World Cities Culture Forum

Registered charity 1204602 · since 2023worldcitiescultureforum.com·International·Updated 30 October 2026

At a glance

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. Don't spend time on an approach; the similar funders below support the same kind of work.

Key takeaways

Grants from this funder go only to Partner Cities for field research trips, so a nonprofit with no link to Partner Cities should not expect this funder to fit.
The annual report gives no readable grants figure, and the register shows no grants to institutions, so there is no basis for a typical request size.
The application method is listed as by invitation only, yet the programme is described as having an open process for Partner Cities, so ask the charity how to approach it before preparing anything.
Grants are chosen by an international jury against agreed outcomes, a delivery timeline and independent evaluation, so any request should set those out clearly.
How competitive the funding is, and whether relationships matter, is not stated.

Overview

World Cities Culture Forum is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1204602).

World Cities Culture Forum is a charity registered in England and Wales that works to develop and improve the knowledge, understanding, practice and support of arts and culture in cities worldwide. It educates city leaders and policy makers so they can enhance cultural infrastructure and public access to the arts, and it promotes research into how culture can contribute to sustainable and social development. Its grants go to Partner Cities to undertake field research trips. Its annual giving is not stated.

What they fund

Priority Areas

World Cities Culture Forum works to put arts and culture at the heart of city life. It supports city leaders and policy makers to strengthen cultural infrastructure and public access to the arts, and promotes research into how culture can contribute to sustainable and social development. Its Partner Cities can apply for grants for field research trips. The Forum also creates opportunities for city cultural leaders to share policies and practical solutions, while its wider work builds evidence and advocacy for culture as a force in equitable, prosperous and sustainable cities. Grants are selected by an international jury, with agreed outcomes and delivery timelines and independent evaluation.

Themes

Arts and culture in cities
Cultural research
Sustainable development
Social development
Field research

Geographic Focus

Priority: Cities worldwide.

How to apply

Partner Cities apply for grants to undertake field research trips. An international jury selects winning bids against a set criterion under trustee supervision.

Application success factors

What the charity says:

Successful cities agree outcomes and a delivery timeline; an independent evaluation assesses the programme's impact.

Where they fund

Where it says it funds

International

Similar funders

Funders supporting work similar to World Cities Culture Forum.

Global Schools ForumNo public processGave £952k 20th International Geographical Congress FundFixed deadlinesGave £3,500 Académie du Vin FoundationRollingGave £23,858 Action for A-TFixed deadlinesGave £116k Advance Movement UKInvitation only A. G. Leventis FoundationFixed deadlines Ahavas Chesed TrustNo public processGave £566k A J H Ashby Will TrustRolling Allan & Nesta Ferguson Charitable TrustRollingGave £1.8M Al - Medina TrustNo public process

2 years of accounts

Financial year	Income	Expenditure	Grants paid	Accounts document
year to 31 March 2024	£732,133	£725,543	—	Accounts for year to 31 March 2024
year to 31 March 2025	£966,839	£779,299	—	Accounts for year to 31 March 2025

— No grants figure for those years.

Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.