# Applications for Big Give Christmas Challenge open today

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/06/05/applications-big-give-christmas-challenge-open-today/
- Published: 2017-06-05T07:48:25+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge match-funding campaign opens for applications
today.**

 

2017 is [the Big Give’s](https://www.thebiggive.org.uk/) tenth anniversary, and 
will see the [Christmas Challenge](https://www.thebiggive.org.uk/christmas-challenge/)
take place on a bigger scale than previous years with more match funding from campaign
Champions available. This year [The Coles-Medlock Foundation](http://www.colecharitabletrust.org.uk/),
[The Four Acre Trust](https://www.fouracretrust.org.uk/), and [The Hospital Saturday Fund](https://www.hospitalsaturdayfund.org/)
join the Champions for the first time. They will provide funding alongside The Reed
Foundation, [The Childhood Trust](http://www.childhoodtrust.org.uk/), Ethiopiaid,
Candis and others.

## Advertisement

 [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/)

 

Applications are open until 7^(th) July. The campaign will again launch on #GivingTuesday,
and will run continuously over seven days.

 

Since its 2008 launch, the Christmas Challenge has raised over £78 million for participating
charities, with donations matched by Big Give ‘Champions’: Trusts, Foundations, 
philanthropists and corporates who support the initiative, as well as charities’
major donors.

 

Alex Day, director of the Big Give, said:

 

> “We are really looking forward to this year’s campaign which is set to be bigger
> and better than before. We know that the campaign has an incredible impact on 
> charities: 98% of participating charities last year would recommend the campaign
> to other organisations for good reason.”
> “95% of charities received donations from new supporters last year, as well as
> increasing their confidence in online fundraising, building their profile and 
> relationships. We’re delighted to be running the improved model following the 
> results of 2016 when 93% of participating charities approved of the changes. We’re
> very excited about being able to play a role in helping charities to find innovative
> ways to raise funds for their causes.”

 

**Is your charity**** eligible to apply?**

 

To be eligible to apply for the Christmas Challenge 2017, charities must:

 

 * Be registered in the UK or have exempt status from HMRC
 * Be registered on theBigGive.org.uk ([sign up](https://secure.thebiggive.org.uk/charity/register)
   for free)
 * Have at least one year of filed accounts and an annual income of £25,000 or more(
   as per last filed accounts)

 

**Key dates**

 

 * Stage one application: 5th June – 7th July (stage one applications must be submitted
   by 7th July deadline.
 * Stage two application (pledge collection): 5th June – 1st September
 * Notification: 18th September – 6th October
 * Christmas Challenge: 28th November – 5th December

 * **[Facebook to contribute £200k to charities in #GivingTuesday matching campaign](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/11/22/facebook-contribute-200k-charities-givingtuesday-matching-campaign/)**(
   22 November 2017)
 * **[#GivingTuesday sees almost 2,000 charities & businesses take part](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/11/28/givingtuesday-sees-almost-2000-charities-businesses-take-part/)**(
   28 November 2017)
 * **[Over 2,000 charities to support this year’s #GivingTuesday](https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/11/12/2000-charities-support-years-givingtuesday/)**(
   12 November 2018)

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