Jan and Catherine Nasmyth Charitable Foundation

The Jan and Catherine Nasmyth Charitable Foundation, a grant-making charitable incorporated organisation established in April 2017 by Catherine Nasmyth—widow of Jan Nasmyth, founder of Argus Media Group—operates with a broad mission to advance exclusively charitable purposes for public benefit, as determined at trustees' absolute discretion. Funded by substantial private endowment and investments, it emphasises fiduciary responsibility, social impact, and support for effective, well-governed charities, reflecting founders' values of tangible societal change without single-cause restrictions. Its distinctive approach combines high-capacity flexibility with consistent strategic priorities: aiding children (especially disadvantaged), homeless individuals, and those connected to the armed services (e.g., veterans), as seen in grants to Shelter from the Storm and similar bodies.

The foundation supports UK-registered charities and voluntary organisations delivering unrestricted grants, project funding, core costs, and capacity building for impactful work in these themes, prioritising measurable beneficiary outcomes among established medium-to-large entities with robust governance. There are no geographic restrictions, though grants focus UK-wide, particularly England and Wales, with no income thresholds but a preference for proven, sustainable operations.

Grants typically range from £10,000 to £50,000 (recently £15,000–£25,000), awarded at annual trustee meetings via proactive invitation only—no unsolicited applications, deadlines, or public processes are accepted. Trustees conduct due diligence on accounts and reports. Distinctive for its invite-only model, enduring thematic focus amid generalist remit, and strong internal policies on risk and conflicts, it excludes non-charitable entities and prioritises high-impact, aligned causes over broad speculation.