Across the UK, local authorities face a range of challenges in securing competitive funding and investment: among these, funders and commissioners – including government departments – are increasingly making ‘place’ the starting point.
Central government departments such as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and DCMS, along with arm’s-length bodies such as The National Lottery Community Fund, increasingly expect funding applications to deliver measurable, locally rooted outcomes that reflect the realities of neighbourhoods – an approach reinforced by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund 2025 prospectus.
To access and provide evidence for funding applications, councils and partners need a credible, evidence-informed understanding of their place, including its unique challenges, strengths and opportunities: primary research with residents, analysis of secondary data and mapping of assets and service gaps. Many organisations lack the capacity to do this at pace; for example, Higher Education Institutions (HEI) can be slower to mobilise, and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE) often have limited resource capacity, which puts local authorities – and their funders – at the centre of the challenge.
At Fortia Insight, we are experts in closing that gap by providing the rigorous, independent research, analysis and evaluation capability that turns place insight into investable, measurable plans.
Our solution: Build a shared Theory of Place, together
Among a suite of relevant services, we have the capability to expertly co-design and finalise context-specific Theories of Place: a detailed map of root causes, assets and priorities with local authority officers, members, partners and residents. Alongside this, we baseline and map local needs and existing provision, run inclusive community engagement with trusted local partners and combine primary research with relevant secondary data to co-develop a clear vision and strategy. The result is a common story of “what’s really going on here?” that everyone can work from.
From insight to investable plans
Insight only matters if it changes decisions. We help you generate and prioritise a longlist and shortlist of projects aligned to the outcomes in your Theory of Place, then evidence their case for change and expected impact. We also complete best-practice value for money assessments, translate evidence into Green-Book-compliant business cases and shape investment strategies and regeneration plans relevant to national programmes (for example, neighbourhood focused and local growth funding).
Why this works for local authorities
Our approach is independent and rigorous but grounded in lived experience. It fosters an asset-based mindset – celebrating strengths while not ignoring deep-rooted problems – and articulates what’s unique about your place in clear, concise terms that can be reused across bids, strategies and consultations. It builds trust, dispels ambivalence toward regeneration and manages expectations by being transparent about trade-offs. Most importantly, it gives you the data and practical tools to justify investments and track progress towards the outcomes that matter locally.
Proven with councils across the UK
We’re social and economic researchers, evaluators and learning partners. Our work spans primary data collection, monitoring and evaluation, and the development of local economic strategies and investment plans. We’ve supported councils including Gateshead, Hartlepool, Durham and Sutton Coldfield and place partnerships in the south of Scotland and the Highlands and Islands, helping to shape growth strategies and regeneration plans rooted in local identity and ambition.
What we’ll deliver for you
- A co-produced Theory of Place that identifies root causes and priority outcomes
- Robust evidence – baselining, service mapping, surveys, interviews and focus groups
- Inclusive engagement that brings seldom-heard voices into decisions
- A prioritised project portfolio with quantified social and economic benefits
- Green-Book-compliant business cases and clear value for money assessments
- Practical monitoring and evaluation frameworks to evidence delivery and impact
If you lead a local authority place or regeneration agenda and want evidence that convinces, projects that stack up and a shared plan people can believe in, we’d love to help you get there.
Discover the power of evidence-based decisions
Our research helps you see what really drives impact
Let’s get started