Finding Commercial Sustainability Beyond Public Funding
Film and television industry support organisation / CIC
Helping a publicly funded cultural organisation identify new commercial opportunities without compromising the services and purpose at its heart.
The challenge
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The organisation played an important role in supporting its regional film and television industry, providing expertise, connections and practical services that helped attract productions and strengthen the local creative economy.
But with the vast majority of its income coming from public funding, it needed to explore how it could become more commercially sustainable.
The challenge wasn't simply identifying things to charge for. It was understanding where genuine commercial value existed, who might pay for it and how to introduce new income streams without undermining its public purpose.
What I did
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I developed and facilitated a commercial strategy workshop, combining financial and operational analysis with research into comparable organisations and alternative revenue models.
We explored opportunities across production services, consultancy, commercial partnerships, content and intellectual property, industry expertise and existing relationships.
A key part of the work was distinguishing between services that should remain publicly funded and those that could support a paid proposition. I then helped translate the opportunities into a framework for prioritisation, identifying shorter-term possibilities alongside longer-term commercial development, with consideration for capacity, governance and implementation.
What changed
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The work created a clearer framework for commercial decision-making, helping leadership distinguish between attractive ideas and opportunities worth validating.
It also surfaced a fundamental organisational challenge: moving from a culture of providing services for free towards recognising the commercial value of expertise, relationships and infrastructure.
The result was a practical starting point for developing more diversified income without losing sight of the organisation's purpose.
let’s talk.
You don’t need a polished brief.
If you’re building something, changing something or have a sense the business needs tightening, simplifying or moving forward, send me a note, or book a call.