The last two years have been challenging for civil society organisations across the UK. Like many not-for-profits, we’ve watched respected organisations close their doors as funding landscapes shifted dramatically—grant funding reduced, philanthropic support became harder to access, and many traditional income streams simply dried up.
Open Data Manchester hasn’t been immune to these pressures. We made difficult decisions to pause some of our most valued work: our Data For Communities programme, Data Champions, data cooperative development, Joy Diversion and Design Justice events, and our monthly community gatherings all had to pause. Most significantly, we reduced our team from ten people at the start of 2024 to just two of us—myself and Sam.
But this isn’t a story of decline, and we’re acutely aware of how fortunate we are in that regard. We’ve been buoyed by remarkable support: our board members have been steadfast, and we’ve continued to be backed by funders like the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation who believe in what we’re trying to do. Our structure as a Community Interest Company has also given us flexibility—allowing us to access grant funding whilst undertaking commercial work where surpluses support our social purpose. That resilience has mattered.
And now, the outlook is shifting. What felt like a precipice has become more of a climb. We can see forward again.
What’s Next
In 2026, we’re restarting and reimagining our events programme. We’ll be exploring the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of data sustainability; showcasing best practices in open data; examining how better data sharing can happen; and—excitingly—bringing back our Data Expeditions for those adventures within data that our community has missed.
We’ve also had cause to celebrate: our work on environmental sustainability has been recognised through our nomination for the Digital Leaders Net Zero 50 awards. That recognition feels like validation that the work matters, even during the quieter periods.
We’re grateful for your patience whilst we’ve been recalibrating. There’s more to come.
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