The Big Give Trust

Charity Number: 1136547

Annual Expenditure: £44.7M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £44,700,000 (2024 Christmas Challenge alone; £365 million total since 2008)
  • Success Rate: 74% of participating charities meet or exceed targets; 95% of match funds utilized
  • Decision Time: 12 weeks (application to notification varies by campaign)
  • Grant Range: £2,000 - £50,000 (public donation matching)
  • Geographic Focus: UK-registered charities (can work internationally)
  • Platform Model: Match funding campaigns with fixed deadlines

Contact Details

Website: www.biggive.org

Email: hello@biggive.org

Phone: 020 4570 8283

Charity Portal: community.biggive.org/charities

Knowledge Base: biggive.org/support

For Application Support: Free webinars and resources available on Big Give's YouTube channel

Overview

The Big Give Trust (charity number 1136547) was founded in 2007 by Sir Alec Reed CBE as the UK's pioneering match funding platform. With over £365 million raised since 2008 for thousands of charities, Big Give has revolutionized collaborative fundraising in the UK. The 2024 Christmas Challenge raised a record-breaking £44.7 million—a 35% increase from 2023—making it Britain's largest single fundraising event of the year, surpassing Comic Relief and Children in Need. Operating through themed campaigns throughout the year, Big Give connects philanthropists ('Champions'), charities, and the public to multiply charitable giving. The organization runs with a lean team of just ten people and charges no platform fees, relying instead on voluntary donor tips. Big Give has set an ambitious target to raise £1 billion by 2030. In 2024, the organization launched the Big Give Awards to celebrate excellence in fundraising campaigns, recognizing innovations in pledge securing, social media engagement, and supporter relationships.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Big Give operates as a match funding platform rather than a traditional grant-maker. Charities raise funds from the public during campaign weeks, with donations doubled through match funding from Champions (philanthropists, trusts, foundations, and corporations). Key campaigns include:

Christmas Challenge (December 2-9, 2025)

  • £2,000 - £50,000 public donation target
  • Applications open: May 12 | Close: July 16
  • UK's largest collaborative fundraising campaign
  • 2024 result: £44.7m for 1,267 charities
  • All cause areas eligible
  • Uses Pledge Model (charities secure their own match funding pledges + Champion funds)

Champions for Children (June 2-16, 2026)

  • £2,000 - £100,000 public donation target
  • Applications open: January 5, 2026
  • Focus: Children and young people (18 and under) living in poverty in London
  • Two models: 1:1 Model (£2k-£5k) or Pledge Model (up to £100k)
  • Priority areas: Physical Health, Mental Wellbeing, Safe Home & Community, Learning & Work Readiness
  • Delivered in partnership with The Childhood Trust
  • 2024 result: £5m+ for 84 charities

Women and Girls Match Fund

  • Focus: Supporting vulnerable women and girls in England and Scotland
  • 1:1 match funding model
  • 2025 result: £2.39m for 217 charities
  • Over 9,500 public donations

Earth Raise (April 22-29, 2026)

  • Applications open: November 3, 2025
  • Focus: Environmental and conservation charities
  • 2025 result: £8.1m for 307 charities (36,000+ donations)

Arts for Impact (March 17-24, 2026)

  • Applications open: October 20, 2025
  • Focus: Arts and culture organizations
  • 2025 result: £2.7m for 286 charities

Kind2Mind (dates vary)

  • Focus: Mental health charities that address, prevent, research, treat, and campaign for mental health issues
  • 2024 result: £2.1m for 160 organizations

Small Charity Week (June 22-29, 2026)

  • Applications open: January 5, 2026
  • Focus: Grassroots organizations with annual income below £1 million
  • Inaugural 2025 campaign: £1.8m for 189 charities

Anchor Match Fund (Rolling)

  • Contributes £1k of match funds for every £4k charities raise from pledges
  • Maximum £10k per charity
  • Available year-round for bespoke campaigns

Priority Areas

Big Give supports all charitable causes, with themed campaigns focusing on:

  • Children and young people
  • Women and girls
  • Environment and conservation
  • Arts and culture
  • Mental health
  • Small and grassroots charities
  • Emergency relief (responsive campaigns)

Funds can be used for:

  • Specific projects
  • Core costs (unrestricted funding)
  • Capital expenses

What They Don't Fund

Organizational Exclusions:

  • Community Interest Companies (CICs) - cannot apply as Big Give relies on Charity Commission data
  • Charities with tax-exempt status (for some campaigns)
  • Organizations not registered with UK charity regulators (Charity Commission, OSCR, or NI Charity Commission)

Financial Restrictions:

  • Charities with annual income below £25,000
  • Applications exceeding 10% of annual income
  • For Champions for Children 1:1 Model: charities with annual income above £500,000 or previously funded by The Childhood Trust in past 5 years
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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

James Reed CBE - Chairman (since 2019)

Chairman and CEO of REED recruitment and The Reed Foundation. James states: "I'm passionate about match funding and the great opportunity it provides charities.“ He emphasizes three key principles for Champions: ”the multiplier, the sustainability, and the community."

Lewis Crowther - Trustee

Group Chief Financial Officer at Reed Global

Isabel Kelly - Trustee

CEO of Profit with Purpose, Co-Founder of ESG Experts, non-executive director at TPXimpact

Lisa O'Kelly Reed - Trustee

Associate editor of The Observer New Review

Charles Harman - Trustee

Former Vice Chairman at JP Morgan

Richard Reed - Trustee

Nicola Reed - Trustee

Julie Hoegh - Trustee

Sir Alec Reed CBE - Founder

Established Big Give in 2007 with the pioneering concept: “whatever cause you support...your donation is doubled if you give through Big Give.”

Executive Team

Alex Day - Managing Director

Leads strategy and team direction. Exeter University graduate with MA in Charity Management. Previously Director of Social Impact at Reed. Alex emphasizes that charities benefit beyond just funds raised: “Not only the difference that the pounds raised and the match funding has enabled them to achieve, but also how participation helped us collaborate better as a team, it helped us connect with new supporters, it helped us build our confidence in fundraising.”

Dominique Standring - Chief Operating Officer

Oversees operations, finance, project management, and technology. 12+ years charity sector experience. Masters in Voluntary Sector Management from Bayes Business School (2024).

Noel Light-Hilary - Tech Lead

Manages technology infrastructure since 2018. Over 15 years in web development, transitioned Big Give to modern DevOps practices.

Laura Rose - Philanthropy Lead

Works with Champion partners on charitable giving optimization. 15+ years fundraising experience, previously at Prince's Trust Philanthropy Team.

Sahil Shah - Key Partnerships Manager

Beth Duxbury-Campbell - Marketing & Communications Manager

How to Apply to The Big Give Trust

How to Apply

Step 1: Register Your Charity

  • Create free account at community.biggive.org/charities
  • Click 'Charity login' and select 'Not a member'
  • Provide charity registration number (Charity Commission, OSCR, or NI Charity Commission)

Step 2: Create Your Account

  • Add charity information including website URL and address
  • Add team members to complete setup
  • Access charity portal dashboard

Step 3: Apply to Campaigns

  • Navigate to “Big Give Campaigns” in portal
  • Select “Apply now” for desired campaign
  • Complete information on proposed fund usage and fundraising targets
  • Submit within application window

Key Requirements:

  • UK-registered charity with minimum £25,000 annual income (based on last filed accounts)
  • Applications limited to 10% of annual income
  • For Pledge Model campaigns: Minimum £1,000 in pledges required to qualify for Champion funding
  • Overseas-working charities must comply with regulator guidance on protecting charities from harm

Campaign Timeline Examples

Christmas Challenge 2025:

  • Applications open: May 12, 2025
  • Applications close: July 16, 2025 (5pm)
  • Pledge collection deadline: September 7, 2025
  • Champion offer deadline: October 8, 2025
  • Campaign runs: December 2-9, 2025 (midday to midday)

Earth Raise 2026:

  • Applications open: November 3, 2025
  • Campaign: April 22-29, 2026

Champions for Children 2026:

  • Applications open: January 5, 2026
  • Campaign: June 2-16, 2026

Rolling Opportunity:

  • Anchor Match Fund and bespoke campaigns available year-round

Decision Timeline

Stage 1: Application (4-8 weeks before deadline)

Charities complete information on fund usage and set fundraising targets

Stage 2: Vetting (6-8 weeks post-deadline)

Big Give completes due diligence checks using Charity Commission data. Panel of experts review applications and Champions assign funding based on alignment with their priorities and charity pledges secured.

Stage 3: Notification (8-10 weeks before campaign)

Successful applicants receive match funding offers. Charities not receiving Champion offers can still participate using pledges alone.

Stage 4: Pre-Campaign Marketing (4-8 weeks before campaign)

Big Give provides free marketing resources suite including templates, webinars, and promotional materials

Stage 5: Campaign Week (7 days)

Donations matched in real-time. Pledge funds match donations first, then Champion funds follow.

Stage 6: Post-Campaign (4-6 weeks after)

Impact assessments, Champion reports, and charity reporting requirements

Total Timeline: Approximately 12 weeks from application close to campaign launch

Success Rates

  • 74% of participating charities in Christmas Challenge 2024 met or exceeded their fundraising targets
  • 95% of all available match funds were utilized
  • Over 119,000 donations made to 1,267 charities in Christmas Challenge 2024
  • Big Give secured record-breaking £20 million in Champion match funds for 2024 Christmas Challenge

Reapplication Policy

No explicit restrictions found on unsuccessful charities reapplying. Multiple campaigns run annually, providing numerous opportunities throughout the year. Charities can apply to multiple different themed campaigns if eligible. Contact Big Give support for specific guidance on strengthening reapplications.

Application Success Factors

Critical Success Elements (Based on Big Give's Guidance and Results)

1. Pledge Securing Strategy

The amount of pledges secured directly determines eligibility for Champion matching. inHope (Bristol) Limited won the 2024 Big Give Award for “taking the lead in securing pledges” through innovative and proactive approaches. Minimum £1,000 in pledges required for Christmas Challenge Champion funding eligibility.

2. Realistic Target Setting

Setting achievable fundraising goals significantly increases likelihood of success. In 2024, 74% of charities met or exceeded targets, suggesting successful applicants set appropriate goals aligned with their donor base and capacity.

3. Outstanding Planning and Preparation

Batten Disease Family Association CIO won the 2024 award for “outstanding planning, preparation, and execution” of their campaign. Early engagement with Big Give's free webinars and resource materials strengthens applications.

4. Social Media and Communications Excellence

Queenscourt Hospice won for “creative and effective use of social media to engage supporters.” Strong digital presence and communication strategy crucial for maximizing donations during campaign week.

5. Innovative Fundraising Ideas

'Learn to Love to Read' won for a “particularly unique, engaging, or innovative fundraising idea.” Creativity in campaign design helps stand out and engage supporters.

6. Donor Relationship Strength

Integrated Neurological Services won for “outstanding supporter engagement and donor relationships.” Pre-existing relationships with donors significantly improve campaign outcomes. As Alex Day notes, charities come away “more confident about doing campaign planning, fundraising in future” and better able to “connect with new supporters.”

7. Clear Fund Usage Communication

Applications must clearly articulate how funds will be used. Big Give values transparency about whether funds support specific projects, core costs, or capital expenses. Restricted funds remain designated to application purposes until targets are met.

8. Alignment with Campaign Themes

For themed campaigns (Champions for Children, Women and Girls, Earth Raise), applications must demonstrate clear alignment with campaign priorities. Champions for Children, for example, prioritizes physical health, mental wellbeing, safe home & community, and learning & work readiness for London children in poverty.

9. Early Application

Applications assessed on rolling basis within windows. Earlier applications allow more time for any queries or clarifications before deadlines.

10. Small Charity Advantage

Over half (59%) of participating charities in Christmas Challenge 2024 were small charities with annual income below £1 million, demonstrating Big Give's commitment to grassroots organizations. Small charities have dedicated campaigns like Small Charity Week specifically designed for their needs.

What Big Give Values (Direct Quotes and Evidence)

Alex Day emphasizes Big Give's focus on “the multiplier, the sustainability, and the community” when working with Champions. The platform values not just immediate funds raised but the long-term capacity building: charities report campaigns help them “collaborate better as a team, connect with new supporters, and build confidence in fundraising.”

James Reed describes his role as requiring strong communications skills, noting “a lot of your job is in fact communications...you have to be a good communicator.” This suggests Big Give values clear, compelling storytelling in applications.

The organization's core values provide insight into assessment priorities:

  • Generous: Demonstrating willingness to multiply impact
  • Purposeful: Clear commitment to meaningful outcomes
  • Trustworthy: Strong governance and track record
  • Together: Collaborative approach and community building

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Master the Pledge Model: Success hinges on securing pledges from your own major donors before campaigns launch. The more pledges secured, the more Champion funding unlocked. Start building your pledge pipeline months in advance.
  • Leverage Multiple Campaigns: Don't limit yourself to Christmas Challenge. With 7+ campaigns annually, identify which themed campaigns align with your mission and apply strategically throughout the year.
  • Small Charities Have Strong Advantages: 59% of participants have income below £1 million. Big Give specifically designs campaigns and support for grassroots organizations—don't be intimidated by the platform's size.
  • Think Beyond Money: Alex Day notes successful charities gain “confidence in fundraising,” “team collaboration,” and “new supporter connections.” Frame your application around capacity building and long-term donor development, not just immediate funding needs.
  • No Platform Fees: Unlike many fundraising platforms, Big Give charges nothing. Factor this into your cost-benefit analysis—100% of platform-facilitated donations reach your charity (minus standard payment processing).
  • Champion Alignment Matters: For themed campaigns, research the Champion partners funding your target campaign. Champions for Children is funded by The Childhood Trust; align your application with their published impact strategy for better success rates.
  • Start Early, Apply Strategically: With application windows opening 6-7 months before campaigns, early engagement allows time to build pledge commitments and refine your campaign messaging. Check the campaign calendar at biggive.org/2025-campaign-calendar/.

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