The Big Give Announces First Sponsor in £20m Challenge

Philanthropy website partners with Arts & Business to raise £3m for arts organisations.

The Big Give has announced an ambitious £20million target for their 2010 Challenge Fund, which offers to double public donations to charities. Founder Alec Reed is inviting fellow philanthropists to join him in creating a catalyst fund to launch the challenge. 

Each philanthropist will sponsor a fund for their favourite cause - such as environment, women’s rights, and children - inspiring thousands of donors to support charities in that sector.

The Big Give has just confirmed their first sponsor for 2010. Arts & Business, the national voice for private sector engagement in the arts, has created a fund to raise £3m for arts organisations.

The 2010 challenge will build on the success of the 2009 event, which smashed its £6m target to raise £8.5million.  In 2008, the pilot scheme raised £2m in just 45 minutes.

Reed said “Matched funding challenges are a really effective way of doubling support
for projects and charities. Our success shows that donors are looking for ways to make their support go further.”

theBigGive.org.uk showcases the work of thousands of charities, hundreds of whom benefited from the 2009 Christmas Challenge.  Greenhouse charity, which provides sport and performing arts programmes for young people in deprived areas, said “We were thrilled with the outcome of the Big Give Christmas Challenge, which was a really welcomed boost for us. It was wonderful for supporters to maximise their contribution in this way.”

Charities interested in learning more can register for free at www.theBigGive.org.uk 

Go to press releases