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1 December 2025

3 min read

The UK’s biggest match funding campaign

Double your donation when you give online between 2 and 9 December towards the Big Give Christmas Challenge.

Matthew Gould
Matthew Gould,

Insight & Impact Specialist (The EQ Foundation)

The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge is the UK’s largest match-funding campaign, and The EQ Foundation is proud to support it once again as a Champion Funder.

This year it will run from the 2nd to the 9th of December, during which every donation has the power to be doubled.

How does it work?

The Big Give Christmas Challenge brings together charities, match funders (champions) and the public to make an incredible difference each year. For seven days, every pound donated via the Big Give platform is matched, turning £20 into £40, £50 into £100, and so on, until the match pot runs out.

In 2024, the campaign raised a record-breaking £44.7 million in just one week!

Our 2025 charity partners

This year, we’re supporting eight fantastic charities:

» ACTION TUTORING

Action Tutoring is a national charity dedicated to closing the academic attainment gap between pupils facing disadvantage and their more affluent peers. By harnessing the power of volunteering, their trained tutors help pupils build maths and English subject knowledge, study skills and confidence.

» BEATING TIME

Beating Time exists to help people survive a prison sentence and thrive on release. They improve mental health and build social inclusion in prison, enabling them to secure employment on release. This is achieved with our two proven, continuous programmes; Choirs Beating Time and Inside Job.

» CAUDWELL YOUTH

Not all young people have the same opportunities in life. Caudwell Youth is looking to level the playing field for young people at risk who may have experienced mental ill health, be care-experienced or be at risk of exploitation or offending. They help shape futures with person-centred mentoring support.

» CHAPTER ONE

Chapter One strive to transform the futures of children aged 5-8 who are facing disadvantage by breaking the cycle of educational inequality. They provide weekly 1:1 reading sessions, empowering children to develop vital literacy skills and spark a love of reading, so they can thrive in education and in life.

» GLOBAL CANOPY

Deforestation is at the heart of the climate and nature crises, and Global Canopy is dedicated to reversing that destruction. Their data and tools transform financial systems and markets, enabling companies, investors, and governments to make better decisions for nature, forests and people.

» SHANNON TRUST

Over 70% of people in prison can’t read or struggle to. Even more struggle with numeracy. Shannon Trust is raising money to support people in the criminal justice system, and the wider community, to learn to read and improve their numeracy so they can transform their lives.

» THE FOR BABY’S SAKE TRUST

Domestic abuse devastates lives. The For Baby’s Sake Trust works with the whole family, starting in pregnancy, to break cycles of domestic abuse. Their innovative programme of therapeutic support tackles the trauma that often lies at the heart of domestic abuse.

» THE WAVE PROJECT

Surf therapy provides a revolutionary approach to mental health support. By taking therapy out of sterile rooms and into the dynamic environment of the beach and the sea, The Wave Project create an identity-building experience and build trust that creates lasting change for children aged between 8 – 18 years old.

 

 

Matthew Gould

Matthew Gould


Insight & Impact Specialist (The EQ Foundation)

I’m a philanthropy and impact specialist focused on building data-driven tools and strategies that make charitable giving more transparent, equitable, and effective. My work centres on strengthening the systems and insights that help funders make evidence-based decisions and deliver meaningful impact. I’ve designed due diligence, assessment, and reporting frameworks that streamline grant making and improve visibility into results. My analysis of charities across a range of causes has helped ensure philanthropic investments are aligned with high-impact, evidence-backed interventions that support underserved communities. I’m passionate about using data to tell stories that inspire action. Through my work on GivingisGreat.org, I’ve helped spotlight effective, evidence-led charities and connect donors with organisations driving real change. I value building strong relationships with grantees, offering strategic advice and sharing insights that contribute to a more resilient, impact-oriented sector.

Connect

Recent articles by Matthew

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