Revitalising Trusts Programme helps charities access dormant funds

The Charity Commission launched the Revitalising Trusts Programme in 2018 to support charities that are deemed inactive or ineffective. The programme helps trustees ensure that charitable funds are applied for public benefit and in furtherance of their charity’s objects.

A charity is classified as ‘inactive’ if it has either:

• Not submitted an annual return for five years
• Reported nil income and nil expenditure for five years.

The definition of a charity classified as ‘ineffective’ is slightly wider in scope and applies to charities that:

• Are up to date with their annual return submissions, but
• Have spent less than 30% of their combined income over the last five years.

There are many reasons why charities in England and Wales may become inactive or ineffective, including difficulties in recruiting new trustees, identifying suitable beneficiaries, finding time to administer the charity, spending income in furtherance of its objects or accessing funds held in the charity’s bank account.

The programme can assist charities in a number of ways, including:

• Facilitating the transfer of assets to another charity with similar purposes
• Varying the charity’s objects to enable it to operate more effectively
• Supporting the winding up of a charity where no assets remain.

Where trustees are unable to access funds held in the charity’s bank account, the Commission can use its statutory powers to direct the bank to release or transfer those funds.

The programme aims to redirect dormant charitable funds to charities with similar charitable purposes, to be applied in furtherance of their own objects, while remaining in line with the original intention of the inactive or ineffective charity’s founders. As of September 2025, over £12.3m has been revitalised in Wales alone and nearly £80m redistributed across England since the programme began in 2018.

One beneficiary of the programme is Daring to Dream, a charity supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of adult hospital patients in Wales. Using the otherwise dormant funds, the charity developed a stronger online presence through new website and social media content, significantly improving its visibility and reach.

David Holdsworth, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, visited Daring to Dream last year and said: “I’m heartened to know that our Revitalising Trusts Programme has played a part in helping Daring to Dream gain new supporters and expand their reach to more families. With more funding they’ve been able to showcase their services which includes offering spaces for families to come together for therapeutic activities, comfort and connection.”

This is just one example of how the Revitalising Trusts Programme is ensuring that charitable funds continue to make a difference.