An estimated €855,000 is set to be spent over the next five years on consultants to help RTÉ distribute the millions of euro raised annually through the Late Late Toy Show Appeal.
In a tender published today, RTÉ said it is seeking a company with extensive charity and community sector expertise to provide “Philanthropy Consultancy and Grant Distribution Services” linked to the allocation of Toy Show Appeal funding, reports Breaking News.
Under the proposed contract, RTÉ is seeking firms capable of delivering “a flexible, agile and cost effective approach to grant assessment and grant distribution”.
The tender documents confirm that “the cost of grant distribution will be deducted from the Fund”, reports Breaking News.
It also states that because the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal Fund is financed through public donations, “it is imperative that due regard for public trust and value for money is evident”.
According to the report, the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal has raised more than €31 million in public donations since launching in 2020, with the money distributed to a wide range of charities and community organisations across Ireland, reports Breaking News.
The tender states that more than 500 charities have received grants through the appeal so far, with support estimated to benefit over 1.1 million children and family members each year.
The 2025 Toy Show Appeal raised €4.6 million in the days following the December 5th broadcast, including more than €3.5 million donated through Revolut, reports Breaking News.
The tender states that funding provided through the appeal has included Community Grants ranging from €4,000 to €25,000, Impact Grants of €15,000 and Transformative Grants worth €95,000.
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The documents state that grants are assessed through an open application and formal evaluation process, including expressions of interest for Transformative Grants, reports Breaking News.
It also states that all grant assessments are carried out independently of RTÉ on the broadcaster’s behalf.
The tender invites submissions from organisations “to support grant assessment and grant distribution services, with philanthropy expert guidance and sectoral research as required”, reports Breaking News.
In addition, RTÉ said it will require an annual report for publication outlining a detailed analysis of grant distribution and impact across the various philanthropic themes identified.
The broadcaster may also seek a formal multi-year impact report at a later stage, reports Breaking News.
Services required under the contract include supporting PR related to public transparency around grant distribution, reclaiming tax on donations under Section 848A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 and ensuring grants are paid to charitable causes with appropriate due diligence and oversight procedures.
The successful firm will also be required to provide regular statements on the status of the fund and a list of grants awarded at least every six months, alongside an independent financial audit of all fund-related activity and reporting obligations to the Charities Regulator, reports Breaking News.
The tender documents state that submissions will close on June 8th and that RTÉ expects to award the contract on July 2nd.
An RTÉ spokesperson said the tender represents an indicative fee covering up to five years, consisting of a three-year contract with the option of a further two years, and added that the quoted amount reflects the cumulative estimated cost across that period, reports Breaking News.
The spokesperson also referred to the Five-Year Impact Report on the Toy Show Appeal, which addresses operational costs.
The report states that RTÉ does not deduct any fees from donations made to the appeal, reports Breaking News.
It says that deductions linked to the management costs of the appeal are taken at source and that since the appeal began, 96.7 per cent (€25.8 million) of total funds raised have been distributed to frontline children’s charities.
The report added that “the Appeal operates with maximum cost efficiency, with just 3.3 per cent (€890,435) of total funds raised over the five years allocated to operating costs; significantly below sector norms”, reports Breaking News.
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