The Grand Appeal
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The foundation fits charities whose projects improve the quality of life of sick children in UK hospitals and hospices, and it prefers projects conceived and developed in those settings.
- Its grants go up to £5,000, so keep your request at or below that, and show that your costs are accurate and that the project is cost effective and reaches as many sick children as possible.
- Apply by the closing date on the form, sent by email, and if your organisation works within a hospital or hospice, include a supporting reference from that hospital or hospice, since applications should come from or be endorsed by a children's hospital or hospice.
- Do not apply if you are not a registered charity or do not have charitable status, do not work within a hospital or hospice environment, are an animal, religious or international charity, or are seeking funding for individuals, excursions, holidays, retrospective costs or Clown Doctors.
- If your application is not funded, the foundation says you may be funded if you apply again.
Overview
The Grand Appeal is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1043603).
The Grand Appeal is a charity that supports the quality of life of sick babies and children and their families in hospitals and hospices throughout the UK, with its central work focused on children's hospital care in Bristol and the wider South West. It funds life-saving equipment, family accommodation, medical research, and music, play and art therapy, alongside wellbeing support and improvements to the hospital environment. Its annual giving was £775,810 according to the annual report, and its maximum grant is up to £5,000.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The foundation supports sick babies and children and their families, with its central work focused on children’s hospital care in Bristol and the wider South West. It funds life-saving equipment, family accommodation, medical research, and music, play and art therapy, alongside wellbeing support and improvements to the hospital environment. Its published grants guidance describes support across the UK for projects that improve the quality of life of sick children in hospitals and hospices. It gives preference to projects conceived and developed in those settings and makes grants to registered charities. Supported project types include family facilities, accessible environments, hospice care, education and information, support for children with physical and emotional difficulties, and medical equipment where statutory funding is unavailable.
Themes
- Medical equipment
- Family accommodation
- Medical research
- Arts, music and play
- Hospice care
- Education programmes
Geographic Focus
UK.
What they don't fund
- Charities not supporting children’s healthcare
- Organisations that do not have charitable status
- Animal, religious or international charities
- Retrospective funding
- Organisations that do not work within a hospital or hospice environment
- Organisations that provide excursions, holidays or away days
- No grants will be made to individuals
- Funding of Clown Doctors
- The charity only supports facilities, equipment, comforts and accommodation at children’s hospitals and hospices around the UK for the benefit of a wide range of patients; it does not fund any one childhood disease
How to apply
Organisations complete the application form and submit it by email; supporting documentation may be sent by post if necessary.
Deadlines: Applications must reach the foundation by the closing date stated on the form.
Who can apply:
- Grants will only be made to registered charities.
- Applications from organisations working within hospitals and hospices will be considered but will require a supporting reference from the hospital/hospice itself.
What to send:
- A supporting reference from the hospital or hospice itself, for applications from organisations working within hospitals and hospices.
Applying again: If you meet our criteria and we couldn’t fund your application this year, don’t be put off applying next time as you may be funded second time around.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- The foundation prefers projects conceived and developed in children’s hospitals and hospices.
- Applications should come from, or be endorsed by, a children’s hospital or hospice.
- It wants projects to be cost effective and reach as many sick children as possible.
- Applicants should ensure their project-cost calculations are accurate.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Grand Appeal.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- The Royal Hospital for Children, Bristol · Support for Bristol Children's Hospital£570,484year to 31 March 2025
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts. Not included above: 1 with no named recipient.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 March 2021 | £2,545,097 | £2,428,667 | £446,360 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2021 |
| year to 31 March 2022 | £3,078,967 | £2,390,431 | £243,152 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2022 |
| year to 31 March 2023 | £3,172,498 | £2,918,583 | £444,580 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2023 |
| year to 31 March 2024 | £3,860,047 | £3,102,822 | £526,923 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2024 |
| year to 31 March 2025 | £3,275,046 | £3,367,451 | £775,810 | Accounts for year to 31 March 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 5 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 31 March 2021; year to 31 March 2022; year to 31 March 2023; year to 31 March 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 March 2025: grants paid out in the year.
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.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- grandappeal.org.uk
- grandappeal.org.uk/about-us · read on 30 October 2026
- grandappeal.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/GrantGuidelines2021.pdf · read on 30 October 2026
- grandappeal.org.uk/contact-us · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 March 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The Grand Appeal?
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Applying to The Grand Appeal?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required