Charities Aid Foundation
The origins of the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) date back to 1924, when the National Council of Social Service set up a Charities Department to encourage more efficient giving to charity. In 1974, the department was re-constituted as the Charities Aid Foundation and registered as a charity with a board of independent trustees. We help individual donors to give more effectively; we support businesses to achieve greater impact with their giving and we help charities to thrive. We operate globally, distributing over £440m in donations a year to 100 countries. We work with 50,000 non-profit organisations. Drawing on our research and our practical experience of working with donors and charities, we work to protect the enabling environment for philanthropy in developed markets, and to build a culture of philanthropy in emerging markets.
Mission
The Charities Aid Foundation’s mission is to motivate society to give ever more effectively, helping to transform lives and communities around the world. We help people and businesses support the causes they care about, and for charities, we provide simple and straightforward day-to-day banking and fundraising services, freeing them up to concentrate on the real work of making a difference.
For 90 years, we’ve found the most effective and efficient ways to connect donors to the causes that matter to them and for money to get where it’s needed. As a charity, making an impact in the charitable sector is what drives us.
Geographic Focus
Offices in : America, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, India, Russia, South Africa the UK and partners across the globe.Programme Areas
CAF operates in the following areas:
• Individual giving
• Company giving
• Working with charities
• Grantmaking
• Advisory and Consulting
• Research and policy
• International services
Individual Giving
Helps individuals plan their charitable giving, using means such as the CAF Charity Account, a system which acts like a current account for charitable-giving; Give As You Earn, a pre-tax payroll giving scheme; gift vouchers; legacy services; services for individuals who wish to make non-cash gifts; and a scheme to enable donors to provide enduring support for the causes they care about.
Company Giving
Offers advice and support to companies to help them engage more effectively with their employees and the community. Initiatives include the design and promotion of employee giving; matched giving; volunteer programmes; and special charity accounts.
Working with Charities
Provides charities with access to carefully selected fund management services, from banking and investments, to loan finance and donations management.
Grantmaking
Helps smaller charitable organisations manage themselves more effectively through the provision of development grants, training and consultancy support.
Advisory and Consulting
Provides charities with access to tailored consultancy services ranging from quick organisational reviews to longer-term assistance with charity mergers. Internationally, CAF Consulting works to increase the skill levels, enhance the flow of funds, and improve the long-term sustainability of NGOs.
Research and Policy
Publishes facts, information and analysis on the voluntary sector. The publications are targeted towards informing the decisions made by donors, charities, businesses and the government.
International Services
Delivers international donor services, including private and corporate social investment, and seeks to create a framework that enables giving to flourish.