Building a strategic approach to corporate partnerships for Historic England

“I wanted to say a big thank you for the work you have done on this study for us. The final report and toolkit are so helpful, thoughtfully put together and practical; they provide us with a better understanding of the corporate landscape and Historic England Foundation’s context. The final meeting was also incredibly valuable. In particular, we appreciate how encouraging you have been, this has boosted our confidence and given us inspiration.”

Amy Ryan, Partnerships Development Manager

Challenge

Historic England is the public body responsible for championing, protecting and preserving England’s historic environment.

With fundraising through their foundation primarily focused on trusts and individuals, they were keen to understand the potential to grow income from corporate partnerships including sponsorship. The foundation needed clarity on its position within the wider sector, what types of corporate partnerships to focus on, and how to prioritise and cultivate prospects in a strategic and sustainable way.

Response

Philanthropy Company delivered a comprehensive scoping study to help Historic England Foundation understand the organisation’s potential and to equip the Philanthropy & Partnerships team with practical tools to engage and cultivate corporate partners. As part of the study we consulted with the team, reviewed their current offer and conducted targeted research to inform our findings.

Our study analysed current trends and corporate partnership offers at comparator organisations, allowing Historic England Foundation to benchmark against sector peers. We identified the types of corporate partnerships they could consider, identified target industries and developed a priority prospect list of aligned companies alongside suggested approaches. Building on this insight, we evaluated Historic England’s existing corporate partnership approach and outlined opportunities to strengthen the offer, supported by a refined narrative, partnership packages and defined benefits.

To support implementation, we created a detailed operational toolkit designed to support day‑to‑day delivery. This provided practical guidance on network mapping, outreach strategies, building multi‑layered relationships and developing compelling proposals. It also included tools to assess partnership value, a qualification model to prioritise prospects and due diligence guidance, enabling the team to make informed decisions and negotiate with confidence.

Outcome

Historic England Foundation now has a clear, evidence‑based understanding of its corporate fundraising potential and a practical and actionable framework to drive growth.

The report and toolkit provided the organisation with the structure, insight and tools needed to elevate its corporate fundraising activity and lay the foundations for a step change in the organisation’s approach to corporate partnerships.