RTÉ to spend €855,000 on consultants to assist distribution of Toy Show millions – and they will be paid out of appeal money – The Irish Independent

RTÉ will spend an estimated €855,000 over the next five years on consultancy services to manage the distribution of funds generated by the annual Late Late Toy Show appeal.

According to a tender published on May 11, 2026, the costs associated with these consultants will be deducted directly from the Toy Show appeal fund, which is comprised of public donations.

The broadcaster is seeking a firm with specialized charity and community sectoral knowledge to provide Philanthropy Consultancy and Grant Distribution Services.

In the tender documentation, RTÉ stated it is seeking firms that can provide a flexible, agile and cost effective approach to grant assessment and grant distribution.

The broadcaster noted that because the fund is funded by public donation, it is imperative that due regard for public trust and value for money is evident.

Since the appeal’s inception in 2020, it has raised more than €31 million from public donations for distribution to community groups and charities across the island of Ireland.

The appeal has provided grant support to over 500 charities to date, with an estimated annual reach helping more than 1.1 million children and family members.

The most recent Toy Show appeal, following the broadcast on December 5, 2025, raised €4.6 million. More than €3.5 million of that total was donated via Revolut.

The distribution of these funds is managed through a tiered grant structure:

• Community grants: €4,000 to €25,000
• Impact grants: €15,000
• Transformative grants: €95,000

Grants are awarded based on an open application and formal assessment process. In the case of Transformative grants, the process includes expressions of interest.

The tender confirms that all grant assessments are completed independently of RTÉ, although they are conducted on behalf of the broadcaster.