Finance Score: 1
Governance Score: 9
Support Score: 3
  • Low unrestricted reserves: -2
  • Fundraising costs low: +3
  • Good trustee age range: +3
  • Dynamic board: +3
  • Gender balanced board: +3
  • Overall weighted support: +3
Overall GiG Score: 13 ?

RENEWABLE WORLD

Overview

Renewable World work with a network of local partners and remote energy-poor communities to develop clean, affordable, and innovative renewable energy solutions that service families living without any means of safe and reliable power. These include solar devices, water pumps, biogas recycling and clean cooking stoves, and are locally sourced and small scale so communities can access them long term.

Their major base of projects is in Nepal, where their effective programme team are transforming communities by providing partners with a combination of funding, capacity building and knowledge sharing that enhance implementation.

Sustained growth has been supported by their corporate carbon offsetting programme and aided progress in strategic goals. Involvement of local governments in continued growth will be key as they reach even further to impact the most remote rural communities in the future.

Source: Giving is Great

Mission:

To develop and deploy effective ways of bringing renewable energy at scale to poor communities, empowering them to achieve sustainable and resilient livelihoods
Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

  • The charity has received backing from a grant maker
  • Fundraising costs are low relative to funds raised
  • The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of age and gender and dynamic in terms of composition

Financial issues to consider:

  • Unrestricted reserves appear to be dangerously low at the latest year end

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?
Sources of Income ?
Y/E Income
£k
Spending
£k
Surplus/
Deficit £k
Fundraising
Cost £k
Total
Funds £k
Unrestricted
Funds £k
Mths
Rsrvs
Staff Volun-
teers
31/03/23£1,877£1,704£173£171£1,212£3872.72910
31/03/22£3,426£3,130£296£150£1,065£3991.52616
31/03/21£1,780£1,471£309£135£770£1571.3218
31/03/20£1,016£886£130£166£465£1221.71415
31/03/19£763£752£11£199£341£981.61612
31/03/18£750£808£-59£176£328£1251.9160
31/03/17£837£865£-28£190£398£1111.5170
31/03/16£704£625£80£164£423£1192.3130
31/03/15£597£492£105£119£346£1092.780
31/03/14£458£329£129n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/13£577£702£-125£134£112£540.990
31/03/12£573£524£49£148£240£1533.560
31/03/11£385£331£53n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/10£283£201£83n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/09£84£80£4n/an/an/an/an/an/a
31/03/08£81£31£50n/an/an/an/an/an/a

Financial Ratios
Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 9.2%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 10.1%
Senior Staff Costs/Total Spending: 5%
Highest pay band: £60,000-£70,000
Liabilities/Assets: 7%
Liabilities/Income: 5%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 32%
Reserves/Spending: 2.7 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 8 months
Quick Ratio: 10.3
Asset Split ?
Balance Sheet History
Comment: Their most significant income stream is from Octopus Energy (a major UK energy retailer specialising in clean electricity supply). With expert carbon offsetting partners, they curate a portfolio of projects to offset thousands of tonnes of carbon generated by Octopus Super Green Gas Tariff customers. The funds produced from this work are then distributed to Renewable World projects.

Source: Giving is Great

Established: 17 years

www.renewable-world.org

getintouch@renewable-world.org

01273076050

Charity Commission for England and WalesCompanies HouseFacebookInstagramXYouTube
UN SDGs
?
How you can help
What it does
Renewable World tackles poverty through renewable energy. It works in East Africa and South Asia to promote affordable reliable energy services for poor consumers to improve income generation, enterprise development, health & education. Our unique relationship with the Renewable Energy industry allows us to leverage skills, expertise and resources to support and develop our work.
Listed activities
  • Economic/Community Development/Employment
  • Education/Training
  • Environment/Conservation/Heritage
  • Overseas Aid/Famine Relief
  • The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
GiG Classification
  • Climate emergency
How it operates
  • Acts as an umbrella or resource body
  • Makes grants to organisations
  • Other charitable activities
  • Provides advocacy/advice/information
  • Provides human resources
  • Provides services
  • Sponsors or undertakes research
Where it operates
  • Brighton And Hove, Kenya, Nepal, Tanzania,
Who it helps
  • Children/Young People
  • Elderly/Old People
  • Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
  • The General Public/Mankind

Who supports them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

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

Specific Donations
Amount When
Months
To be used for
The EQ Foundation - Grant to RENEWABLE WORLD
£25,000 15/02/2022
Big Give Champion Pledge
Dulverton Trust - Improving livelihoods of fishing communities
£35,000 14/02/2018
Improving livelihoods of fishing communities
Dulverton Trust - renewable energy hubs by Lake Victoria
£35,000 11/02/2016
renewable energy hubs by Lake Victoria
National Lottery Community Fund - Solar MUS for Sustainable Livelihoods
£504,688 31/10/2014
36
Not Available
National Lottery Community Fund - Solar MUS for Sustainable Livelihoods
£14,356 18/12/2013
9
Solar MUS for Sustainable Livelihoods

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How do they operate?

Solar Multi-Use Water System (SolarMUS) Projects

Objectives: To empower rural communities to lift themselves out of poverty through increasing access to water sources

Beneficiaries: Impoverished communities in developing countries

Description: The SolarMUS uses energy from the sun to pump water from a distant source to storage tanks strategically placed above a community. These tanks store a large amounts of water, usually up to 3 days worth and ensure a reliable supply of water year-round. The SolarMUS is best used in hilly regions where communities live above their nearest water source. They can also be useful for communities who live in flat areas but are simply a long distance away from a dependable supply of water. Renewable World work with communities to install the SolarMUS systems in order to improve access to water for household as well as agricultural use. They support communities with water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) training, agricultural training as well as the tools and skills that they need to maintain the system

....more
Solar Microgrid Projects

Objectives: To empower rural communities to lift themselves out of poverty through increasing access to a sustainable energy sources

Beneficiaries: Impoverished communities in developing countries

Description: Solar microgrids are integrated networks or grids of power. Using energy generated from the sun, the system captures, stores, and distributes clean electricity to an entire community. This is done by installing large, high quality solar panels and batteries in a central location. Sometimes called a hub, this central location is where all the technology is stored in a secure room, often underneath the solar panels themselves. Once the technology has been installed, the solar microgrid is completed by connecting electrical wiring from the central power location to nearby houses, businesses, and farms. These systems not only provide lighting and household electricity needs, but they can also be used to power irrigation pumps and mean once dry farmlands can rejuvenate to produce vegetables to be eaten or sold at nearby markets.

Biogas Recycling System Projects

Objectives: To empower rural communities to lift themselves out of poverty through increasing access to a sustainable energy sources

Beneficiaries: Impoverished communities in developing countries

Description: Biogas systems rely on the natural interaction between micro-organisms and organic wastes such as manure, sewage, agricultural by-products, and discarded food to produce a clean and energy-efficient burnable gas. The gas is distributed through a network of pipes and is used for cooking and heating. Biogas systems are appropriate in remote areas that lack commercial energy sources such as an electricity or natural gas utility providers. They can also be wonderful supplemental energy sources, limiting the amount of commercial electricity consumed. They are most effective in areas where people depend on traditional energy such as firewood, kerosene, paraffin, or dried animal waste for their cooking and heating needs. Biogas systems are well suited for areas with large quantities of organic waste, such as communities with

....more
Clean Cooking Stove Projects

Objectives: To empower rural communities to lift themselves out of poverty through increasing access to a sustainable energy sources

Beneficiaries: Impoverished communities in developing countries

Description: The primary goal of a clean cooking stove is to reduce the amount of polluting and harmful fuels that households use every day to put food on the table. While each stove design is different, it is made to ensure maximum efficiency, or in some cases, complete elimination of common fuels such as firewood, coal, kerosene, dried animal waste, and more. The result is less indoor air pollution and smoke, reducing impacts not only on climate change, but also preventing serious health complications and premature deaths within families.

Renewable World are supporting projects that employ two different clean cook stove designs: a parabolic solar cooker design in China and a more energy-efficient version of the traditional stove design in Nepal. The solar-powered cooker uses a dish (similar to what is used to capture

....more
Hydraulic Ram Pump (Hydram) Projects

Objectives: To empower rural communities to lift themselves out of poverty through increasing access to water sources

Beneficiaries: Impoverished communities in developing countries

Description: The hydraulic ram pump, commonly referred to as a hydram, pumps water from its source to a community. It utilises the natural power of falling or rapidly moving water, meaning the hydram requires zero external energy supply to operate. This process works on a principle called water hammer, where a large amount of quickly moving water is pushed through a small opening to create pressure. As pressure builds within the system it reaches a critical point that then lifts a fraction of the water flow. These smaller amounts of water are repeatedly lifted and ultimately collected in a storage tank placed above a community. The storage tank then feeds water back down to the community using gravity. A single hydram can lift water up to 200 vertical metres and supplies roughly 20,000 litres of water per

....more
How effective are they?
Outputs
Outcomes
Y/EMegawatt hours of renewable energy supplied per yearLitres of water pumped per year by renewable energy technology providedCommunities reachedPeople reached through work, delivering renewable energy technology and associated services
31/03/20211,350238,000,00010266,570
Notes: Evidence of impact was derived from research, evaluations and monitoring that Renewable World's in country technical teams verify. Figures in reporting will be correct at the time of publishing but are based on some assumptions e.g. estimates of renewable energy technologies used by beneficiaries in local communities. Where possible, they factor in double counting of intervention users into outcomes.

See what you could achieve with a donation of: £
How do we calculate this?

Who works here?

  • PHIL BROWN
    Chief Executive Officer
    Appointed: October 2021
Phil brings over 20 years’ experience in leadership and technical roles in the public and private sector, most recently as a senior advisor in PwC’s international development practice. Between 2002-2015, he worked for the UK Department for International Development (DFID). His last position was as the Senior Regional Trade and Economic Integration for Southern Africa, based in South Africa. Before leaving government in 2016, he led a ....more
  • MARIE HOUNSLOW
    Head of Fundraising and Communications
    Appointed: October 2013
Marie comes to Renewable World having previously worked in a variety of fundraising, campaign and communications roles for WWF and other charities. She has a professional interest in tackling poverty through the environment. She also helped raise £5 million for a capital appeal for a centre for disabled children in Birmingham. Career highlights include project managing WWF-UK’s 50th Anniversary celebrations and working for LOGOC on the London ....more
  • KATE GIBSON
    Trusts and Foundations Manager
    Appointed: February 2018
Kate has a background in international programme development at Christian Aid and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, She moved from programme management into programme funding and later into broader fundraising for UK charities, including a Brighton-based charity working with homeless people and a hospice in Sussex. More recently, she has been involved at a senior level in philanthropy in the international animal welfare sector.
  • HELEN RUSSELL
    Grants and Impact Manager
    Appointed: October 2013
Helen has a background is in project management and International Development, with a focus on development work in Asia. Prior to joining Renewable World, she spent 18 months working in Nepal as a project manager for TechnoServe implementing a USAID funded project with the Tibetan Refugee community; focusing on livelihood development and youth empowerment. Helen has a Master’s degree from the University of East Anglia in International ....more
  • EMILY JESSHOPE
    Fundraising and Events Manager
    Appointed: November 2015
After graduating from the University of Bristol with a degree in French and Spanish, Emily spent five years travelling, working and volunteering in South America. During this time she became involved in a number of grassroots projects, working in the fields of community development, conservation and animal rights. Upon her return to the UK she has pursued a career in fundraising and has worked for a number of INGOs, including Free Tibet, ....more
  • LISA O’DOHERTY
    Global Programmes Director/ Nepal Country Director
    Appointed: 2018
Lisa brings 20 years’ experience in international development, social care, fundraising and tourism. She has been fortunate to travel and work overseas extensively, including East and West Africa, and South Asia, starting as a fundraising intern at Action Aid Nepal, later specialising in programme design at Raleigh International and Save the Children. In the last decade her focus has been rights-based projects, including WASH, health, ....more
  • BABURAM PAUDEL
    Global Technical Manager
    Appointed: April 2014
Baburam has 13 years of working experience in variety of civil engineering fields. Prior to joining Renewable World he spent more than 7 years working in Afghanistan as an Engineering Manager for Aga Khan Foundation implementing renewable energy and other infrastructure projects. He has handled various critical and challenging projects from design stage to implementation stage. He has Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering and Master’s ....more
  • THAKUR THAPA
    Head of Programmes, Nepal
    Appointed: August 2021
Thakur has over 15 years experience in project development and implementation. He has specific experience in food security and livelihood, WASH, DRR, climate change adaptations, and the improvement of basic public infrastructures. He has previously worked for both national and international organisations including HELVETAS, Caritas Switzerland, Rural Reconstruction Nepal for the projects funded by DFID (now UK Aid), Swiss Agency for Development ....more
  • JAC CONNELL
    Programme Development and Partnership Manager, East Africa
    Appointed: November 2019
Jac has over 14 years’ experience working within charities and NGO’s, focusing on partnership development and fundraising. Prior to joining Renewable World, she spent 6 years living and working in Zambia. Initially going out to Zambia as a volunteer through VSO, she supported community and business development in rural areas through natural resource management. She then went onto to run a Paediatric HIV NGO, overseeing all fundraising, ....more

How is it governed?

Trustees (12)
Current Trustees appointed
Gender Split

Age Range of Trustees: 34-71
  • CHRISTOPHER ALEC MORGAN (Chair) Appointed: 2017, Occupation: Retired
  • CATHERINE ADAMS Appointed: 2014, Occupation: Risk Specialist
  • DIANA DU LUART Appointed: 2020, Occupation: Lawyer
  • EMMA CAROLINA VIKTORIA KARLSTROM Appointed: 2021, Occupation: Sustainability Professional
  • EMMA WHITEACRE Appointed: 2021, Occupation: Environmental Analyst
  • IAN MAURICE ROBINSON Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Consultant
  • JOSEPHA SUZY LEA DITISHEIM Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Head Of Programme, Quality And Assurance
  • LATA SHRESTHA Appointed: 2020, Occupation: Programmes Manager
  • NICHOLAS JAMES PIERRE PODEVYN Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Innovation Manager
  • NICOLA LOUISE FELTHAM Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Management Consultant
  • RICHARD DEWDNEY Appointed: 2021, Occupation: Retired
  • STEPHEN JOHN WALKER Appointed: 2019, Occupation: Advertising Consultant
Legal constitution
  • Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 04/06/2007, number: 1119467
  • Registered at Companies House on 22/11/2006, number: 06005778
Gift Aid
  • Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid
Policies in force
  • Bullying and harassment 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
  • Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
  • Trustee expenses policy and procedures
  • Volunteer management
Filing Record
16 returns made; all on time
Main office

1st & 2nd Floor Offices
161 Edward Street
BRIGHTON
BN2 0JB

Objectives

3.1 TO RELIEVE POVERTY;3.2. THE PRESERVATION, CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT BY THE REDUCTION OF CARBON EMISSIONS AND THE PRUDENT USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES; AND3.3 TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC AND INTERESTED PARTIES IN EFFECTIVE REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GASSES, THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS ARISING FROM CLIMATE CHANGE, AND TO PROMOTE AND CARRY OUT FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT RESEARCH INTO SUCH ISSUES AND TO PUBLISH AND WIDELY DISSEMINATE THE USEFUL RESULTS OF SUCH RESEARCH

Defined Area of Benefit:

NATIONAL AND OVERSEAS

Data Sources

Charity Commission for England and Wales
360 Giving

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