Public Affairs and Policy

Our work with the public sector

We are champions for charity, campaigning for a better world. We work to influence government policy makers and create a positive environment for charities and the people who support them. Our work with local councils and community groups is Growing Local Giving and our Groundwork for Global Giving campaign is building a stronger civil society across the world.

Our latest campaign, with a collaboration of charities and #NeverMoreNeeded, is to grow Gift Aid to give more support for charities struggling from the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

What is the most generous area in England and Wales?

In partnership with Polimapper, we’ve developed an interactive heatmap showing the most generous areas of England and Wales. The map uses data from CAF’s UK Giving survey and salary data from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earning (ASHE). By using our interactive heatmap, you can see how your county scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most generous for donating money to charity, relative to average local salaries.

Find out how generous your local area is

Latest briefings

Giving civil society the right response

We examined national policy responses to supporting philanthropic giving and civil society in the context of the pandemic and discovered government responses varied widely and some used the pandemic to silence critics.

European policy responses to Covid-19

How are governments reacting in the light of the Covid-19 crisis?

A COVID-19 philanthropy stimulus package

In this briefing we outline a number of immediate and medium term policy measures we believe should be taken to support charities at this difficult time.

Our campaigns

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Place-based giving

We believe the time is now to look again at philanthropy, not only as a route to financial investment, but also as a way of reconnecting people with places and spaces.

Visit our place-based giving hub

Gift Aid Emergency Relief

We are campaigning to help charity supporters give more, and to better support our amazing charities meet the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis.

Join the campaign

Latest comment and insight from our blogs

Read our insights into giving and our thoughts on how developments in society and technology can open up new opportunities for doing good.

17 August 2023

Corporate giving by the FTSE 100: Lessons for Policymakers
In the world of corporate giving, the FTSE 100 is ideally placed to lead by example and set the tone from the top. When looking at our new research “Corporate Giving by the FTSE 100” there are clear lessons to be learned for policymakers who want to ensure that businesses across the UK can play their part in building a strong and vibrant civil society.
13 March 2023

How charities and civil society can contribute to the UK’s recovery
The Law Family Commission on Civil Society has published its final report Unleashing the power of civil society. Chaired by former Cabinet Secretary Lord Gus O’Donnell, the Commission has proposed a range of policy recommendations and initiatives aimed at unleashing the full potential of the charity sector over the next decade.
15 February 2023

Can we do better for donors who want to give to good causes abroad?
The series of earthquakes in Turkey and Syria has brought a lot of suffering to people living in the region, many of whom were already devastated by years of conflict in Syria. CAF is supporting the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid.
7 February 2023

Key challenges and opportunities facing the charity sector

Like many organisations across the country, CAF is considering how the cost-of-living crisis is affecting the environment we operate in, and the impacts of a potential recession. Civil society in the UK is vast and includes a myriad of organisations and groups but there are common challenges and themes.