Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Friends Of The Nations' Libraries

Also known as: Friends of the National Libraries

Grants to promote the acquisition by national and regional libraries and archives of printed books, manuscripts and records of historical, literary, artistic, architectural, musical or such like interest and to assist the libraries in any other way which the Charity considers appropriate.

Email Charity

Activities & Mission

Grants to promote the acquisition by national and regional libraries and archives of printed books, manuscripts and records of historical, literary, artistic, architectural, musical or such like interest and to assist the libraries in any other way which the Charity considers appropriate.

Areas of Operation

Where this charity is registered to operate, as self-declared to the Charity Commission. These are regulatory classifications, not a list of active programmes, and don't necessarily indicate fundraising activity in each location.

Financial Information

Latest Income
£457,571
Latest Expenditure
£479,727

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 88.2%
% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 51% of UK Arts charities with income £100K to £1M (sample: 293). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 89.6%
% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 29% of UK Arts charities with income £100K to £1M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 12.9%
Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 29% of UK Arts charities with income £100K to £1M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?

Latest Financial Breakdown

Income Sources

Donations & Legacies £477,463
Charitable Activities £46,516
Other Trading £0
Investments £241,305
Other Income £240

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £675,150
Raising Funds £78,285
Governance £19,099
Grants to Institutions £656,051
Other Expenditure £0

Financial Trend

Annual Returns

As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2025.

Financial YearIncomeExpenditureCharitable SpendingNet AssetsReservesStaff
2025
£457,571
£479,7270 / 1
2024
£765,524
£753,435£675,150£6,310,868£6,310,8680 / 0
2023
£584,471
£377,048£275,021£6,090,407£6,090,4070 / 3
2022
£1,979,227
£1,427,106£1,351,355£5,747,531£5,747,5310 / 3
2021
£16,347,392
£15,349,544£15,261,885£5,664,087£5,664,0870 / 2

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about Friends Of The Nations' Libraries

What does Friends Of The Nations' Libraries do?

Grants to promote the acquisition by national and regional libraries and archives of printed books, manuscripts and records of historical, literary, artistic, architectural, musical or such like interest and to assist the libraries in any other way which the Charity considers appropriate.

How much income did Friends Of The Nations' Libraries report in 2025?

Friends Of The Nations' Libraries reported total income of £458k and reported expenditure of £480k for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is Friends Of The Nations' Libraries?

Friends Of The Nations' Libraries has a program ratio of 88.2%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 51% of UK Arts charities with income £100K to £1M (sample of 293 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was Friends Of The Nations' Libraries registered as a charity?

Friends Of The Nations' Libraries was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 22 March 1963 as charity number 313020. It has been registered for 63 years.

Who runs Friends Of The Nations' Libraries?

Friends Of The Nations' Libraries is governed by a board of 14 trustees. The chair of trustees is Mr Geordie Greig. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does Friends Of The Nations' Libraries operate?

Friends Of The Nations' Libraries operates across 3 areas: Northern Ireland, Scotland and England And Wales.

Is Friends Of The Nations' Libraries a registered charity?

Yes — Friends Of The Nations' Libraries is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 313020.

Details

Address
PO BOX 4291
Reading
Berkshire
RG8 9JA
Registration Date
22 March 1963
Status
Registered

Registry Information

Organisation Number
313020
Charity Number
313020

Is this your charity?

Add your logo, photos and tell the story behind the numbers in your own words. Free for our first 50 launch partners.

Claim this listing Learn more about premium profiles

Other notable Arts charities

Major UK charities in the same primary sector, drawn from the curated priority cohort.

Trustees

Mr Geordie Greig Chair
Anothy Colin Richard Davis
Artemis Clare Antonia Cooper
Charles Adam Laurie Sebag-Montefiore CBE
Christopher Henry Charles Whittick
Also governs 4 other charities
Dr Amina Shah
Dr George Boothen Morris
Dr Jessica Pearsall Gardner
Dr Rhodri Llwyd Morgan
Professor Kathryn Sutherland
Also governs 1 other charity
Professor RICHARD OVENDEN OBE
Also governs 4 other charities
STEPHEN PETER CLARKE
Also governs 1 other charity
Thomas William Ayling
Tina Michelle Morton

Sectors & Classifications

Arts Associations Charitable activities Heritage

Also Known As

  • Friends of the National Libraries

Data & trust

Register data refreshed
30 July 2026
Report a data issue