Meet Alex Day, Managing Director of the UK-based charity Big Give, the organisation multiplies generosity through its match funding campaigns.
Founded in 2007 by Sir Alec Reed, founder of Reed Recruitment, Big Give has raised over £233 million in its 16-year history. The charity encourages donors to give to causes and charities and runs match funding campaigns throughout the year to make an extraordinary difference to the world's big challenges. Its largest campaign, The Christmas Challenge, raised an impressive £28 million for over 1,000 charities in 2022.
Match funding is a concept that is particularly popular with entrepreneurial and business-minded individuals who want to get the biggest bang for their buck. Big Give commissioned research in 2016 that showed as income brackets increase, the propensity to give by a match funding campaign also increases.
Alex discusses the power that match giving can have on increasing generosity, however, he is also aware of the possible limitations. Alex and his team at Big Give view matching as a force for good. They are particularly proud of the fact that their campaigns have benefited smaller grass roots charities who do not have the same ability to raise funds.
Alex's path to his current role at Big Give was not a straight one. Initially aspiring to be a professional footballer, typical of children his age in the UK, he pursued a degree in business management and geography from Exeter University. After university, he took time to travel and reflect on what he wanted out of life. He realised that he wanted to contribute something positive to the world through his career, which led him to pursue a role in the international development and humanitarian response sector.
Alex’s interaction with Big Give began during his time at Medair, a Swiss-based NGO where he led the UK office. He experienced the power of match funding first-hand through the organisation's first match funding campaign with Big Give. A donor who would typically give £1,000 every September donated £2,000 in December to maximize the matching offer, even telling his friends and networks about it.
Alex joined Big Give in 2015 and he has played an instrumental role in its growth and ensured millions of pounds have been donated to hundreds of great causes.