Rapid Evidence Assessment on the impacts of changes to local authority funding on small to medium heritage organisations

West, Tamara ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7128-8898 and Neiva Ganga, Rafaela (2025) Rapid Evidence Assessment on the impacts of changes to local authority funding on small to medium heritage organisations. Research Report. Department for Culture, Media and Sport (UK Government).

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Abstract

This rapid evidence review has been commissioned to gather case study evidence of the impact that increased budgetary pressures on local authorities (LAs) can have on small to medium heritage sector organisations (HOs). In particular, the research sought to understand levels of support, dependency, impact to communities, mitigating strategies, business model, and the funding lifecycle. A qualitative case study approach was adopted to encompass: 1. Size £50k threshold to qualify as a small organisation medium over £250,000 and less than £1 million 2. Dependency rate based on reliance on LA funding eg low is below 20%, moderate is 20 to 50%, high is above 50% 3. Heritage type cultural (eg museums) natural (eg reserves) built heritage (eg historic landmarks) The sites were chosen to reflect different heritage types (eg asset and non-asset based, urban, rural, community asset transfers and volunteer run sites or collections) and representative of the sector as a whole, ie museums, historic sites and houses, intangible heritage, outdoor heritage etc [footnote 1]. In order to provide depth across each of these requirements within a short timeframe the review utilised a regional case study approach (West Yorkshire Combined Authority). The richness of this approach has limitations, for example, geographical specificity. This is in part countered by the selection of diverse heritage types and differing dependencies on LA support. In order to provide a robust and necessary context, the review also undertook a systematic review of literature. Whilst this was not a prerequisite of the commission this combined approach ensured that the in-depth and geographically specific case studies could be framed by existing studies and therefore a broader understanding. Together, this has yielded the following results.