How charities maximised impact through match funding
As we launch into the 2026 campaign season, it’s the perfect time to look back at the remarkable achievements of the 2025 Christmas Challenge. Our flagship campaign continues to show how collective generosity can transform lives, helping charities across the UK reach new supporters, raise vital funds, and make an even bigger difference in their communities.
The insights from our post-campaign survey reveal how charities leveraged match funding to amplify their impact. In this blog, we share key findings, inspiring success stories, and the ways the Christmas Challenge equips charities to grow and thrive.
Key insights from the 2025 Charity Survey
Over 1,500 charities shared their experiences in the 2025 Christmas Challenge survey, highlighting the campaign’s transformative impact:
- Boosting Donations: 79% of charities reported an increase in donations compared to their usual fundraising efforts.
- Increasing Gift Size: 72% saw supporters giving more per donation, vs comparable fundraising, demonstrating the motivating effect of match funding.
- Overall Satisfaction: 93% rated the campaign as excellent value for time investment.
- Building Fundraising Skills: 91% reported greater confidence in online fundraising, thanks to Big Give’s free marketing resources.
- Attracting New Supporters: 95% welcomed donations from supporters who hadn’t given to them before.
- Strengthening Supporter Relationships: 94% developed new supporter relationships, while 97% strengthened connections with existing donors.
What charities had to say
“Now in our second year of this campaign, our supporters are more engaged and we can see the impact this has had. We have definitely built momentum and hope to build on this again next year” – Tourettes Action
“Thank you for doing what you do – it’s an amazing platform and campaign for small charities like ours to be involved with. When I joined my charity 10 years ago, a Christmas appeal might raise £5k. Now we have raised 10x that – thanks to the Big Give” – Child Rescue Nepal
“We really appreciate the opportunity to take part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge. We find it to be a really incredible opportunity to engage our supporters and incentivise giving.” – Emma Rice Company
“Only thank you for this opportunity. It really works for our small charity, and we could never access the champion funding without your support.” – Home-Start Oxford
“Thanks for all the support and enabling us to take part. We do really appreciate this as a smaller charity and needing all the support with fundraising as possinle. Thank you!.” – Artis Foundation
Celebrating 2025’s standout campaigns
The 2025 Christmas Challenge Awards attracted over 100 entries, highlighting charities that went above and beyond in their fundraising efforts. These campaigns offer inspiration for future participants and showcase the power of match funding. Read about the winning campaigns here.
Looking ahead to 2026
The success of 2025 sets the stage for another exciting year. Applications for the 2026 Christmas Challenge open in May, and we can’t wait to see more charities benefit from match funding. Meanwhile, explore our upcoming campaigns via the Big Give campaign calendar.