UK Aid Match

Backing the public's choice: New scheme to match fund donations to charity appeals

The call for applications to DFID's pilot phase of UK Aid Match is now closed. The scheme will be reopened in 2013. All details of the new scheme will be published on this page of the DFID website in due course.

UK Aid Match was launched on 30 June 2011. It is a demand-led fund which will match public donations to appeals for development activities focused on poverty reduction in developing countries. Organisations applying to have their appeals match funded will be selected on the basis of;

the public reach of their appeal and commitment and capacity to communicate the results of the funding to the public;
capacity and track record in managing development activities;
commitment to and capacity to account transparently on the use of the funding;
clarity of the expected results of the proposed activities;
whether the activities are consistent with DFID’s priorities and values; and
whether the activities represent value for money.

Key features of UK Aid Match are:

Purpose	UK Aid Match is a mechanism that allows the UK public to have a direct say in how an element of the aid budget is spent. It is called UK Aid Match because DFID will match, pound for pound, public donations to appeals made by not-for-profit organisations for work that is carried out in developing countries to reduce poverty.
Value of scheme	£30m for new commitments up to June 2012.
Definition of an ‘appeal’	A call to the public over a maximum period of three months to donate funds to a specific organisation or project.
Duration of scheme	The pilot scheme sought applications for one year from June 2011. The pilot scheme is now closed to new applications, but a new phase of UK Aid Match will be launched in 2013.
Eligibility to apply for UK Aid Match	Open to any UK organisation running an appeal in the UK for public donations from the UK public for poverty reduction projects in developing countries (see note on countries below). Organisations that receive funds from DFID via other funding streams are eligible to apply. However, total annual DFID support (including funds from this scheme) must not exceed 40% of the organisation’s total annual income. The appeal must be promoted through a communications partner and expect to achieve a minimum of 400,000 opportunities for the public to view information about the appeal.
What can be match funded	Match funding can be provided to public donations: (i) to not-for-profit organisations conducting work in developing countries, or (ii) for specific projects run by charitable organisations to reduce poverty in developing countries. (see note on geographic scope below). Restrictions on the use of DFID funds can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) guidance (see below).
Geographic scope	Only work in these countries is eligible for match funding
Thematic scope	All proposals must be consistent with DFID’s values and priorities. Proposals which align to DFID’s priority areas in our Business Plan will be scored more highly in assessment. Priorities areas are: Millennium Development Goals; boosting wealth creation; strengthening security in conflict-affected countries; improving the lives of women and girls; combating climate change.
Grant size	DFID will provide £1 for every £1 donated by the public up to a maximum of £5m. To qualify for consideration, the appeal must be expected to raise a minimum of £100,000. DFID will use past performance with appeals as an indicator of likely fundraising performance. DFID will consider requests for a UK Aid Match grant in excess of £5m on a case by case basis.
Time period for use of UK Aid Match funding	The not-for-profit organisations receiving UK Aid Match grants must be able to disburse and claim the funds within three calendar years from the close of the appeal.
Application timing and process	The call for applications to DFID's pilot phase of UK Aid Match is now closed. The scheme will be reopened in 2013. The re-launched scheme will require applicants to submit applications against a fixed timetable. All details of the new scheme will be published on this page of the DFID website in due course.
Decision making	By DFID.
Communicating the UK Aid Match funding	Appeal publicity will carry the UKaid logo, a link to the DFID website and the wording ‘For every £1 you give, the Government will add another £1’ (or a modified version of this, as agreed with DFID).