The Big Give Trust

Charity Number: 1136547

Annual Expenditure: £57.4M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £57,400,000 (most recent Christmas Challenge)
  • Success Rate: 82% of participating charities meet or exceed targets
  • Decision Time: 12 weeks (application to notification varies by campaign)
  • Grant Range: £2,000 - £100,000 (depending on campaign; 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 (1934-2025) as the UK's pioneering match funding platform. With over £427 million raised since 2008 for thousands of charities, Big Give has revolutionised collaborative fundraising in the UK. The most recent Christmas Challenge raised a record-breaking £57.4 million, 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 organisation 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. The organisation regularly hosts the Big Give Awards to celebrate excellence in fundraising campaigns, recognising innovations in pledge securing, social media engagement, and supporter relationships.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

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 (typically early December)

  • £2,000 - £50,000 public donation target
  • Applications typically open in May and close in July
  • Pledge collection deadline typically in September
  • UK's largest collaborative fundraising campaign
  • All cause areas eligible
  • Uses Pledge Model (charities secure their own match funding pledges + Champion funds)

Champions for Children (typically June, two-week campaign)

  • £2,000 - £100,000 public donation target
  • Applications typically open in January
  • 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

Women and Girls Match Fund (typically March)

  • Focus: Supporting vulnerable women and girls in England and Scotland
  • 1:1 match funding model
  • Recent campaign raised £2.4m for 217 charities with over 9,500 public donations

Earth Raise (typically late April, coinciding with Earth Day)

  • Applications typically open in November
  • Focus: Environmental and conservation charities
  • Recent campaign raised £8.1m for 307 charities with 36,000+ donations

Arts for Impact (typically March)

  • Applications typically open in October
  • Focus: Arts and culture organisations
  • Recent campaign raised £2.7m for 286 charities

Kind2Mind (paused for review)

  • Focus: Mental health charities that address, prevent, research, treat, and campaign for mental health issues
  • Big Give is exploring new ways to support mental health charities through future match funding opportunities
  • Most recent campaign raised £2.1m for 160 organisations

Small Charity Week (typically late June)

  • Applications typically open in January
  • Focus: Grassroots organisations with annual income below £1 million
  • Inaugural campaign raised £1.8m for small charities across the UK

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

Organisational Exclusions:

  • Community Interest Companies (CICs) - cannot apply as Big Give relies on Charity Commission data
  • Charities with tax-exempt status (for some campaigns)
  • Organisations 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 emphasises 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, Chair of Peters Fraser & Dunlop

Richard Reed - Trustee

Nicola Reed - Trustee

Julie Hoegh - Trustee

Sir Alec Reed CBE - Founder (1934-2025)

Established Big Give in 2007 with the pioneering concept: “whatever cause you support...your donation is doubled if you give through Big Give.” Sir Alec passed away peacefully on 2 December 2025 (Giving Tuesday) at age 91. He was knighted in 2011 for his services to business and charity.

Executive Team

Alex Day - Managing Director

Leads strategy and team direction. Exeter University graduate (2005) with MA in Charity Management (2015). Previously worked for international development and humanitarian NGOs including Tearfund and Medair. Previously Director of Social Impact at Reed. Alex emphasises 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.”

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 optimisation. 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 Pattern

Typical Christmas Challenge Timeline:

  • Applications open: May
  • Applications close: July (5pm)
  • Pledge collection deadline: September
  • Champion offer deadline: October
  • Campaign runs: Early December (seven days, midday to midday)

Other Campaign Patterns:

  • Earth Raise: Applications typically open November; campaign runs late April
  • Champions for Children: Applications typically open January; campaign runs June
  • Small Charity Week: Applications typically open January; campaign runs late June

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

  • 82% of participating charities in the most recent Christmas Challenge met or exceeded their fundraising targets
  • Big Give secures substantial Champion match funds for each campaign
  • Over 150,000 donations made to participating charities in recent Christmas Challenge
  • The most recent Christmas Challenge had a record 1,591 charities participating

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 a 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. 82% of charities in the most recent Christmas Challenge 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 a Big Give 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 maximising 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, prioritises 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 recent Christmas Challenges were small charities with annual income below £1 million, demonstrating Big Give's commitment to grassroots organisations. Small charities have dedicated campaigns like Small Charity Week specifically designed for their needs.

What Big Give Values (Direct Quotes and Evidence)

Alex Day emphasises 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 organisation'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 organisations—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 for current opportunities.

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