1. Q&A with Francis Shaw (The Fore)

We should not be sitting in ivory towers and setting the agenda. We should be listening to what these charities who are eating, sleeping and breathing these issues are focusing on, and what they want to do.”

IVAR sat down with Francis Shaw, Director of Operations at The Fore, to answer snap questions on how The Fore approaches grant-making, the hope he draws from working with charities, and advice for charities in 2026.

The Fore has committed to the Open and Trusting approach, taking grant-making from a burden into something that genuinely works for both charities and funders.

What happens when you swap a stack of reports for a 45-minute phone call?

Read our blog post to hear more from Francis and find out more about The Fore’s approach to Open and Trusting grant-making, and an in-depth exploration of their monitoring and evaluation practices.

Francis shares shares the venture fund’s slimmed-down, conversational approach to monitoring and evaluation, and how this is helping to transform reporting from a burden into something both charities and funders find useful.

2. Q&A with Katherine Sellar (Postcode Lottery)

We love being part of Open and Trusting.  I think having the eight commitments really encourages us to reflect on our work. It gives us an opportunity to meet with other funders, hear what they’re doing, share our experience of giving flexible funding, and also hear from charities directly.”

IVAR sat down with Katherine Sellar, Programmes Manager at Postcode Lottery, to continue our Five Minutes with Funders series on Open and Trusting foundations.

Katherine answered snap questions on how Postcode Lottery has approached grant-making over time, insights into adopting a multi-year unrestricted funding process, and the hope she draws from working with charities.

“It was the first unrestricted grant she’d ever received… in 30 years.” For years, Postcode Lottery offered flexible funding to large charities – but not to small ones. Community Programmes Manager Katherine Sellar shares how that changed step by step — and what it means for charities under real pressure to finally have some breathing space.

Read our blog with a full interview with Katherine here.