The Fore provides unrestricted grants to small charities and social enterprises based in the UK.

The funding is intended to have a transformational impact on the organisations being supported by unlocking significant development in areas such as sustainability, growth, capability, efficiency, or other major steps forward.

There is a particular interest in supporting grassroots organisations working with underserved communities. The Fore views its grants as investments in the organisations it supports, rather than funding specific projects only.

The Fore funds work across the following charitable sectors:

• Arts and culture
• Disability
• Economic development and employability
• Environment
• Health and wellbeing
• Housing and homelessness
• Human rights, law and justice
• Poverty and disadvantage
• Sport
• Women and girls
• Youth and education.

Value Notes

Grants of up to £45,000 over one to three years are available.

In addition, pro-bono support from professionals in areas like strategy, HR, and IT, online training workshops, and networking opportunities are available.

Who Can Apply

Applications are accepted from the following types of organisation with an annual revenue of less than £500,000 in the previous completed financial year:

• Registered charities (including those constituted as charitable trusts, charitable unincorporated associations, charitable incorporated organisations and charitable companies limited by guarantee).
• Community Interest Companies (CICs) limited by guarantee.
• Community Benefit Societies that are either Charitable CBSs or non-charitable CBSs with an asset lock.
• Social enterprises.

Restrictions

The following are not eligible for funding:

• CICs limited by shares.
• Non charitable CBSs that do not have an asset lock
• Organisations with an annual income of more than £500,000 in the previous completed financial year.

Eligible Expenditure

The funding is intended to help strengthen the organisation internally and help it to take the next step forward in its growth or sustainability.

This unrestricted funding can be used for any purpose, including core costs and capital funding.

The grant could help, for example, an organisation grow, increase internal capacity, serve new beneficiary groups, become more sustainable or more efficient, etc.

Applications for core costs must show how the funding will move the organisation forward rather than enabling ‘business as usual’.

How To Apply

There are three funding rounds each year (Spring, Summer, Autumn).

The registration period for Summer 2026 will be open from 25 March (12 noon) to 1 April 2026 (12 noon).

Once open for registration, the application process is as follows:

• The first step is to register an interest on the Applying for Funding page which takes about two to three minutes.
• Registered applicants will receive confirmation that they have been allocated a place on the funding round. Details of how to apply will be included.
• If there are more applicants registered than places available, places will be allocated at random.
• There follows a three-stage application
  • Stage 1 - confirmed applicants have around three weeks to complete their application.
  • Stage 2 - online meeting for long listed applicants who are invited via email for a meeting with one of the Fore’s Strategic Applicant Consultants.
  • Stage 3 - shortlisted applications go to the funding panels.
• Announcement of successful applicants is typically within 12 weeks of the application deadline.
• Unsuccessful applicants are offered feedback and can apply for future rounds.

The eligibility quiz, guidelines, frequently asked questions and case studies can all be found on The Fore’s website.

Contact The Fore for further information.

Documents & links

The Fore Trust