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Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund

Charity rating & review

86/100 Clarity Score · 4 stars · Charity Commission filings · How we score

Verified · Charity Commission data
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86 /100

Clarity score

Good

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Quick answer

Is Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund a good charity?

Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund scores 86/100 (4 stars, Good) on CharityCompare's Clarity Score, calculated from its UK regulator filings. Its latest accounts year is 2025 (£34m total income, 89% of spending on charitable activities). This reflects financial transparency and stewardship on paper — not the real-world impact of its programmes. See the full breakdown.

Oxford · OX1 3RG Reg 232492 Registered charity Official website Charity Commission register

What does Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund do?

Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund is a registered charity (no. 232492) working in education in Oxford · OX1 3RG. Its latest Charity Commission filing directs 89% of spending to charitable activities, holding roughly 2 months of reserves, and files its annual accounts on time. Reported income has been growing (≈10% a year). CharityCompare's Clarity Score rates the organisation only from public Charity Commission accounts — accountability, financial health, efficiency and community support — not the quality or impact of its programmes.

Summarised from public filings — Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund hasn't added its own description yet. Work here? Add it free →

In short: RHODES TRUST - PUBLIC PURPOSES FUND scores 86 out of 100 (4 stars). 89% average program spend (3-year average). Filings are up to date with no major concerns.

What is Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund?

Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund has a Clarity Score of 86 out of 100 on CharityCompare (4 stars, Good). Charity Commission registration number 232492. Status: Registered. Primary cause area: Education. Latest accounts year 2025: total income £34m, with 89% of expenditure on charitable activities. Accounts filing: up to date. Reserves: approximately 2 months of operating costs. No major red flags from our filing review. Scores are independent and based on official filings — not a donation recommendation.

Data from Charity Commission register, last updated .

Overall score

86/100

4★ · Good

Cause spend

89%

3-yr avg · charitable activities

Accountability

93/100

Finance beacon

Income

£34m

Latest year 2025

Reserves

2 mo

Months of running costs

Accounts filing

On time

Charity Commission

£4.4 raised per £1 fundraising (3-yr avg) · 11% overhead · Website on register · Confidence: high

How does RHODES TRUST - PUBLIC PURPOSES FUND compare?

Clarity Score percentile against similar UK charities — the share of peers RHODES TRUST - PUBLIC PURPOSES FUND scores higher than.

Income band (£10m+)80thpercentile

Scores higher than 80% of 943 charities in its income band · 86/100 vs 77 peer average (marker).

Education charities79thpercentile

Scores higher than 79% of 579 charities in this cause · 86/100 vs 74 peer average (marker).

How reliable is Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's data?

Source
Charity Commission (England & Wales)
Accounts year
2025
Filing date
Profile reviewed

High confidence — complete filing data

Scores reflect the latest annual accounts on the register. Clarity Score measures how clearly the charity accounts for money in those filings — not programme impact.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Sources: Charity Commission for England and Wales, Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. Open Government Licence v3.0 .

What is Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's Beacon report?

Detailed accountability and finance metrics from UK regulator filings — structured for transparency in our four-beacon report.

Accountability & Transparency

Baseline trust from filing discipline, board oversight, and declared governance policies.

93/100

Accountability & Transparency metrics for RHODES TRUST - PUBLIC PURPOSES FUND
Metric Score Value
Filing history (5 years)

100% on-time over five years = 15 pts · one late filing = 5 pts · two or more = 0 pts.

100% 15/15 pts
Trustee oversight

Three or more trustees on the register = 15 pts, scaled down for fewer (governance red flag below three).

100% 16 trustees · 15/15 pts
Declared policies

Safeguarding (4) · conflict of interest (3) · volunteer management (3) — from Charity Commission annual return.

70% 7/10 pts

Financial Health

Stability and solvency — reserves, revenue trend, and debt from Charity Commission accounts.

80/100

Financial Health metrics for RHODES TRUST - PUBLIC PURPOSES FUND
Metric Score Value
Reserves (months of cash)

3–24 months = full marks, tapering on both sides · 0 months or 4+ years (hoarding) = 0 pts.

67% 2 months · 10/15 pts
Income stability / growth

+20% or more over the window = 10 pts · flat = 5 pts · −20% or worse = 0 pts, scaled between.

100% 10/10 pts · 3-year average
Liabilities to assets

0% liabilities-to-assets = 5 pts, scaling down to 0 pts at 60%+ debt.

80% 9% · 4/5 pts

Financial Efficiency

How efficiently funds reach the cause — program spend and fundraising cost ratios.

75/100

Financial Efficiency metrics for RHODES TRUST - PUBLIC PURPOSES FUND
Metric Score Value
Program expense ratio

90%+ on charitable activities = full marks, scaling down to 0 pts at 50% or below.

100% 89% · 10/10 pts (3-year average)
Fundraising efficiency

≤10p to raise £1 = full marks, scaling down to 0 pts at 40p or above (fundraising cost ÷ income).

50% 24p per £1 income · 5/10 pts (3-year average)

Community Support

Grassroots backing from Charity Commission workforce data — volunteers vs paid staff.

100/100

Community Support metrics for RHODES TRUST - PUBLIC PURPOSES FUND
Metric Score Value
Volunteer-to-staff ratio

Volunteers at 2x staff or more = full marks · no volunteers = 0 pts, scaled between.

100% 512 volunteers / 150 staff · 10/10 pts

How we calculate beacon scores →

What is Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's Clarity Score?

86/100 total · Good · 4 of 5 stars

Four pillars (40 + 30 + 20 + 10 points) from Charity Commission filings — see methodology for full weightings.

93/100
Accountability & Transparency
80/100
Financial Health
75/100
Financial Efficiency
100/100
Community Support

Accountability & Transparency

Baseline trust from filing discipline, board oversight, and declared governance policies.

93/100

Filing history (5 years)15/15 pts
Trustee oversight16 trustees · 15/15 pts
Declared policies7/10 pts

Financial Health

Stability and solvency — reserves, revenue trend, and debt from Charity Commission accounts.

80/100

Reserves (months of cash)2 months · 10/15 pts
Income stability / growth10/10 pts · 3-year average
Liabilities to assets9% · 4/5 pts

Financial Efficiency

How efficiently funds reach the cause — program spend and fundraising cost ratios.

75/100

Program expense ratio89% · 10/10 pts (3-year average)
Fundraising efficiency24p per £1 income · 5/10 pts (3-year average)

Community Support

Grassroots backing from Charity Commission workforce data — volunteers vs paid staff.

100/100

Volunteer-to-staff ratio512 volunteers / 150 staff · 10/10 pts

How much does Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund raise and spend?

Latest filed year 2025 · Source: Charity Commission filings

RHODES TRUST - PUBLIC PURPOSES FUND revenue and expenses for 2025
Category Amount % of spend
Total income £34m
Total expenditure £63m
Charitable activities £56m 89%
Fundraising £6.7m 11%
Governance & admin £113k 0%
89%On charitable activities

Where does the money go?

Latest accounts (2025) · £63m spent

  • Charitable activities89%
  • Fundraising11%
  • Governance0%

What trust indicators does Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund have?

Pulled from the Charity Commission register — filing behaviour, board size, and workforce where reported.

  • Accounts filed on time

    up to date · last filing

  • Trustee board size (3–12)

    16 trustees on the Charity Commission register

  • Workforce on register

    150 employees · 512 volunteers (3:1 volunteer-to-staff)

Fundraising Regulator

Status not yet checked

Separate from our financial scores — shows whether the charity follows the Code of Fundraising Practice.

Check Fundraising Regulator →

Official register

Reg 232492

Full trustee list, accounts, and regulatory history on the Charity Commission.

View on Charity Commission →

Trustees & officers

  • PROFESSOR SIR JOHN IRVING BELL since 2017
  • Professor ELLEKE BOEHMER since 2016
  • PROFESSOR OLADAPO OLADIPO OLAKUNLE AKANDE since 2020
  • Samuel Andrew Banks since 2014
  • Professor Catherine Mary Elizabeth O'Regan since 2018
  • Dr Tariro Makadzange since 2016
  • Michael Clifford Fitzpatrick since 2018
  • Peter Stamos since 2018
  • Robert Andrew Sternfels since 2019
  • Swati Mylavarapu since 2020
  • Christopher George Oechsli since 2020
  • Douglas Alexander Beck since 2020
How we score charities +

The Clarity Score is a 100-point rating from UK regulator filings (Charity Commission for England and Wales, OSCR and CCNI). Four pillars — Accountability & Transparency (40), Financial Health (30), Financial Efficiency (20), and Community Support (10) — each scored on a continuous scale, not pass/fail cutoffs. A statutory inquiry sets the score to 0 automatically.

Full methodology →

Accountability & Transparency

Scored from filings

40 points — filing history (15), trustee oversight (15, scaling up to a board of three or more), declared policies (10).

Financial Health

Scored from filings

30 points — reserves (15, full marks 3–24 months, tapering on both sides), income stability (10), liabilities to assets (5, scaling down as debt rises).

Financial Efficiency

Scored from filings

20 points — program expense ratio and fundraising cost, each on a graduated scale (not a single cutoff). Kept at 20% of the total: financial-ratio scoring alone is not a reliable effectiveness signal (see "why not just an overhead ratio?" below).

Community Support

Scored from filings

10 points — volunteer-to-staff ratio from Charity Commission workforce data, scaling continuously up to a 2:1 ratio.

Overall score

Sum of all pillar points. Display stars use the same bands as the labels: 90–100 → 5★ Exceptional; 75–89 → 4★ Good; 60–74 → 3★ Needs improvement; 1–59 → 2★ Poor; 0 → not rated.

How have Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's finances changed over five years?

£0k £15700k £31400k £47100k £62800k 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Income 2021: £23,016k Spending 2021: £28,973k Cause spend 2021: £25,472k Income 2022: £16,429k Spending 2022: £37,867k Cause spend 2022: £34,125k Income 2023: £18,884k Spending 2023: £49,783k Cause spend 2023: £44,342k Income 2024: £27,435k Spending 2024: £55,255k Cause spend 2024: £49,096k Income 2025: £34,108k Spending 2025: £62,558k Cause spend 2025: £55,896k
  • Income
  • Spending
  • Cause spend

Values in £ thousands · Cause spend plotted only when the filing discloses a split · Source: Charity Commission accounts

What are the key facts about Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund?

Overall score
86/100 (4★)
Income
£34m
Cause spend
89% of expenditure
Reg number
232492
Scope
Local (oxford)
Reserves
2 months
Trustees
16
Accounts year
2025
Filing
up to date

Where RHODES TRUST - PUBLIC PURPOSES FUND sits

The causes this charity is classified under, and other charities working nearby.

Similar education charities

Top-rated peers by CharityCompare score

How can you share Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's rating?

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Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's rating, finances, and Charity Commission status.

Is Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund a good charity? +

Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund scores 86 out of 100 (4 stars — Good) on CharityCompare's Clarity Score, our independent read of its UK regulator filings. Around 89% of its spending goes to charitable activities and its accounts are up to date. That reflects how transparent and financially healthy it looks on paper — it does not measure the real-world impact of its work, so treat it as one factor alongside the cause you care about. CharityCompare never tells you where to donate.

Is Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund a legitimate charity? +

Yes — Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund is a legitimate registered charity (charity number 232492). Verify it on the official register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/232492. Registration proves status; Clarity Score then summarises filing transparency on paper, not programme impact.

What is Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's charity number? +

Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's charity number is 232492. Check that number on the official register (Charity Commission, OSCR or CCNI) or this CharityCompare profile before you donate — scammers sometimes reuse real numbers on fake appeals.

What is Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's charity rating? +

Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund scores 86 out of 100 on CharityCompare (4 stars — Good). The Clarity Score V1 sums four pillars from UK regulator filings: Accountability & Transparency (40 pts), Financial Health (30), Financial Efficiency (20), and Community Support (10). Stars use the same bands as those labels — 90+ is 5★ Exceptional. It is not an impact ranking.

Does Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund have reviews and complaints? +

CharityCompare does not host public user reviews for Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund. Instead you get a filing-based Clarity Score, cause spend, reserves and red flags such as late accounts. For formal complaints about a charity, contact the Charity Commission, OSCR, CCNI or the Fundraising Regulator as appropriate.

How much of my donation reaches Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund? +

According to its 2025 regulator filing, 89% of Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's total spending went to charitable activities (3-yr avg across disclosed years). That is the closest official figure to "how much of your donation reaches the cause" — it is an average across all spending in the filing, not a pound-by-pound breakdown of an individual gift.

What are Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's overheads? +

According to its 2025 regulator filing, fundraising costs were about 11% of total expenditure and combined overheads (fundraising plus governance) were about 11% of total expenditure at Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund. The filings CharityCompare uses do not publish CEO or senior-staff pay, so we cannot say what Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's chief executive is paid — where disclosure rules apply, senior pay appears in the trustees' annual report on the Charity Commission register.

How much income does Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund receive? +

Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund reported £34m total income in its 2025 accounts, based on UK regulator filings. Five-year trend: growing.

Are Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's accounts up to date? +

Filing status: up to date (last filing 2026-06-24). CharityCompare flags late or missing accounts separately from the financial score.

Where is Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund based? +

Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund is listed at Oxford · OX1 3RG, focused on education.

How does CharityCompare score Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund? +

We calculate a Clarity Score of 0–100 from four pillars in Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's regulator filings: Accountability & Transparency (40 points — filing history, trustees, policies), Financial Health (30 — reserves, income trend, debt), Financial Efficiency (20 — cause spend and fundraising cost, on a graduated scale) and Community Support (10 — volunteer-to-staff ratio). An open statutory inquiry scores 0. The score measures reporting on paper, not programme impact. CharityCompare is free for donors, takes no commission on donations, and scores cannot be bought.

How often is this page updated? +

This profile was last updated on 17 July 2026 from the latest UK regulator data available to CharityCompare, and Rhodes Trust - Public Purposes Fund's most recent accounts cover 2025. Scores and figures refresh whenever we re-ingest the register, so the page reflects our latest data pull rather than a one-off review.