We are a grant making foundation giving grants to small and medium sized local organisations in the UK with a demonstrable track record of success working to address local issues in communities of extreme urban deprivation and deprived rural districts.

Our Mission

Forte (formerly Trusthouse) Charitable Foundation’s mission is to help address disadvantage and deprivation in communities in the UK.

Our Values

Forte Charitable Foundation has identified the following core values to underpin our work:

  • Focussed: The Foundation's focus is on supporting organisations working with the most disadvantaged groups in the UK.
  • Evidence-based: The Foundation endeavours to identify underfunded areas of particular need and makes its grant decisions based on the evidence of this need and the effectiveness of the work.
  • Supportive: The Foundation aims to be helpful and supportive in all its relationships with its applicants and grantholders, which includes making its application and reporting requirements as straightforward as possible.
  • Independent: The Foundation retains its independence from all political parties.
  • Effective: The Foundation strives continually to improve its effectiveness by learning from its work and keeps its processes under review in order to ensure its resources are used to best advantage to achieve the greatest impact.

Our Objectives

Forte Charitable Foundation seeks to:

  • Strengthen disadvantaged local communities.
  • Provide assistance to and opportunity for disadvantaged individuals and families.
  • Support small to medium sized charities.
  • Carry out effective governance of the charity.
  • Maximise our grant making while retaining the real value of our endowment in an ethical way.
  • Use the resources of the trust efficiently.

Our History

Trusthouse Charitable Foundation was formed in 1997 following the merger between Trust House Forte plc and Granada plc. Following the sale of shares in Granada, the new ‘Trusthouse’ (rather than Trust House) became a registered charity in 1997, with investments totalling circa £80 million. The return from these investments provides the annual grants budget of some £2.5 million which is awarded to charitable organisations and projects. In June 2025, Trustees changed the charity's name to Forte Charitable Foundation in order to memorialize our founder, Lord Charles Forte. 

Governance & Management

Forte Charitable Foundation has a board of 11 trustees, who meet twice a year to determine the general policy of the charity. In between these dates, the Grants and Finance Committees meet four times a year: the Grants Committee to award grants and the Finance Committee to manage the investments which produce the annual grants budget. The Trustees have a wide range of skills and interests which is reflected in the broad remit of Forte’s grants.  Their details can be found by clicking here. 

Forte is managed on a day-to-day basis by Smith  Square Trading Ltd. a subsidiary of the Centre for Social Justice. The two charities are entirely independent of each other.

Annual Report & Accounts

Our Report and Accounts for 2023-24 is available to download.