Anna Rosa Forster Charitable Trust

The Anna Rosa Forster Charitable Trust (charity number 1090028) is a long-established, independent grant-making trust based in Ponteland, Newcastle upon Tyne, governed by a small group of individual trustees. Its core mission is to advance charitable purposes for public benefit across the UK, operating as a responsive, generalist funder without thematic restrictions, formal strategies, or published priorities. Rooted in philanthropic values of discretion and community trust, it emphasizes trustee-led decision-making funded by investment income from a founding bequest, maintaining a consistent pattern of broad, flexible support over many years.

The Trust funds a diverse array of UK charitable activities, including health initiatives (hospitals, hospices, national health charities), education (schools), social welfare (community centres, disadvantaged groups), religious organisations, and faith-based projects. Grants cover project costs, core funding, general purposes, and occasionally capital or equipment needs, benefiting local grassroots groups, regional projects, and national charities—often with a slight nod to northern England but spanning the entire UK.

Eligible applicants are strictly UK-registered charities based in the UK; there are no income thresholds, size limits, or special criteria, though the Trust is invite-only and does not accept unsolicited applications. Trustees select recipients at their discretion during biannual meetings, with no formal process, online forms, deadlines, or public calls. Typical grants range from £1,000 to £5,000 (averaging £2,000–£3,000), occasionally up to £10,000.

Distinctively non-prescriptive and pragmatic, the Trust avoids mission drift, exclusions, or competitive schemes, differentiating itself through enduring generalist giving that strengthens civil society without operational complexity or thematic silos. Charities should await trustee invitation rather than apply proactively.