don’t usually seek direct government funding for the same reason.
In the early 2000s, when Sense about Science was first established, it was normal for companies in the UK to make charitable donations with minimal engagement with recipients. In our early days we did seek donations from businesses, but stopped doing so when the culture changed, and commercial interests became more strategic.
Annual Funding Reports:
Sense about Science Annual Income Review 2023/2024
Sense about Science Annual Income Review 2022/23
Sense about Science Annual Income Review 2021/2022
Sense about Science Annual Income Review 2020/2021
Sense about Science Annual Income Review 2019/2020
Sense about Science Annual Income Review 2018/2019
Sense about Science Annual Income Review 2017/2018
Sense about Science Annual Income Review 2016/2017
