Introducing £5k projects!

Following feedback from charities and philanthropists, we have expanded The Big Give to include charity projects seeking £5k to £50k in funding. This move means The Big Give will better reflect major donor department targets and help increase funding opportunities for charites.

The new funding amounts are £5k, £10k, £25k and £50k, and charities can upload their projects for these values now. The website will retain its current look and functionality, and the new donation amounts (including changes to the 'thermometer') will be promoted to donors in March.

Let us know what you think of the new amounts by adding a comment below.

Board of Philanthropists

Alec Reed has announced the The Big Give Board of Philanthropists. The Board comprises a group of twenty highly-experienced individuals, offering their exceptional talents from the private, public and charitable sectors.

Members of the Board include Lord Salisbury, former leader of the House of Lords; Lord Joffe, chair of the Government's Giving Campaign; and Simon Murdoch, who launched Amazon's online bookstore in the UK.

Their role will be to encourage other major donors to give intelligently and provide expert feedback on theBigGive.org.uk.

We ask that charities do not send unsolicited requests to Board members.

The full list is:

Lord Salisbury PC DL
- Leader of the House of Lords from 1994-7

Lord Joffe CBE
- represented Nelson Mandela at trial, 1963-4
- Chair of the Government's Giving Campaign, 2001-4

Lord Haskins
- Chairman, Northern Foods 1986-2002
- New Deal Task Force 1997 -2001

Lord Rana MBE JP
- Founder & Managing Director, Andras House

Lord Gavron CBE
- Chair, Guardian Media Group 1997-2000
- Director, Royal Opera House 1992-8

Lord Bell
- Chair, Bell Pottinger Communications
- MD, Saatchi & Saatchi 1970-85

Sir Peter Mason, KBE CBE DL
- Chief Exec AMEC 1996-2006

Sir Sigmund Sternberg KCSG JP
- Founder, Three Faiths Forum
- Chairman, Martin Slowe Estates

Peter Bottomley MP
- MP for Worthing West, 1997-

Simon Murdoch
- Founder, friendsabroad.com
- First head of amazon.co.uk

Martyn Lewis CBE
- Chair of Beacon Fellowship
- Co-founder & Chairman, Teliris
- Chair & Founder, YouthNet UK

Fred Mulder, Dr
- Founder of The Funding Network
- Beacon Fellow

Stuart Wallis FCA CTA
- Chairman, Protherics

John Spiers
- Founder, BestInvest

Frank Kirwan
- OSCR
- former trustee of Oxfam
- director of RBS; Grahma Tech

Larry Sullivan
- Chair and co-founder, COINS software house
- Founder, Stepping Stones school for children with hemiplegia

Trevor Yang
- Group Director
- Trustee of WWF Hong Kong

Bruce Jobling LLB
- Solicitor

Tim Partington
- Director, Chapman Taylor LLP

John Blaxland, Dr

Ian Watson

Alec Reed CBE
- Founder, Reed Specialist Recruitment
- Founder, The Big Give

New PR agency for The Big Give

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Carte Blanche Communications as PR agency for theBigGive.org.uk.

Carte Blanche are experts in the high-net-worth sector, and will help to drive awareness and increase the profile of high-level philanthropy on theBigGive.org.uk.

Look out for coverage of theBigGive.org.uk in the press over the coming weeks, or check back here to see the latest press updates and links to articles.