Alma Economics was commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to analyse responses to a technical public consultation on the proposed Community Wealth Fund (CWF) in England. The consultation sought to understand public and stakeholder views on five key design principles to shape how a CWF should operate and deliver funding effectively to disadvantaged communities.

Our team designed and implemented a mixed-methods analytical approach. We conducted descriptive quantitative analysis of nine close-ended questions and thematic qualitative analysis of 14 open-ended responses. Using a structured codebook developed in line with best practice, we ensured consistency and transparency in coding and interpretation of qualitative data. Responses were segmented by respondent type to highlight variations between individuals, organisations, and industry stakeholders. In total, we analysed 114 responses and produced clear summary statistics and evidence-led insights.

Our analysis revealed broad support for the Government’s preferred design principles, including allocating smaller pots of funding across more communities, removing infrastructure eligibility barriers, and enabling local decision-making. Our work supported an informed, transparent consultation process and helped ensure stakeholder views were accurately reflected in the Government’s decision-making.

The government response to the technical consultation on the design of a CWF in England can be found here.