Every year, Big Give’s Christmas Challenge draws an incredible response from charities across the UK, all eager to make an even bigger impact during the festive season. The campaign provides an opportunity to double the difference for causes ranging from homelessness to health and wellbeing, and with more Champion funding available than ever before, this year’s response has been particularly exciting.

In 2024, we received a staggering 1,521 applications—a 9.7% increase from last year! Notably, 26% of these charities were first-time applicants, showing that the campaign continues to attract new participants eager to make a difference with the power of match funding.

Here are some standout insights from this year’s applications:

  1. 83% of charities (1,268) successfully raised over £1,000 in pledges, making them eligible for additional match funding from one of our Champion partners.
  2. The median annual income for charities that completed an application was £611,353, reflecting the diversity of organisations participating.
  3. A remarkable 98% of eligible charities (1,237) were offered Champion funding, either full or partial, a significant increase from the 83% offered Champion funding in 2023.

This year also saw a 14% increase in the amount of pledges raised by participating charities compared to last year, with each charity securing an average of £6,872 in pledges. Charities also benefited from a 12% increase in the amount of Champion funding available for the 2024 Christmas Challenge, with the average amount offered per charity at £6,210.

Of the charities offered Champion funding:

  1. 55% focused on Health and Wellbeing as a key category for their application, making it the most common theme.
  2. 36% chose Education, Training, and Employment, highlighting the importance of addressing skills and opportunities across the UK.

When it comes to the people these charities are aiming to help:

  1. 55% of charities focused on supporting children aged 3-18.
  2. The general public followed closely, with 38% of charities targeting their campaigns toward broader community support.

It’s also worth noting that 68% of charities offered Champion funding had an annual income under £1m, and 46% had an income under £500k, demonstrating that smaller organisations are finding great success through the Christmas Challenge.

As we wrap up another fantastic application season for the Christmas Challenge, it’s clear that charities are harnessing the power of match funding to make a greater impact than ever before. With more first-time participants, growing pledges, and increased support from our Champion partners, we’re excited to see the positive changes this year’s campaign will create for communities across the UK.

A huge thank you to our Champion partners for their generosity and commitment in making this year’s campaign possible. We can’t wait to celebrate the difference made through this year’s campaign as charities come together to create lasting change this Christmas.

Explore the incredible Champion match funders supporting this years Christmas Challenge.

Big Give is the UK’s #1 match funding platform. We match donations to multiply generosity and create a lasting impact in the world. Big Give has raised over £300m for thousands of great causes through the power of match funding. Find out more.