BBC Children in Need: open grants for UK charities

Finding a funder is the easy part. The hard part is working out which of their programmes you're actually eligible for, and not wasting a week on an application that was never a fit. This guide lists BBC Children in Need's currently open programmes so you can check the basics before you commit.

Open BBC Children in Need programmes right now

• Core (Organisational) Costs
  £1,000–£40,000 · Rolling, applications open
  UK-wide (incl. Isle of Man & Channel Islands). £1,000–£40,000 per year (max £120,000 over up to 3 years) for the core running costs of not-for-profits working with children and young people aged 18 and under. Core Grants are NOT awarded to organisations with turnover over £1m in the most recent complete financial year (smaller, local orgs prioritised); applications over £15,000/yr are only considered from organisations registered with the appropriate regulatory body. No deadline — apply any time. ACCESS ROUTE (funder page read 2026-08-08): "The first step in applying is to speak with your local team", then an Expression of Interest; the EOI form is reached inside an online account and "You'll be able to access the EOI form in your online account when the funding stream is open" — so an account is needed first and EOI availability is conditional. A full application form is issued only if BBC CiN wants to support the work set out in the EOI. SCALE REALITY: "Currently, we are only able to fund 1 in 6 of the applications we receive." You may hold only one BBC CiN grant at a time, and only one Core Costs grant at any time regardless of where in the UK you deliver; if an application is unsuccessful the funder tells you when you may next apply. No retrospective funding — nothing already done or already incurred before the decision date. Not funded: work statutory bodies have a duty to fund; educational institutions including schools, universities and pupil referral units (and, for Core Grants, special schools); local authorities, NHS bodies, hospitals or prisons; capital or building projects; work promoting religion; activity outside the UK; medical treatment or research; bursaries, fees or sponsored places; political activity.
• Project Costs
  £1,000–£40,000 · Rolling, applications open
  UK-wide (incl. Isle of Man & Channel Islands). £1,000–£40,000 per year (up to 3 years) for projects delivering positive change for disadvantaged children and young people aged 18 and under. No deadline – apply any time (pre-application advice session + Expression of Interest required).

Each programme links to BBC Children in Need's official page. Always confirm eligibility, amounts and deadlines there before applying. Funders update their pages, and "rolling" does not mean funding is guaranteed.

Before you apply to BBC Children in Need

• Check the eligibility basics first: where you work, the type of organisation you are, who you help, and the realistic size of grant you can deliver.
• Look at who BBC Children in Need has funded recently. Recent grants are the best signal of whether your work fits their priorities.
• Don't rely on one funder. The charities that win consistently keep a live shortlist of several well-matched opportunities, not a single bet.

GrantNest helps you discover and draft funding opportunities. We are not affiliated with BBC Children in Need. We don't guarantee you'll win funding, and nothing here is financial or legal advice. Programme details verified 2026-08-19.