We’re thrilled to share that 194 inspiring small charities have been selected to participate in the inaugural Small Charity Week match funding campaign, which will run from 23 to 30 June 2025.
This exciting new initiative is a partnership between Big Give, Global’s Make Some Noise, and NCVO, uniting our collective strengths to shine a spotlight on small charities and unlock vital funding for their life-changing work.
This campaign offers a simple yet powerful proposition: all public donations made during the week will be doubled, thanks to generous match funding donations from Champion funders, including players of People’s Postcode Lottery. The unrestricted funding allows charities to use it where it’s needed most.
Alongside the match funding, charities will benefit from wraparound support, including training, resources, and media visibility. It’s more than a campaign, it’s a celebration of the impact of small charities and a commitment to building their long-term resilience.
A huge response: the data
We received an overwhelming number of 846 applications, the highest number for any themed Big Give campaign since 2021. Of these, 194 charities were selected, representing a 23% success rate of applications. This is significantly below the usual 70-80% for Big Give campaigns. A total of £900,000 in match funding has been pledged, thanks to the generous support of multiple funders, including players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
While this campaign marks a powerful step in the right direction, this sharp drop underlines the scale of unmet need in the sector and the urgency of further action.
Notably:
- 73% of participating charities have an income under £500k
- 78% of selected projects are based outside London
Projects span the four priority areas of Global’s Make Some Noise:
- Shelter and safety
- Physical and mental health
- Isolation and loneliness
- Life skills development
Each participating charity has an income between £5,000 and £1 million, reflecting our focus on supporting often underfunded but essential frontline services.
Support for all applicants
While this campaign marks an important step toward channelling more funding into the small charity sector, we know that many charities may feel disappointed not to have been selected this time. The 23% success rate, lower than the usual 70–80% for Big Give campaigns, reflects the urgent need for greater investment in small charities.
We want to thank every organisation that took the time to apply. We remain committed to supporting your journey.
Free NCVO membership for all applicants
As a gesture of support, all small charities that applied will receive free NCVO membership for at least one year. NCVO membership will provide access to expert help and guidance, discounts on training and event bookings and resources designed to help strengthen your charity. All charities will receive an email with further details on how to claim their free membership.
How to improve your chances next time
While we are unable to provide individual feedback, our assessors have shared five common themes to help charities strengthen future applications:
- Include evidence! It’s important to clearly describe the need for the service/support you offer, and including evidence can elevate and strengthen your case. Incorporating your own data, or publicly available statistics, brings the scale and/or urgency of the problem you are trying to address to life. For example, you might refer to the number of people affected by the problem or, for charities working with smaller groups of beneficiaries, you might instead describe the impact of a lack of support on specific outcomes, e.g. mental wellbeing or school grades.
- The funding request should be proportionate to the project. It’s a common misconception that the lower the amount requested, the more likely a project is to be funded. Whilst we absolutely do care about value for money, we also want to make sure that the project is feasible with the funds requested. So, asking for too little can be as much of a red flag as asking for too much!
- It’s great to mention how beneficiaries have been involved in the design and ongoing development of services/support; this signals that you really understand the nuances of the individuals and communities you’re helping, the barriers they might be facing, and how best to help.
- Present a clear understanding of how you will achieve impact and ideally, a plan for how you’re going to measure it. Be clear about your objectives and how these address the needs of beneficiaries.
- Include information on your past successes! If you have a track record of making a difference, don’t be afraid to blow your own trumpet! We love to hear how many people you’ve reached or what difference your work has made.
Looking ahead
This campaign is just the beginning. It’s a rallying cry for the sector to invest in small charities, not just during Small Charity Week, but year-round. Together, we can build their strength, amplify their stories and ensure they continue to change lives for years to come.
We are already speaking with funders and philanthropists interested in becoming Champions for next year. If you or your organisation would like to get involved, get in touch with us.
Learn more: biggive.org/small-charity-week/
Explore other Big Give campaigns, including our flagship Christmas Challenge, the UK’s largest match funding campaign, with applications open from 12th May to 4th July 2025.