BBC Children in need has announced that it will temporarily close to new applications while it is “transitioning to a new grant making system”.

It will not accept new expressions of interest applications after 15 April until the new system launches in September this year.

During this period “there will be some disruption to our grant programmes”, said the funder, which is informing grantees that their current online account will close on 25 July ahead of the launch of a new online portal in September.

“We want to minimise the disruption this transition will have on all our applicants and grantees,” said BBC Children in Need.

“If you are a current applicant or grantee then we will be contacting you directly with information about how this affects you.”

It is also warning those applying before the April deadline that decisions may be taken one to two weeks later than expected.

Those expecting a payment between July and September will still be paid, the funder has assured grantees.

For those whose grant comes to an end between April and early next year looking to apply for continued funding, BBC Children in Need is warning that “there is no guarantee that any of our existing grantees will receive further funding”.

But it added “we know that some current grantees will want to apply for further funding so that if successful, their work continues without a break. If your current grant is due to end during this time, we will be contacting you in the coming weeks to explain your options”.

BBC Children in Need is one of several grant makers to pause funding while to carries out a review or overhauls its funding process.

This includes the Steve Morgan Foundation, which this week announced that new grant applications have been paused ahead of a review.

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