Rsa (The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce)

Analysis

Rsa (The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in March 1963, 63 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science, environment/conservation/heritage and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Rsa (The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) reported income of £12.6m and spending of £13.6m, spending 108% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £8.4m to £12.6m (+50%), an average of +11% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 24%. Over the whole period it spent 107% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, Rsa (The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) sits at the 99th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Booktrust (£12.4m), The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society (£12.6m) and Epping Forest (£12.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 53%, trading 35%, charitable activities 7.0% and investments 5.1%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £29k. Charitable activities took 59% of spending and raising funds 40%. Grants to other organisations totalled £367k. Reserves of £8.3m would cover about 7 months of spending at that rate. It employed 101 people.