The article provides a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of managing socio-cultural policy in Russian regions in the context of the transformation of the institutional environment caused by the integration of the national project “Culture” into the structure of the national project “Family” from 2025. The study reveals significant regional differences in the effectiveness of management: the leading regions (the Republic of Crimea and the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic) demonstrate almost complete utilization of budget funds and a comprehensive approach to infrastructure modernization, while the problematic regions (the Murmansk Region) have a 15% underperformance in terms of attendance targets. Special attention is paid to the innovative management model in the Penza region, based on the development of creative industries, and a comparative analysis of various organizational models in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Based on a comparative analysis of regional practices, the article identifies factors that affect the effectiveness of state cultural policy implementation and suggests ways to improve management tools, taking into account regional specifics.