The Big Give: Small Charity Week

Overview

About Small Charity Week

Small charities are the heartbeat of communities, tackling social challenges and transforming lives with limited resources. Their inaugural, Small Charity Week match funding campaign will help to build the resilience, skills and profile of the small charity sector whilst helping them raise vital, unrestricted funding to further their impact.

Charities with an annual income between £5,000 and £1 million from across the UK are able to apply for match funding. Donations made during the campaign, which will run between 23 – 30 June 2025 (coinciding with Small Charity Week) will be doubled through the match funding model, so each pound donated goes twice as far in empowering small charities in their mission. 

Charities can seek to raise either £500, £1,000, £2500, £5,000, or £10,000 in public donations (to be doubled by the match funds). Charities are limited to apply for Champion funds which are a maximum of 10% of their annual income. 

How does it work?

Small Charity Week utilises their ‘1:1’ model of match funding. Small charities apply to Big Give and their application is assessed by Big Give and their partner, Global’s Make Some Noise. Successful charities are awarded a sum of match funding which is ring-fenced for their organisation. This match funding is unlocked by public donations given through Big Give’s online fundraising platform during the week of the campaign. Learn more about match funding works

Charity Eligibility Criteria

• UK-registered charities with a Charity Commission, OSCR or NI Charity Commission number. Charities with tax-exempt status will not be eligible. Find out more about tax-exempt status – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/exempt-charities-cc23/exempt-charities 
• Must have a minimum annual income of £5,000 and a maximum income of £1m (as per at least one years filed accounts or one year’s recorded income on the Charity Commission).
• Charities seeking to raise either £500, £1,000, £2500, £5,000, or £10,000 in public donations (to be doubled by the match funds). Charities are limited to apply for Champion funds which are a maximum of 10% of their annual income.
• Small charities that are looking for funds to support people and communities in the UK.
• Funds may be applied for in relationship to specific projects or core costs. In the latter case, the impact and legacy of the charity’s work as a whole should be included.
• Charities in receipt of funding from Global’s Make Some Noise, after June 2025, are not eligible to apply for the campaign.

Campaign Stage Breakdown

Stage 0: The Raise

Big Give and Global’s Make Some Noise start to secure match-funding commitments from champions.

Stage 1: Initial application

Big Give, NCVO and Global’s Make Some Noise markets the opportunity to charities. The application involves charities completing information on their proposed use of funds.

Stage 2: Vetting and Notification
Big Give and Global’s Make Some Noise completes due diligence checks on all applications. A panel of experts review and assign Champion funding to charity campaigns. The total amount of Champion funding allocated to a charity makes up their match funding pot for the campaign.

Stage 3: Marketing
Big Give, Global’s Make Some Noise and NCVO provide a free suite of resources to help support charities to maximise the opportunity and market the campaign.

Stage 4: Campaign
All donations are doubled until the Champion match funds have been used. Any donations raised over the overall target count as extra, unmatched, unrestricted donations to a charity’s campaign. Charities that don’t reach their target still receive any match funds up to the value of online donations received.

Stage 5: Post-Campaign
Learning and impact assessments are sent out, along with Champion reports and charity reporting requirements.