GrantRadar

BBC Children in Need

Core Costs Funding Stream

BBC Children in Need's Core Costs funding stream pays for essential organisational running costs, such as management, salaries for essential roles, office costs, accountancy and governance, for not-for-profit organisations working with children and young people aged 18 or under. Grants run for up to three years at up to £40,000 a year (up to £120,000 in total), and organisations with turnover over £1m cannot apply. Grants are restricted to specified core costs, not full cost recovery. There is no deadline, but the funder currently funds only about 1 in 6 applications.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £120,000
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Heavy
budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

  • Not-for-profit organisations working with children and young people aged 18 or under, based in the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands and working with children who live there
  • Turnover must not exceed £1m in the most recent complete financial year, and an organisation can hold only one Core Costs grant at a time
  • Applications for over £15,000 a year are only considered from organisations registered with the appropriate regulatory body
  • Applicants need a governing document with not-for-profit and dissolution clauses and a safeguarding policy in the organisation's name
  • CICs must be companies limited by guarantee with at least three directors (one independent) and signed accounts (micro accounts not accepted)
  • Schools, local authorities, NHS bodies and individuals are not eligible

What it funds

Specific, itemised core costs that keep the organisation running and strengthen its ability to support children and young people, for up to three years. Examples:

  • Management and administration
  • HR and payroll, including salaries for roles essential to the organisation's sustainability
  • General office expenses
  • Accountancy and audit
  • Communications and outreach
  • Monitoring, evaluation and learning
  • Governance, regulatory and compliance costs

Grants are restricted funding, and each cost must be specified in the budget.

What it will not fund

  • Work already done, or costs incurred, before the date of the decision
  • Full cost recovery models or a percentage of all organisational costs/overheads
  • Unspecified expenditure
  • Completely unrestricted funding
  • Organisations with turnover over £1m in the most recent complete financial year
  • Schools, universities, pupil referral units and other educational institutions
  • Local authorities, NHS bodies, hospitals and prisons
  • Individuals
  • Companies limited by shares or private limited companies

How to apply

  1. Read the A-Z of eligibility policies and guidance and the FAQs
  2. Speak to your local BBC Children in Need team
  3. Submit the Expression of Interest (EOI) form from your online account
  4. If invited, complete and submit the full application form within 30 days

No feedback is given if an EOI is not progressed

Help is available on 0345 609 0015, including translation of the application

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