Important Update about our Grantmaking

As part of our ongoing commitment to improving our systems and processes, BBC Children in Need are transitioning to a new grantmaking system. This transition will take place throughout 2025 and we will launch our new system by the end of September. During this period there will be some disruption to our grant programmes.

Please see below some frequently asked questions, which will be updated regularly.

Are BBC Children in Need stopping grantmaking between April and September 2025?

No, BBC Children in Need will continue to make grants throughout the year. We will be unable to accept new Expression of Interest applications after 15th April until mid-September 2025. During that time we will continue to consider and process all applications submitted on or before 15th April. If you submit an Expression of Interest application on or before 15th April and you are invited to complete a full application form, you will be able to submit this to be considered within the usual timeframe.

I have an application in progress or I am about to submit an Expression of Interest, how does this affect me?

Applications submitted on or before 15th April will be considered in the usual way. You may receive a decision 1-2 weeks later than expected. If your application or Expression of Interest is successful, we will contact you to tell you what you need to do next.

I am a grantee; how do I get access to my online account in the new grantmaking system?

When we launch our new grantmaking system you will be invited to register for a new grantee portal account.

We have a payment due between July and September 2025, will we still receive our payment?

Yes. We will continue to pay grantees throughout this period.

I have applied to BBC Children in Need in the past, or have a current grant. What will happen to the old application forms and reports in my online account (also known as the grantee portal)?

You will not have access to your online account (also known as the grantee portal) from 26th July 2025. Therefore you will not be able to access your old forms, reports etc. from that date. We will be contacting all organisations who have an online account to ask them to save any forms or reports that they wish to have access to in the future. Full instructions on how to do this will be added to this page soon.

I was planning to submit an Expression of Interest after 15th April 2025, what does this mean for me?

We will be unable to accept any new Expression of Interest applications after 15th April 2025 until we launch our new grantmaking system, by the end of September 2025. We will prioritise considering and processing all applications using our current system before our current applicant/ grantee portal is closed. We will then accept new Expressions of Interest in our new system once we re-launch in September 2025.

I am a grantee and my end of year report is due during July-December 2025, what should I do?

We want to minimise the disruption this transition will have on all our applicants and grantees. We are working on an alternative method for our grantees to submit their end of year reports during the closure period. If this affects you, we will be in touch directly to explain your options. In the meantime, if you have a report in progress which is unlikely to be submitted before the closure date of 26th July 2025, please ensure you keep a local copy of all the information within your report. Full instructions on how to do this will be added to this page soon.

I have a grant due to come to an end between mid-April 2025 and February 2026. I want to apply for funding to continue this work. What should I do?

There is no guarantee that any of our existing grantees will receive further funding. However we know that some current grantees will want to apply for further funding so that if successful, their work continues without a break. If your current grant is due to end during this time, we will be contacting you in the coming weeks to explain your options. In the meantime, if you have any concerns, please reach out to your Grant Manager or [email protected].

I have just been awarded a grant. Will these changes affect me?

If you have just received an award letter, please return your grant acceptance form to us as soon as possible so that we can get it processed and schedule your first payment. We strongly advise that you return your form to us with plenty of time to make any corrections or amendments if needed.

When we launch our new grantmaking system, you will be invited to register for a new grantee portal account. You will use this new account to manage your grant going forward.

I have questions, who can I speak to about this?

If you have any questions or concerns about this information, please contact [email protected] or call us on 0345 609 0015.