RSA (THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF ARTS, MANUFACTURES AND COMMERCE)

Registered charity 212424 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · Wikidata: Q1460885 · Wikipedia · also known as R S A, ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS, THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS (THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF ARTS, MANUFACTURES AND COMMERCE)

We are a unique global network of around 31,000 changemakers enabling people, places and the planet to flourish. We champion curiosity, creativity and courage to inspire better ways of thinking and doing. Our proven change process, rigorous research and design skills, innovative ideas platforms and our wider convening power combine to enable the RSA to deliver solutions for lasting change.

Objects

THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF ARTS, MANUFACTURES AND COMMERCE (FOR FULL DETAILS SEE PARAGRAPH 4 OF ROYAL CHARTER)

Area of benefit: NATIONAL

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Environment/conservation/heritage · Economic/community Development/employment · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Westminster, London, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£12.6m

Latest spending

£13.6m

Registered

1963

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the RSA incurred a net loss of £1.9m for the year, driven by an operational deficit of £1.0m and an investment loss of £0.8m. Despite these losses, the charity reports that its general reserves remain robust at £8.3m, which the trustees confirm are within their stated target range of £8m to £10m.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Employees paid over £60,000: 8

“The cost of key management personnel, defined as members of the Leadership Team, including employer’s national insurance and pension contributions by the RSA was £922k (eight individuals)”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: between £8m and £10m (reserves figure: £8.3m)

“Based on our current assessment of principal risks, the RSA Board of Trustees estimates that our target general reserves range should be between £8m and £10m. This equates to around six to eight months of future expenditure.”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Trading subsidiary: RSA Adelphi Enterprises Ltd, RSA Shipley Enterprises Ltd

“The group financial statements comprise those of the RSA and its wholly owned subsidiaries, RSA Adelphi Enterprises Limited and RSA Shipley Enterprises Limited.”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Moore Kingston Smith LLP. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2025

Volunteers: 29
Government income: £85,284 — contracts £26,299 (1), grants £58,985 (2); under 1% of the £12,634,698 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 18 (£60,001–£70,000: 10; £70,001–£80,000: 1; £80,001–£90,000: 3; £90,001–£100,000: 2; £120,001–£130,000: 1; £150,001–£200,000: 1)
Has a trading subsidiary

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2024

Volunteers: 29
Government income: £383,901 — contracts £80,048 (3), grants £303,853 (3); 3% of the £12,519,199 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 11 (£60,001–£70,000: 3; £70,001–£80,000: 1; £80,001–£90,000: 4; £90,001–£100,000: 1; £120,001–£130,000: 1; £150,001–£200,000: 1)
Has a trading subsidiary

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2023

Volunteers: 31
Government income: £692,350 — contracts £287,350 (9), grants £405,000 (2); 5% of the £12,879,950 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 11 (£60,001–£70,000: 5; £70,001–£80,000: 1; £80,001–£90,000: 1; £90,001–£100,000: 2; £100,001–£110,000: 1; £150,001–£200,000: 1)
Has a trading subsidiary

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

Corporate structure

Trading subsidiary: RSA ADELPHI ENTERPRISES LIMITED Companies House 02784581 · Financial health read from its filings
Trading subsidiary: RSA SHIPLEY ENTERPRISES LIMITED Companies House 08716337 · Financial health read from its filings
Registered company of the charity Companies House RC000523

RSA ADELPHI ENTERPRISES LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts

Turnover: £4.0m
Profit before tax: £180k
Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £246k
},

“Distributions to parent charity under gift aid”

RSA SHIPLEY ENTERPRISES LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts

Turnover: £491k
Profit before tax: £187k
Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £187k
Note 3 discloses £374,113 owed to group undertakings (2024: £75,381).

“There is no taxation charge as all taxable profits are donated to the parent charitable company.”

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)

Total income

£12.6m

Total spending

£13.6m

Cost of raising funds

£5.5m

Reserves (reported)

£8.3m

Employees

101

Reported reserves equal ~7.3 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (53% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 43.7% of total income — above the 90th percentile for charities its size (median 3.7%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Received assets from another charity (07/04/2022) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (04/02/2016) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (04/02/2016) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (04/02/2016) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (04/02/2016) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (04/02/2016) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

David D'Souza
Dinah Casson
Dr HOSEIN KHAJEH-HOSSEINY · trustee of 3 other charities
Fraser Hardie · trustee of 1 other charity
Ian Ailles · trustee of 2 other charities
Loyd Grossman CBE · trustee of 1 other charity
Michael Davis
Sandra Boss
Thomas Russell

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Australia · Canada · New Zealand · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales · United States

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£12.6m	£13.6m
31/03/2024	£12.5m	£13.2m
31/03/2023	£12.9m	£12.8m
31/03/2022	£10.4m	£11.3m
31/03/2021	£8.4m	£10.0m

Common questions

Is RSA (THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF ARTS, MANUFACTURES AND COMMERCE) financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the RSA incurred a net loss of £1.9m for the year, driven by an operational deficit of £1.0m and an investment loss of £0.8m. Despite these losses, the charity reports that its general reserves remain robust at £8.3m, which the trustees confirm are within their stated target range of £8m to £10m. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Moore Kingston Smith LLP.

Who funds RSA (THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF ARTS, MANUFACTURES AND COMMERCE)?

Funders whose own accounts filings name RSA (THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF ARTS, MANUFACTURES AND COMMERCE) as a grant recipient include THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF MARKETING CHARITABLE TRUST.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF MARKETING CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£89k	RSA Spark / Student Design Awards
THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF MARKETING CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£75k	RSA Student Design Awards 2022 sponsorship
THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF MARKETING CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£28k	Grants payable

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
UK government	07/11/2023	£100k	Investment funds
UK government	01/04/2019	£79.1m	Royal Society Grant
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK Branch	01/05/2016	£11k	RSA (the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce)
Barrow Cadbury Trust	23/04/2016	£50k	Democratising economic policy:Citizens Economic Council
The National Lottery Community Fund	20/10/2009	£500k	Building Inclusive Communities
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	24/06/1997	£657k	"RSA Archive Project"

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
FONDATION CHANEL	1	£1.2m
THE INDIGO TRUST	1	£275k
THE SPECTRIS FOUNDATION	1	£65k
ROYAL COMMISSION FOR THE EXHIBITION OF 1851	1	£15k
LLOYD'S REGISTER FOUNDATION	1	£10k
THE HORNERS CHARITY FUND	1	£5k
THE KNOLL CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£200

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with ROSA FUND.

ROSA FUND income £1.4m
THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS income £8.1m
ROYAL SOCIETY OF BRITISH ARTISTS LIMITED income £45k
THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CHEMISTRY income £75.6m
ROYAL COMMONWEALTH SOCIETY income £226k
ROYAL SOCIETY OF PAINTER-PRINTMAKERS income £126k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
RSA (THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF ARTS, MANUFACTURES AND COMMERCE)	£12.6m	—	8	within	—	no doubt
ROSA FUND FY2025	£1.4m	—	—	above	—	no doubt
THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS FY2025	£8.1m	£140,001 - £150,000	9	unclear	—	no doubt
ROYAL SOCIETY OF BRITISH ARTISTS LIMITED FY2025	£45k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CHEMISTRY FY2025	£75.6m	—	161	below	—	no doubt
ROYAL COMMONWEALTH SOCIETY FY2025	£226k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.