Global's Make Some Noise

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £2.9 million (2025)
• Success Rate: 44-50% (40 charities funded from 80-90 invited to apply)
• Decision Time: 16-20 weeks (from EOI to final decision)
• Grant Range: £24,000 - £70,000
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide (all regions)
• Funding Period: Up to 24 months

Contact Details

Website: www.makesomenoise.com

Email: charities@global.com / grants@makesomenoise.com

Phone: 0345 606 0990

Application Portal: www.makesomenoise.com/charity

Pre-application support: Contact the Make Some Noise Grants Team at grants@makesomenoise.com if unsure about eligibility or project fit

Overview

Global's Make Some Noise (registered as GLOBAL CHARITIES, charity number 1091657) is the official charity of Global, the UK's largest commercial radio group. Founded in 2014, the charity has raised over £35 million and supported over 480 local community projects, changing the lives of over 200,000 people across the UK. In 2024, their annual appeal raised £3.8 million, with an additional £1.2 million raised at their charity gala featuring performances by Ed Sheeran and Jessie J. The charity leverages the power of Global's radio brands—including Capital, Heart, Classic FM, Smooth, LBC, Radio X, Capital XTRA and Gold—to raise funds and awareness. In 2024, Dena McCallum was appointed as Chair of Trustees, bringing her experience as Founding Partner at Eden McCallum to drive forward the charity's ambitions to reach more people. For 2025, they are distributing over £2.9 million in grants to small charities delivering vital frontline services across the UK.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Charity Grant Programme: £24,000 - £70,000 for up to 24 months of delivery

• Two-stage application process (Expression of Interest followed by full application)
• Rolling programme with annual funding rounds
• Cannot fund more than 40% of a charity's annual income
• Grants typically available from April each year

Priority Areas - Four Key Outcome Areas

The programme prioritises small charities working to address one of these four key outcome areas:

1. Providing shelter and safety - Supporting vulnerable people and families living in poverty, including providing beds and accommodation
2. Supporting physical and/or mental health - Including physiotherapy, therapy sessions, counselling (e.g., 1,800 specialist counselling sessions for people bereaved by suicide, 1,000 mental health therapy sessions, music therapy for children in paediatric intensive care)
3. Developing life skills - Helping people develop capabilities and skills for independence
4. Reducing isolation or improving inclusion - Breaking down barriers and connecting people with their communities

What They Fund:

• Staff salaries predominantly associated with direct delivery work
• Equipment, technology, materials related to direct service delivery
• Refurbishment costs related to direct service delivery work
• Projects providing regular interactions with beneficiaries (a frontline service with multiple touchpoints)

What They Don't Fund

Explicit Exclusions:

• Fundraising (events, activities, or fundraising salaries)
• Marketing costs
• Smaller grants for individuals
• One-off events
• General consumption materials (pamphlets, social media posts)
• Large build projects
• Projects that promote religion (must be open to the public)
• Projects delivered by NHS or schools (must be charity-led)

Eligibility Requirements:

• Charities must have annual income between £30,000 - £1 million
• Must be UK registered charity for at least 1 year with 1 full set of submitted accounts
• Must have registered bank account in the organisation's name
• Must provide in-depth direct support to people

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Governance and Leadership

Chair of Trustees

Dena McCallum - Appointed in March 2024, replacing Jo Kenrick who served for eight years. Dena is Founding Partner at Eden McCallum, a leading management consultancy. According to Stephen Miron, Global's Group CEO: "We are delighted to welcome Dena McCallum as our new Chair of Global's Make Some Noise. Dena's experience and vision will help to drive forward our future impact."

Chair of Finance Committee

David Bletso - Appointed in 2024, bringing extensive charity and media experience, replacing Michael Connole who served for nine years.

Connection to Global

Stephen Miron, Global's Group CEO (stepping down March 2025), has championed the charity, stating that it has “raised over £35 million and changed the lives of over 200,000 people since it was founded.”

Other Trustees

Board includes representatives from prestigious organisations including All England Lawn Tennis Club, Digital Catapult, Walcott Foundation, and RSBC.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Stage 1: Expression of Interest (EOI)

• Submit EOI form through www.makesomenoise.com/charity
• Must meet basic eligibility criteria
• Expect to hear within 3 weeks after EOI closes whether invited to Stage 2
• Approximately 80-90 charities invited to apply from EOI stage

Stage 2: Full Application

• Invited charities submit full application with supporting documentation
• Applications assessed by Grants Panel
• Charities may be contacted to discuss application or provide additional information

Decision Timeline

• EOI submission: Check website for current round dates
• EOI notification: Within 3 weeks after EOI closes
• Grant panels: Winter period
• Final decisions: By end of March
• Funding begins: 1st April following year (e.g., April 2026 for current round)

Total timeline: Approximately 16-20 weeks from EOI submission to final decision

Success Rates

• Stage 1 to Stage 2: 80-90 charities invited to apply from EOI submissions
• Stage 2 to Funding: Approximately 40 charities selected for grant funding
• Overall success rate: 44-50% of those invited to full application stage receive funding

Reapplication Policy

Previously unsuccessful applicants: Can reapply in subsequent rounds. Strongly encouraged to:

• Review guidance on EOI and how responses are scored
• Consider feedback received if previously invited to Stage 2
• Contact grants team at grants@makesomenoise.com with questions

Previously funded charities: Welcome to reapply provided funding ended at least five years before the current funding round (e.g., projects concluded in 2021 or earlier for April 2026 funding)

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the Funder

According to the charity's application guidance:

• “The Grants Panel were impressed by applications with strong outcomes” - Focus on demonstrating clear, measurable outcomes
• Projects must provide “regular interactions with beneficiaries: a frontline service with multiple touchpoints”
• “Consider if your project meets this criterion before applying and explain what outcomes you expect”
• Follow word limits strictly on applications
• If unsure about eligibility or project fit, contact the grants team before applying

Recent Funded Projects Examples

Over the next year, funded projects provide:

• 480 beds for vulnerable people and families living in poverty
• 2,880 hours of physiotherapy for pre-school children with physical disabilities or delay
• 1,800 specialist counselling sessions for people bereaved by suicide
• 1,000 therapy sessions providing mental health support
• 150 children in paediatric intensive care and their families supported through music therapy

Specific example: Tiny Tickers received more than double their anticipated funding to help give babies with serious heart conditions a higher chance of survival through early detection, offering comfort and support to parents and carers.

Key Success Factors

1. Direct delivery focus: Must be frontline services with multiple beneficiary touchpoints, not one-off events or general awareness activities
2. Strong outcomes: Clearly articulate expected outcomes and impact on beneficiaries
3. Small charity scale: Must have annual income £30,000-£1 million (they specifically target small, local charities)
4. Financial proportionality: Grant request cannot exceed 40% of annual income
5. One of four outcome areas: Project must clearly align with shelter/safety, health, life skills, or reducing isolation
6. Direct service delivery: Staff and costs must be predominantly for direct delivery work, not fundraising or marketing

Language and Terminology

The charity emphasises:

• “Life-changing projects”
• “Direct, in-depth support”
• “Local communities”
• “Vital frontline services”
• "Tackling life's toughest challenges"

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Be strategic about your ask: Request between £24,000-£70,000 for up to 24 months, ensuring it's under 40% of your annual income. They don't encourage requests below £24,000.

1. Outcome-focused applications win: The Grants Panel specifically looks for “strong outcomes” - invest time in articulating clear, measurable impact on beneficiaries' lives.

1. Direct delivery is essential: One-off events, awareness campaigns, and indirect services won't be funded. Demonstrate regular, multiple touchpoints with beneficiaries through frontline services.

1. The EOI matters: Only 80-90 charities are invited to full application from EOI stage. Make your EOI compelling and follow the scoring guidance carefully. Consider feedback from previous applications.

1. Reasonable success rate for invited applicants: With 40 charities funded from 80-90 invited (44-50% success rate), your chances are decent once invited to Stage 2 - but competition is still significant.

1. Use the grants team: They explicitly encourage contacting grants@makesomenoise.com if unsure about eligibility or project fit. This isn't considered pestering - it's recommended.

1. Five-year gap for re-funding: If previously funded, you must wait at least five years before applying again. Unsuccessful applicants can reapply immediately with improved applications based on feedback.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• MOONDANCE FOUNDATION
• The Rank Foundation Limited
• The Waterloo Foundation
• National Lottery

References

1. Global's Make Some Noise Official Website - Charity Applications FAQs. https://www.makesomenoise.com/charity-applications-faqs (Accessed: October 2025)

1. Global's Make Some Noise - About Us. https://www.makesomenoise.com/about-us/ (Accessed: October 2025)

1. Charity Commission Register - GLOBAL CHARITIES (1091657). https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/about-the-register-of-charities/-/charity-details/3988869/full-print

1. Global's Make Some Noise - 2025 Impact. “This year, we are changing over 27,000 lives.” https://www.makesomenoise.com/post/2025-impact (Accessed: October 2025)

1. Radio Today. "Global's Make Some Noise grants over £2.9 million to UK charity projects." April 2025. https://www.radiotoday.uk/2025/04/globals-make-some-noise-grants-over-2-9-million-to-uk-charity-projects/

1. Radio Today. "Dena McCallum to replace Jo Kenrick as Chair of Trustees at Global's Make Some Noise." March 2024. https://radiotoday.co.uk/2024/03/dena-mccallum-to-replace-jo-kenrick-as-chair-of-trustees-at-globals-make-some-noise/

1. Global Media. "Global's Make Some Noise raises over £3 million during its tenth annual appeal." October 2024. https://global.com/globals-make-some-noise-raises-over-2-million-during-its-tenth-annual-appeal/

1. Global Media. "Global's Make Some Noise gives over £2.6 million to small charities." 2024. https://global.com/globals-make-some-noise-grants-over-2-6-million-to-support-communities-across-the-uk/

1. Funding Scotland - Global's Make Some Noise Fund Profile. https://funding.scot/funds/a0RP1000007kgUrMAI (Accessed: October 2025)

1. 360Giving GrantNav - GLOBAL CHARITIES. https://grantnav.threesixtygiving.org/org/GB-CHC-1091657 (Accessed: October 2025)