GrantRadar

The Forbes Charitable Foundation

Forbes Charitable Foundation Main Grants

Grants for UK charities with an annual turnover of £1m to £20m that support adults with a learning disability, particularly people with mild to moderate needs. The Foundation concentrates its main support on 6 to 10 charities, with annual grants of up to £30,000 for capital or revenue costs, one-off or for up to three years (reviewed each year). Charities send brief background information, which is kept on file; the next round funds the year starting April 2028, with information due by 30 September 2027, and shortlisted charities are invited to apply formally. The same page also offers the separate Townsend Discretionary Fund (one-off grants up to £5,000).

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £30,000
Deadline
347 days left
30 September
Effort
Heavy
budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

  • UK registered or exempt charities (the policy also names community interest groups) that provide services principally to adults with a learning disability with mild to moderate needs
  • Main grants go to charities with an annual turnover between £1m and £20m; the trustees may alter these limits at their discretion
  • The application form asks you to confirm UK charity registration and adequate safeguarding arrangements, and to state the age group served and the proportion of people supported who have a learning disability

What it funds

Support for adults with learning disabilities, particularly where support is not generally available from other sources, delivered through these priorities:

  • Employment and Training: social enterprises, employment initiatives, skills training, active volunteering and transition services for adults 18+
  • Financial and Inclusion: rights and entitlements, advocacy, benefits entitlement and active citizenship
  • Support Networks: day care and support, meeting people and making friends, support or care in the community, support networks for family and carers, and respite support
  • Accommodation: supported living, residential care and dementia care
  • Capital and revenue programmes, as a one-off grant or for up to three consecutive years (reviewed each year)
  • Current ongoing work, with particular interest in developments that enhance independence, social inclusion and support for carers

How to apply

  1. Send brief background information about your work (no more than 1,000 words: e.g. activities, geographical area covered and annual turnover) to the Secretary to the Trustees, PO Box 59, Holsworthy, EX22 9BB; an annual review is not needed at this stage
  2. Make sure it arrives by 30 September 2027 for the round funding the year starting April 2028; information is kept on file and reviewed when a funding window opens
  3. If your organisation is considered for support, you are invited to make a formal application on the Foundation's grant application form, submitted by email with your latest audited accounts
  4. Applications are shortlisted and a visit and assessment may be carried out
  5. Trustees meet and make the final decision

funded charities report regularly against performance criteria agreed at the time of the grant. Smaller one-off requests (up to £5,000) go to the separate Townsend Discretionary Fund using its own form on the same page.

Have ready

  • Brief background information about your work (max 1,000 words)

if invited to apply formally: the grant application form, a description of your organisation and objectives (max 500 words), a project description (max 500 words), objectives and outcomes (max 500 words), and your latest audited accounts.

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