Apply for a BFBS Big Salute Grant

The BFBS Big Salute Grant raises money to benefit members of the armed forces community and their families. Monies are raised and donated through activities undertaken by our audiences as well as BFBS staff. Running costs for the BFBS Big Salute are not deducted, therefore 100% of all money raised for the Big Salute goes into the fund.

Proceeds from fundraising activities pay for grants for specific projects which fulfil the following criteria:

• Beneficiaries of BFBS Big Salute grants must be related to one of the armed services, either regular, reservist, veteran or family member.
• Only registered charities with an annual income below £1 million are eligible to apply. Annual income refers to the amount stated on the Charity Commission website or the Scottish Charity Regulator’s website (OSCR). Note BFBS will look at the Charity Commission or Scottish Charity Regulator’s returns for the previous financial year to confirm this status.
• Any Charity may apply if the project is specifically funding the military community.
• Grants will only be awarded to registered charities whose records are up to date and accessible via the Charity Commission website or Scottish Charity Regulator’s website.
• The project does not further segment or narrow prospective beneficiaries by rank, unit or affiliation.
• Grants applied for can be for any amount up to a maximum of £10k.
• Grant applications must not be for staff salaries, training or running costs.
• Applications made for equipment should only be for the capital cost, not the running cost.
• Grants are not a substitute for activity that is ordinarily publicly funded.
• There should be a tangible, measurable benefit from the specific project for which the grant has been requested, and should be realised within a year of the grant allocation.
• The project applied for should not begin until January 2026.

If you are applying for a grant, then you do so with the full knowledge and agreement to:

• Allow the Big Salute to follow and promote the achievements of the project on BFBS’s media platforms. This will assist in the messaging for the project and help to inform any future BFBS Big Salute fundraising initiatives.
• Provide regular updates to the BFBS Big Salute Grant Committee, detailing the progress of the project. 
• If the grant recipient is unable to deliver or complete the project, the BFBS Big Salute Grant Committee must be notified and the grant must be returned.
• A charity may submit one application in each financial year (April – March).

A committee of BFBS staff who have been directly involved in raising funds for the BFBS Big Salute meet once a year to apportion monies.

They consider all applications on merit, impact and measurable outcomes and make the awards accordingly. The committees’ decision is final and feedback is available for unsuccessful applicants.

The Big Salute is now accepting grant applications. The application window closes on the 30th September of 2025.