Comic Relief (charity Projects)

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £39.1m (2022-23)
• Success Rate: Applications oversubscribed by 300%+
• Decision Time: Multi-stage process (timeline not specified)
• Grant Range: £5,000 - £500,000 (varies by program)
• Geographic Focus: UK and 14 countries globally

Contact Details

• Website: www.comicrelief.com
• Email: info@comicrelief.com
• Phone: 020 7820 2222
• Address: Charity Projects, 1st Floor, 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP
• Community Fund Support: comicrelief@groundwork.org.uk or 0121 237 5800

Overview

Founded in 1985, Comic Relief (trading name of Charity Projects, charity number 326568) has raised over £1.6 billion to date. The organization's mission is to drive positive change through the power of entertainment, working toward “a just world free from poverty.” Led by CEO Samir Patel and Chair Philip Thomas, Comic Relief operates sophisticated grant-making programs across the UK and 14 countries globally. In 2022-23, the charity distributed £39.1m in grants, representing a £7m increase from the previous year. The organization combines high-profile fundraising campaigns with rigorous, multi-stage assessment processes for grant distribution.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Community Fund (England): Up to £5,000 for grassroots organizations (administered by Groundwork UK)
• Organisational Growth Grant (Wales): For organizational development (administered by WCVA)
• Community Justice Fund: £75,000-£500,000 for criminal justice reform
• Re-rooted Fund: Supporting refugees and asylum seekers
• Gender Justice Fund: Women's rights organizations in Sierra Leone
• Climate Justice: Environmental education and resilience-building

Priority Areas

• Tackling immediate impacts of poverty (food, shelter, healthcare, advice)
• Building resilience through skills training and employment support
• Supporting equity and inclusion initiatives
• Climate justice and environmental sustainability
• Criminal justice reform
• Supporting refugees and asylum seekers

What They Don't Fund

• Party political activities or organizations advocating violence
• Stand-alone conferences without longer-term impact
• Individual bursaries or study funding
• Marketing appeals
• Long-term institutional care for children (e.g., orphanages)
• Government organizations (though collaboration welcome)
• Profit-making organizations
• Mental health as primary focus (though accepted as part of wider work)

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Governance and Leadership

CEO: Samir Patel oversees overall strategy and direction across fundraising, impact and operations.

Chair of Board: Philip Thomas, former CEO of Cannes Lions Festival, appointed February 2025. Tom Shropshire stated: “I believe that the future of Comic Relief looks simply amazing.”

Geographic Focus: UK, Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

CEO Samir Patel emphasized: “We are delighted to be welcoming Phil to the Board. Bringing a wealth of strategic experience, coupled with his determination to create positive change.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

• Applications submitted through partner organizations (Groundwork UK for England, WCVA for Wales)
• Rigorous, criteria-based, multi-step assessment process
• Initial written proposals reviewed before Programme Officer interaction
• Organizations limited to one proposal per funding opportunity

Decision Timeline

• Multi-stage assessment with several layers of decision-makers
• Junior teams shortlist against strict criteria, summarize for senior staff
• Specific timelines not publicly disclosed
• Decisions communicated through partner organizations

Success Rates

• Programmes “significantly oversubscribed” - 300%+ application rate
• 2024/25 Community Fund received more than three times applications than available grants
• Limited feedback provided to unsuccessful applicants due to volume

Reapplication Policy

• No continuous funding beyond ten years typically
• Organizations can reapply to future rounds if unsuccessful
• Multiple applications per round not permitted

Application Success Factors

Direct advice from Comic Relief: “Comic Relief is an entertainment-based organisation, so we want to be inspired by words that lift off the page to tell a compelling and brilliant story. Comic Relief is a funder that gives explicit permission and encouragement to be creative.”

Key Success Elements:

• Answer three critical questions: 1) Why this work needs doing, 2) Why now, 3) Why your organization specifically
• Use compelling storytelling - entertainment-based organization values creativity
• Make applications visually clear and accessible - test readability with outsiders
• Demonstrate long-term sustainability thinking beyond the grant period
• Priority given to areas ranking highly on Index of Multiple Deprivation
• Focus on poverty prevention rather than just response

Recently funded examples:

• Little Lounge (Wales): Growth-stage funding enabling community service expansion
• Aberystwyth Hospice: Head of Retail recruitment and strategic development
• Citrus Arts: Organizational reflection leading to Arts Council Wales funding
• Adaptive Leadership Zambia: Community health systems for young people

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Storytelling is crucial - Comic Relief explicitly encourages creative, compelling narratives that “lift off the page”
• Demonstrate unique positioning - clearly articulate why your organization is best placed to deliver the work
• Think long-term - Comic Relief values sustainability and capacity building beyond their grant period
• High competition - applications are oversubscribed by 300%+, requiring exceptional quality
• Geographic targeting matters - priority given to areas with high deprivation indices
• Partnership approach - Comic Relief works through intermediary funders, build relationships with Groundwork UK (England) or WCVA (Wales)
• Focus on prevention - emphasis on preventing poverty rather than just responding to it

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• The Burdett Trust for Nursing
• THE BRIDGE TRUST
• THE TOMPKINS FOUNDATION
• THE CHURCH FUND
• University of East Anglia

References

• Comic Relief official website: www.comicrelief.com
• Charity Commission register: charity number 326568
• Groundwork UK Comic Relief partnership: www.groundwork.org.uk/comic-relief/
• WCVA Comic Relief programs: wcva.cymru/funding/comic-relief-organisational-growth-grant/
• I.G. Advisors application guide: “Applying for a Comic Relief Grant? Here Are Five Things You Should Know”
• 360Giving GrantNav data: grantnav.threesixtygiving.org/org/GB-CHC-326568
• Comic Relief annual accounts 2022-23
• Comic Relief leadership announcements and press releases