Financial benchmarking
for third sector organisations.

I've been fortunate enough to have had more than a glimpse of MyCake's data across the arts sector and am absolutely bowled over by the depth, interest and value of this work. It really informs an understanding of what is going on in my sector and across all the sectors. The mind boggles at everything that can be inferred from such thorough, accurate and easy-to-handle information. Incredible job.

Sarah and her team adapted to a frequently changing brief and delivered on what should have been impossible deadlines. They listened to our queries and explained concepts in an easily accessible way.

Previously, we had only known the low hanging fruit. We can now find the hidden gems of social enterprise.

Effective infrastructure support is not about providing the same service to everyone; it is having the data to ensure it is provided where it is needed most. MyCake has enabled us to proactively identify, and better look after, those VCSE organisations most at risk and provide the support they need.

The data dashboard has provided for the first time a real insight into the scale of the local VCSE sector on a number of levels such as: how many and types of organisations are plotted across the city and key data on the financial health of them – how they are faring, sources of income and trends. This data is key for informing current and future strategies, as it provides a clear snapshot of the state of the sector, investment into the city of grant funds and gaps in coverage and services.

We engage with community businesses across the country to support those facing difficult times and to mitigate challenges. Having access to accurate, up-to-date information data helps us do this effectively, and it’s been a pleasure to collaborate with MyCake on producing our 2024 ‘Better form of business’ research report.

I have loved using the MyCake benchmarking tool to compare our productivity against industry norms. We have been able to set and adjust KPI’s, ultimately helping us to monitor financial health and determine where there is room for improvement. I really hope this kind of access to data will continue to be developed for arts organisations and policy makers in the future.

We have the ability to speak the same language as commissioners and funders, making us able to demonstrate a clear understanding of what is really needed in the community.

Working with MyCake has given us a much clearer picture of the fundraising landscape in our district. Their analysis, and comparisons with neighbouring boroughs, have revealed stark disparities in funding and important patterns over time. The insights are helping us make a compelling case to partners and funders about the systemic challenges we face and are sparking conversations with other organisations about how we can work together to change the approach to fundraising and investment in arts and cultural activity locally.

The work undertaken by MyCake, on behalf of Westminster City Council, has been invaluable. The critical insights and in-depth analysis that have emerged, are helping the Council to shape its strategic approach to working with our voluntary and community sector partners. This in turn will ensure that together, we are able to build a stronger, more resilience and sustainable voluntary and community sector, over the longer term.