Welcome to the Charities Aid Foundation

We help donors to give more impactfully and charities to build their resilience so they can do more of their life-changing work.

Personal giving From one-off donations to long-term giving, or designing your personal philanthropic strategy, we work together to help you realise your giving ambitions. Corporate giving You have the vision for making a difference. So do we. We help you plan how to give based on your goals. Services for charities Helping your charity or social enterprise become more resilient. Insights Discover the latest insights for donors and charitable organisations to help create a greater impact About us We are a leading charity, working at the centre of the giving world. We help donors to give more impactfully and charities to build their resilience so they can do more of their life-changing work. Donate  
 
 
 

Personal giving

From one-off donations to long-term giving, or designing your personal philanthropic strategy, we work together to help you realise your giving ambitions.

DISCOVER OUR PERSONAL GIVING SOLUTIONS

Corporate giving

You have the vision for making a difference. So do we. We help you plan how to give based on your goals.

DISCOVER OUR CORPORATE GIVING SOLUTIONS

Services for charities

Helping your charity or social enterprise become more resilient.

DISCOVER HOW WE SUPPORT CHARITIES

Insights

Discover the latest insights for donors and charitable organisations to help create a greater impact

Explore

About us

We are a leading charity, working at the centre of the giving world. We help donors to give more impactfully and charities to build their resilience so they can do more of their life-changing work.

Find out more about CAF
PERSONAL GIVING

Multiply your impact with social investment

Give charities and social enterprises access to the affordable, repayable finance they need to grow their social impact

Contact us

What is social investment?

Social investment is the use of funds to achieve a social return as well as a financial one. We lend to charities and social enterprises from money donated by individuals, businesses and other charitable foundations.

As the charities repay us, we use the same money to lend to other organisations looking for affordable, flexible finance. This means that one pot of money can benefit many causes, multiplying the impact of those funds.

Due to the high-risk nature of the loans we make, we estimate that we will return approximately 85% of capital to our funders after six years.

Why provide social investment for charities and social enterprises

Affordable, flexible repayment finance

To ease cashflow, develop new services, and build capacity.

No restrictions 

Grant funding usually restricts how organisations use the funds. Social investment doesn’t.

Repayments help other social organisations

We recycle the money that’s repaid, lending it to other organisations who need our support.

Borrowing without putting assets at risk

Most banks look to secure large loans on assets like property. We don’t.

Diversifies income

Organisations can become more resilient and do more good for more people.

Strengthen operations

Getting ready for social investment can bring more discipline and transparency to a charity.

What is a social enterprise?

Social enterprises are businesses that trade for a social or environmental purpose. They prioritise people and planet, using the majority of any profit made to further their mission.

According to Social Enterprise UK's State of Social Enterprise Survey 2023, social enterprises achieve more positive financial outcomes compared to other forms of business, while outperforming on social and environmental impact.

Yet persistent barriers are preventing the social enterprise model from expanding. These include inadequate access to finance and grant funding, skills shortages and poor economic conditions. Just under half (48%) of social enterprises reported making a profit in the last financial year, while 26% reported making a loss.

What we look for in applicants


  • Trading for a minimum of one year
  • The scale and depth of impact to people or the environment
  • Evidence that funding will make a difference in the community
  • How social investment could help an organisation become more sustainable, create jobs and opportunities
  • Evidence that an organisation has strong governance, appropriate legal structure and a sustainable business model to repay the loan

Contribute to the Venturesome Impact Fund

Our social investment fund supports organisations all over the UK, irrespective of cause area or geography. This is in line with our mission to support a fair and sustainable future for all. 

We have launched the fund with £10 million of philanthropic capital and we’re aiming to increase the size of the fund to £20 million, thanks to our generous clients.

You can contribute to the fund and maximise the social impact of your giving through:

Your Charitable Trust:
  • With a social investment loan 
  • This is repayable in 6 or 12 years 
  • Contribute from £20,000 to £2 million 
  • Management fees apply 
Your Charitable Trust, Charity Account or Donor Advised Gift:
  • With a social investment grant 
  • This is non-repayable 
  • Contribute from £1,000 with no maximum amount 
  • Grant administration charges apply 
Please contact your client manager to arrange a contribution.

Why choose CAF?

An experienced lender.


CAF was one of the first to launch a social investment fund in the UK in 2002.


Our 20 Years of Impact report

730+

Social investments have been made

100+

donors have funded our loans

500+

social organisations have benefited from our funds

£65m

has been lent or granted to social organisations

“Back in 2002 CAF Venturesome came up with the novel idea that you could lend money to charities on a considered basis in a portfolio. Rather than giving a pound away once, you could multiply your giving and make that pound work five, six, seven, eight times.

“I became an early funder of a pool of loans that CAF Venturesome would make and continue to support their innovative way of achieving my philanthropic goals.”

Sir Harvey McGrath, philanthropist, former Chair of Big Society Capital and supporter of CAF Venturesome since 2004

Help us provide social investment to organisations with a purpose

Speak to your client manager to arrange a loan for up to 12 years or a grant from your CAF account.

CONTACT US

Our team

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Meena Manian

Social Investment Principal

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Nayantara Nath

Senior Investment Manager

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Robert Thorburn

Investment Manager

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Dominique Tatibouet

Investment Manager

See the full team