BBC Children in Need: Project Grants Funding Stream

Overview

Overview

• The Project Costs stream has no application deadline – you can apply at any time
• They will not fund any work that has already taken place, or any costs incurred, before the date they give you a decision
• The first step in applying for Project Costs is to fill in a short Expression of Interest (EOI) form online
• Use the EOI form to tell them a bit more about your organisation, and the work you want them to fund
• You’ll be able to access the EOI form in your online account when the funding stream is open
• If they would like to support the work outlined in your EOI form, they’ll send you a full application form to complete
• Their National and Regional Plans will help you understand how we prioritise decisions

They receive three times more ‘Expression of Interest’ requests than we are able to invite to submit a full application. Of those invited to submit a full application 1 in 2 get funding.

BBC Children in Need commits to fairness and making a positive difference for children and young people. It is their responsibility to embrace a diverse, equitable, and inclusive approach to everything they do. Children and young people are great at this and they need to be too.

What are Project Costs?

Project Costs support the aims and delivery of a specific piece of work. This work will usually be time-limited, and based on a defined set of activities.

Their Project Costs Funding Stream is for charities and not-for-profit organisations. Applicants to this programme can apply for grants for up to three years. They aim to give quicker decisions for grants of £15,000 or less per year.

Project grants are awarded as restricted funding. They must be used to cover your organisation’s essential running expenses.

The ‘full cost recovery’ model of funding is designed to cover the entire cost of an activity, plus a proportion of the organisation’s overheads during its delivery. These might include rent, utilities, or administrative costs.

BBC Children in Need grants cannot be used to support full cost recovery models.

Who can apply?

• Not-for-profit organisations working with children and young people aged 18 or under
• They will only consider applications for over £15,000 per year from organisations who have registered with the appropriate regulatory body. These include the Charity Commission for England and Wales, Charity Commission for Northern Ireland and the Scottish Charity Register. If you are a Company limited by Guarantee, you must have registered with Companies House.
• Organisations that work with children and young people who live in the UK, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands
• You can only apply for and hold one grant at any time.
• If you have a current BBC Children in Need Small or Main grant that is due to end within 12 months, you can usually re-apply. If successful with your new application, funds will not be released until your current grant has ended. If you hold any other grant with BBC Children in Need (e.g. We Move, YSA, Curiosity, Inspiring Futures etc), you can re-apply at any time. For full information, please see ‘We already have a grant from BBC Children in Need. When can we apply for another?‘ in their FAQ.
• You won’t be eligible for their Project/Core Costs stream if you have a current Small or Main grant with more than 12 months left to deliver
• If theydo not fund your application they will advise you when you are next able to apply to them.
• You won’t be eligible for their Project Costs stream if you have a current grant with more than 12 months left to deliver
• They seek to prioritise smaller, local organisations. As a result for project costs we will rarely fund organisations with an annual turnover of more than £2 million in the most recent, complete financial year. They understand that there are some organisations with higher income that deliver vital work for Children and Young People. They will accept applications from the following organisations regardless of their turnover.
  • Hospices (incl. Children’s Hospices)
  • Housing Associations
  • Applications which will deliver nationwide or UK-wide work. (i.e. working across a whole nation, or multiple nations within the UK)
• They understand that in certain circumstances, larger and/or national organisations can be best placed to deliver work to the communities that need it most
• If an organisation is delivering in more than one nation in the UK – they are able to apply to and hold a project grant in more than one nation (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales) at any one time.
• If you apply to them for UK-wide delivery, a centrally based decision panel will consider your application. Please see their A to Z page for more information on UK Wide Delivery.

The people and organisations that BBC Children in Need fund will be:

• Working with children and young people aged 18 years and under
• Working in the heart of their communities, particularly in times of crisis
• Putting children and young people at the centre of everything they do, from design to delivery
• Addressing challenges faced by children and young people, building their skills and resilience
• Empowering children and young people, and extending their choices in life
• Keen to keep learning about and developing their work with children and young people
• Committed to making a difference in children and young people’s lives

How much should you apply for?

• Applications for grants of £15,000 or less per year will receive a quicker decision from us, and so will be able to start sooner if successful
• Their Project Grants stream supports projects for up to three years
• They will only consider applicationsfor over £15,000 per year from organisations who have registered with the appropriate regulatory body. These include the Charity Commission for England and Wales, Charity Commission for Northern Ireland and the Scottish Charity Register. If you are a Company limited by Guarantee, you must have registered with Companies House
• They do not make grants of over £120,000 (or £40,000 per year), and most grants they make are for much less than this. Each year they receive far a higher number of funding requests than they are able to support. Applications for larger amounts are always more difficult for them to fund
• If your project directly supports certain groups of especially vulnerable children and young people, you’ll be unable to apply for less than £15,001 per year
  • In particular, this means work with children affected by child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation, or serious youth violence
  • Their approach to funding work in these areas involves making larger grants, and building deeper relationships with delivery organisations