Budget 2025 – what are the key announcements relevant to charities?

The Chancellor of the Exchequer delivered her Autumn Budget on Wednesday 26 November, announcing a range of measures that will affect the charity and voluntary sector.

Turning good fortune into opportunities for others

Rosie and Marie used a family inheritance to give young people the creative opportunities they once enjoyed. With guidance from our Advisory team, their support of local arts charities is leaving a lasting legacy.

Shareholder foundations: A strategic tool for Nextgen entrepreneurs structuring purposeful giving

Find out why most businesses currently do little to support charitable causes despite the vital role they play in society.

Corporate foundations explained: Options, benefits and best practice

Discover how to start corporate giving. Explore types of corporate foundations and find the simplest route for your business to make a longer-term impact.

Rooted in the past, giving for the future

Barbara Browse believes doing good is a way of life. Through her Charitable Trust, she champions nature, science, and access — with her latest gift restoring Kew Gardens’ Palm House.

9 Best practices for charity trustees: How to monitor & review investments effectively

Using nine ‘best practices’ here’s how charity trustees can monitor and review their charity’s investments for effective governance and oversight.

The Philanthropy Advantage Report 2025

Explore high-net-worth individuals’ views on the importance of philanthropy, and the role advisers can play leading more charitable giving conversations with their clients.

Entrain Space

Entrain Space approached CAF Bank to consolidate their outstanding loans as they wanted to simplify their finances and focus more time on supporting the needs of ex-service personal.

UK Charity Insights Report 2025

Explore how resilient the UK’s charity sector is, and uncover detailed insights into the views of charity leaders around the country.

Talking about giving as a family

In this blog, we explore why these conversations matter and how to approach them meaningfully.

How to make a lasting impact with a gift in your will

If you are looking to name a charity in your Will, here are some considerations to help guide you as you plan your lasting impact.

Switching your private charitable foundation to a donor advised fund (DAF)

This blog features important considerations to help guide your thinking when switching to a DAF.

How the world gives: Insights to guide your giving

This blog highlights some of the most interesting insights and suggest ways you can use them to inform your own decision-making.

How to earn a higher Payroll Giving Quality Mark

For businesses committed to making more of a meaningful impact, earning a Payroll Giving Quality Mark (PGQM) award is a powerful way to demonstrate purpose, set clear charitable goals and gain recognition.

Taking trustees with you: How to build board confidence in charity investment decisions

This blog provides insight into how trustees balance risk confidently and grow charity assets.

What trustees should consider before approving investments

This guide focuses on fund-based investments and intends to get you clear on what you are investing in and why, while also considering some practical factors.

Should we invest for income, for growth, or for both?

Charities often ask whether they should invest for income or growth. Here is a breakdown of the major factors to help guide your decision.

Charities Guide to Investing

Learn how investments can help build the financial resources of your charity or social purpose.

Corporate Giving 2025

Explore how UK businesses are shaping their communities and discover how your organisation can drive meaningful change.

Maximise impact: A guide to matched giving for employers

Learn the business benefits of matching employee donations, how to set up matched funding and promote it to incentivise your employees to give and make a greater impact.

Switching a private charitable foundation to a donor advised fund

If you operate a private charitable foundation and are considering switching to a donor advised fund (DAF) here are some important considerations to guide your thinking.

How your business can encourage employee fundraising

Learn how your business can empower your employees to give, through flexible fundraising options, matched donations, and simplified processes.

Celebrating 3 years of the IFSL CAF ESG fund

Three funds tailored to different risk levels with approximately £215m invested, focusing on sustainable growth and structural trends.

Coaches Across Continents: changing the World Through Play

We had the pleasure of meeting with Brian Suskiewicz, Chief Executive Strategist at Coaches Across Continents, to hear his insight into CAC’s programs and activities.

How the world gives: Insights to guide your giving

Whether you are already an active donor or beginning to explore how you can make a difference, here I highlight some of the insights that I find most interesting and suggest ways you can use them to inform your own decision-making.

Give As You Earn Activation Kit

Identify your goals, plan activities and copy messaging templates to promote GAYE to your employees and maximise employee engagement.

Employee Engagement Guide

Learn the essentials you need to know to raise awareness of payroll giving, its benefits within your organisation and how to best promote your scheme and enhance contributions.

Know your terms: A guide to common investment jargon

To help you get started, we have pulled together a handful of the most commonly asked-about phrases from investors in the IFSL CAF ESG Funds.

Looking for the latest report?

Where the World Giving Index offered a glimpse, the new World Giving Report reveals a fuller picture of global generosity and uncovers deeper insights into what, how and why people give.

World Giving Report 2025

Our World Giving Report: Charity Insights explores the trends and challenges for over 3,000 charities in 27 countries. It follows the publication of World Giving Report: Donor Insights earlier this year, which uncovered insights into global giving.

A guide to effective charitable giving for LLPs

Discover how Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) can give to charity in a tax-efficient way. Learn about Gift Aid, tax rules for LLPs, and practical tips for effective charitable giving.

The ultimate charity premises checklist for a smooth relocation

Top tips for preparing a premises brief for your charity.

NEYDL's story

North East Young Dads and Lads (NEYDL) expanded its income to support more young fathers.

Landsec's story

Landsec energised their employees and transformed the lives of the communities they operate in.

Trevor's story

Trevor Dickey used his charitable giving to break the cycle of female poverty for beekeepers in Burkina Faso.

Supporting more people affected by brain injury in Kent

Providing working capital to enable Brains Matter to manage its cashflow and develop new services.

Social investment for greener travel in Cardiff

Enabling The Bike Lock to open Cardiff’s first and only indoor bike storage unit and café, supporting healthy and environmentally sustainable travel.

Smiths group foundation: Engineering social impact

Discover how the Smiths Group Foundation partnered with CAF to create a strategic global grant programme, supporting employee-nominated charities and helping drive employee engagement.

Cracking the code: Understanding fund performance

Investing without a clear plan is like setting sail without a compass. To measure success, it is crucial to understand how a fund is performing.

Manage approval and authorisation limits

Create or modify an online user

Make a bulk payment

Make a single payment

Activate your user access and log in

Is your charity at a financial tipping point?

Practical steps to help improve investment readiness when moving from holding cash to investing for the first time.

UK Local Giving Report 2025

Based on our UK Giving research, we mapped generosity across the UK.

Matched Giving

Get people involved and encourage giving when you match your team’s fundraising.

Understanding Investing: Your most common questions

Answering some of the most common questions we receive with detailed explanations.

Understanding the difference between ethical and ESG investing

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing is a strategy that puts your money to work with companies that strive to make the world a better place.

Five myths that hold back impactful giving

We take a look at some common myths that may prevent donors from making the most of their giving.

How to start a private charitable foundation

Find out more about the differences between setting up your own charity and the benefits of a Donor Advised Fund.

Driving innovation and sustainable financing for conservation

How a CAF client is supporting collective giving to address global climate and biodiversity issues.

Enabling AIHA to expand community housing provision

A loan from CAF Bank is helping the Agudas Israel Housing Association to increase its provision of affordable community housing.

DEC Myanmar earthquake appeal

Support relief efforts following severe earthquakes in Myanmar.

Sophie Hayes Foundation: developing a future fundraising strategy

Our Advisory team are supporting Sophie Hayes Foundation to design a fundraising strategy that is fit for the long-term.

UK Giving Report 2025

The state of the nation’s giving.

How charities can navigate risk and reward in investment

How you balance risk and reward is a question that all investors, including cash investors, should ask themselves on a regular basis.

Esteem: securing a safe space for young adults

Learn how Sussex-based youth charity Esteem were able to secure a base for their young people with our Advisory support.

Lending to support Shropshire’s wildlife

CAF Bank are supporting Cuan Wildlife Rescue to secure shop premises that will help ensure the continued care of wildlife across Shropshire.

How to maximise your corporate giving budget at financial year-end

As your company approaches the end of the financial year, you are likely to be focused on wrapping up your reporting and finalising budgets, targets and activities for the financial cycle ahead.

Charity Verification

We verify every charity. So you know your giving goes to the right place.

Charity Resilience Calculator

Start thinking about your organisational resilience with our evidence-based calculator tool.

When, who and how to ask for resilience funding

Securing funding to strengthen your organisational resilience can be challenging. So how best can you approach creating these opportunities for your charity?

How to choose the right bank for your charity

Choosing the right bank account is an important decision for any charity.

How do you structure your charity's financial resources?

This article covers what could be described as the Cupboard, Fridge, Freezer model.

How to tackle founder's syndrome and support CEO succession

Founders play an essential role in setting the vision of an organisation and providing a driving force in its early years. Yet often founders struggle to step away at the right time.

How to harness high value giving in 2025?

We share three essential recommendations to help your charity engage effectively with your high value donors.

Embedding Purpose in Employee Benefits

Employees are increasingly looking for a sense of purpose in their work, and companies that prioritise purpose in their benefits package can create a more engaged and motivated workforce.

High Value Giving

An in-depth look at giving by the country's wealthiest people.

How to start investing as a charity

Find out how to start investing as a charity, what is an investment policy statement and what regulations should you be aware of before investing.

New Charity Investment Governance Principles Launched

This new resource for charities and their trustees is designed to help navigate the seemingly complex world of charity investments.

Download the Awareness Calendar

Global, national and local charity awareness campaigns and religious festivals.

Charity search

Use our charity search tool to find charities that matter to you and donate.

The benefits of payroll giving for senior business leaders

Learn how senior business leaders can use their resources, influence, and potential to make a significant positive impact on society.

Six questions for a charity to ask when investing for the first time.

Practical guidance to help charities approach investing with confidence, clear direction and stronger decision-making support.

Investment planning: are you ready for the future?

Cash looks set to become a less attractive source for income and capital preservation as markets anticipate further interest rate cuts.

Investment planning: are you ready for the future?

Cash looks set to become a less attractive source for income and capital preservation as markets anticipate further interest rate cuts.

Managing your investments

Once you’ve started investing, how do you ensure continuous review and improvement? We can help you to measure the performance of your investments and assess your Fund Manager

Plan your investments

Once you’ve got agreement that your charity should invest, we can help you to research and understand your investment options and present portfolio options to your trustees.

Why do charities invest

We can help you to understand your obligations as a charity if you choose to invest and provide you with resources to help your trustees decide whether investing is the best option for your charity.

Building successful charity corporate partnerships

Three crucial steps your charity can take when approaching potential corporate partners.

How to make non-cash donations to charity

There are many reasons why someone might decide to make a non-cash donation. It is important to consider your personal circumstances and motivations for giving.

The basics you need to know about payroll giving

Payroll giving is a powerful way for you to make a difference to the charities and causes close to your heart.

Saving lives, spreading awareness, sustainable investments

ESG Investments have enabled Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team to continue providing their life-saving emergency search and rescue services.

DEC Middle East Humanitarian Appeal

Support conflict-affected communities in Gaza, Lebanon and the surrounding region where families have been displaced.

Charities guide to investing

Download our guide designed to help charities and social enterprises reach their investment goals.

Skipton Group: Driving change in society through giving

For the Skipton Group, their giving programme is a way to live their values and do tangible good in areas that are important to them.

Investing philanthropic capital in the power of reproductive choice

One CAF client, a family foundation, was drawn to MSI Reproductive Choice’s work, and the impact its programmes are having on the lives of the world’s poorest and most marginalised women and girls.

Annual Report 2024

A review of our work, impact and finances over the last year.

World Giving Index 2024

The world's leading study on generosity offers unique insights into how people support their communities around the world.

Give As You Earn Resource Hub

This hub provides a range of resources and tools to help you engage with your employees to donate through your CAF Give As You Earn scheme.

Landsec: Increasing opportunities

Supporting Landsec step by step on its corporate giving journey: creating opportunities, building for the future.

Securing long-term protection for a valuable habitat

Using their Charitable Trust, Mark and Julie Mills ensure a precious habitat is protected from development, allowing the vulnerable and endangered species to thrive.

How best to give during a humanitarian crisis

What can donors do immediately to support those in desperate need?

Five key steps to developing a giving strategy

There are many aspects to developing a strong and effective giving strategy for your client. In this article, we break down the five main steps.

Philanthropy misconceptions to avoid reinforcing

We’ve highlighted five common misconceptions around good philanthropy to avoid reinforcing with your clients.

Donor advised funds: a guide for wealth advisers

Find out how DAFs can help your clients give flexibly and tax-effectively, to achieve greater impact with their giving.

Six ways your clients can use their wealth for good

Understanding the different giving vehicles available leads to better conversations with your clients

The Poland Trust: Afford home for local people

The 12 flats and houses on the land will be rented to tenants at 60% market rate

At the heart of CAF is our mission to help all charities thrive.

YCMA Milton Keynes

400 had a home through YMCA MK. 18 jobs were secured by young people thanks to the charity's support.

£229m total commited loans and advances to clients.

100 years of CAF

Born from the donation of a WW1 veteran, CAF has become a international voice for giving.

Payroll giving policy report

Number of employees donating via Payroll Giving declines. Find out more about its usage and what can be done to encourage uptake.

What the public think of charities using AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) represents a potential step-change in how we work. We know charities are grappling with how to engage their donors rather than alienate them with AI.

UK Giving 2024

Now in its 20th year, our UK Giving Report reveals the country’s generosity hotspots for the first time.

What is philanthropy?

From long-term giving to one-off donations, philanthropy can take many forms.

Can a DAF make a donation to a non-UK charity?

Many people assume that it is acceptable to make payments to beneficiaries that are registered as charities in their home country.

5 ways to teach your children about charity

Help build a foundation of charitable giving for your children and show them that their actions, no matter how small, can make a real difference.

Is there a right or wrong way to give to charity?

We often encounter commonly held assumptions about giving that are often more nuanced than they seem.

Payroll Giving Report

Dig into the public’s views of payroll giving and recommendations on how this tax-effective way to give could do even more.

Talk to us about grants

Have a query or looking for support apply for one of our programmes? Get in touch to start the conversation.

Apply for social investment

Reach your goals with affordable, flexible finance. Often unsecured, our loans could help where others may not be able.

Bringing solar energy to the community

How social investment helped reduce energy bills and carbon emissions for vulnerable households.

K10 Apprenticeships

How a £200,000 social investment helped grow K10 Apprenticeship’s sustainability and creditworthiness.

Building strong foundations with CAF Donate

BuildAid has raised nearly £23,000 to fund their latest construction project – an orphanage in the Philippines.

Responding strategically to humanitarian emergencies

How to incorporate long-term humanitarian emergency response into your giving strategy.

Management accounting

A choice between charity impact and financial resilience?

Financing the future

Everything you need to know about repayable finance and how charities are using this funding option to reach their goals.

Charity webinars

View our full range of webinars aimed at supporting your charity.

Addressing your funding strategy

Funding strategies; getting the right funding mix and finding the right funders for your strategy.

Corporate foundations: What does best practice look like?

There is no set formula or short-cut to success. So how can we make sure a corporate foundation is set up to be effective and impactful?

Raising the profile for lifesaving donations

Fundraising with CAF Donate has helped Team Margot Foundation honour the legacy of a loved one.

Guide to giving

Download your free guide and learn how to make greater impact with your giving.

UK Giving Report

Discover insight into donor behaviour, key issues affecting charities and responses to significant UK events.

Giving to Ukraine: what we've learnt two years on

As we explore the efforts of organisations dealing with the crisis, we begin to understand the collaborations and initiatives making a difference, and what donors can do to support them.

AI for charities: bringing donors and staff on the journey

Alongside the challenge of how and where AI can add value, come the practical and human challenges of embedding it in a way that brings staff and donors on the journey too.

Giving a voice to those in care

How CAF Donate is helping Who Cares? Scotland offer a platform for care-experienced people to have their voice heard.

Corporate foundations: how to build a business case

A successful corporate foundation needs the full support of your senior leaders. But how can you achieve buy-in?

Corporate Giving by the FTSE 100

Latest findings on corporate giving by the biggest businesses in the UK.

Social impact, regenerative farming and renewable energy

Providing green loan finance to enhance the environment, provide organic food, employment and volunteering opportunities.

Affordable homes for local people

How we helped build 12 new homes, providing an affordable place to live for local people.

Business and philanthropy at COP 28

Why businesses and charities must forge a new way of working together for people and planet

World Giving Index

Insight into the scope and nature of giving around the world, with countries ranked.

Corporate giving by the FTSE 100: lessons for policymakers

Our latest report provides clear lessons for policymakers to make sure businesses can help build a strong civil society.

Golden Opportunity Skills and Development

Building resilience for a charity supporting youth employability in BAME communities.

Planting seeds to grow a community

It is proven that staying active, taking up new skills, and feeling connected to your community, are key for wellbeing.

The Churches Trust

Building resilience for a charity supporting communities in Northern Ireland

CAF Resilience Fund Report

How we built the resilience of charities supporting communities disproportionately affected by Covid-19.

Spirax-Sarco Engineering: Breaking down barriers together

Helping Spirax-Sarco Engineering achieve and measure the impact of their newly established Education Fund.

The Sunday Times Giving List 2023: The 100 most generous Rich Listers

Tracking the philanthropic activity of 100 of Britain’s wealthiest people who collectively gave £3.4 billion to charity.

How can we effectively give to Sudan?

When faced with a crisis such as the conflict in Sudan, it can be difficult to know the best way to help. We discuss the options.

Busting the overhead myth

Why providing support for core costs to help run a charity is crucial for effective impact.

A savings portfolio helps to fund a charity’s growth

How the Flicka Foundation's savings strategy is helping to strengthen the capacity of its dedicated team.

Supporting the homeless in Kent

How we helped Porchlight expand its property portfolio to support people experiencing homelessness.

BNP Paribas UK: Collaborating for impact

How we supported BNP Paribas UK to collaborate on sustainability education in disadvantaged communities.

The pharmaceutical industry's rapid response to a crisis

How we helped convene a collaborative approach to tackling the effects of the pandemic.

Faith and property: top ten property management tips for faith groups

How to establish good property maintenance to make sure your place of worship remains a lasting presence in your community.

Putting surplus cash to work

How a charity’s savings strategy is helping to fund its growth

Can we do better for donors who want to give to good causes abroad?

The UK has an opportunity to position itself as a global frontrunner, by enabling a system that better supports all types of donors.

How charities and civil society can contribute to the UK’s recovery

Recommendations from the report ‘Unleashing the power of civil society’, to realise the full potential of the charity sector.

Charity Resilience Index

Charities forced to create waiting lists, charge fees and turn people away due to demand

Key challenges and opportunities facing the charity sector

Civil society in the UK is vast and diverse but there are common challenges many of us are facing.

How can charities effectively manage properties to further their mission?

Property advice charity, the Ethical Property Foundation, has guidance on this complex subject.

TSG: Co-desiging a corporate giving strategy

How Technology Services Group is tackling the digital divide in the UK with guidance from CAF.

Charity reserves are in focus more than ever – what have we learned?

Our recent research found that less than a third of charities (28%) have a detailed plan to face the cost-of-living crisis.

Saving lives at sea

How a CAF Legacy pledger followed in his ancestor’s footsteps to fund the build of a RNLI lifeboat

Put together a winning case for support

Discover our resources for attracting new funding for your charity.

Delivering lasting impacts for nature

One CAF client is funding the vital work of local wildlife charities working to restore nature and protect wildlife.

The Charities Act 2022: the practical implications for your charity

Top 10 changes and what they mean for your charity.

Mind the gap: the role we can play in bridging the gap in funding for UN SDGs

Record numbers of people gave to charity last year worldwide but the world’s framework for humanitarian improvement remains behind schedule and underfunded.

Renovated homes raise quality of life

How the renovation of poor-quality tenements will provide residents with secure, affordable homes.

How can funders best support charities through the cost-of-living crisis?

With charities feeling the squeeze, what more can corporate and high-net-worth donors do to support charities?

Safer, fit for purpose homes

How we helped fund new homes, bungalows and offices for a housing trust.

The need to lead

How businesses are driving change through leadership and collaboration,

How has the pandemic impacted our behaviours in giving to charity?

We know donor behaviour changed during the pandemic. But to what extent can we expect these changes to be permanent?

What do the UK Giving report findings mean for charity fundraising?

What can the UK Giving report tell us about donor behaviour – and how charities can use the data to inform their fundraising.

Affordable homes for city living

How a local YMCA has provided 26 affordable homes for young people, with loan finance from CAF Bank.

How charities can think about sustainable investing

Charities are increasingly avoiding certain investments, and considering how they can have a positive impact on people and the planet.

Environment Agency: supporting stronger catchment partnerships

Learn how a CAF led pilot programme helped to build organisational resilience and independence for catchment partnerships.

What more can funders do to help in Ukraine?

Beyond the initial outpouring of generosity, many are now asking what more can be done.

Why we need to make it easier to give across borders

Cross-border giving is not new. But as more disasters and crises occur, it has become an increasingly popular way to give.

Lloyds Bank Foundation: Enhanced support for local charities

Developing planning, fundraising and governance for small charities supported by Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales

How to write a great grant application

What you need to succeed in your application and gain the funding you need.

Charity Landscape report

The challenges charity leaders are facing, and how these are impacting their ability to meet the needs of communities.

Affordable homes for people in need

How finance from CAF Bank helped provide affordable homes for people in acute housing need.

How to use philanthropic leverage

What is philanthropic leverage and how can you use it to create a greater impact?

Regular giving to charity: Direct Debit vs recurring card payment

The differences for donors and for charities when it comes to Direct Debit and recurring card payments.

YMCA campus builds a brighter future

How CAF Bank finance helped develop a state-of-the-art building, offering a safe place and support for young people.

Creating resilience

Find out what resilience could mean for small charities, how resilience funding can be structured and the impact it can have.

Johnson Matthey: aligning strategy with purpose

How we created and delivered a global community impact programme with Johnson Matthey.

Charity Commission issues new investment guidance for Trustees (CC14)

Find out more on the updated guidance – note CC14 - for trustees seeking to invest their charity’s assets.

North East Young Dads and Lads

Creating and delivering a corporate engagement strategy to diversify income and build resilience

Long-term loan for affordable homes

How a CAF Bank loan helped a housing association make social rent homes affordable for people in need.

Affordable homes in regenerated areas

How a housing association is redeveloping derelict sites to build sought after homes at affordable rent.

AstraZeneca: Grantmaking for global youth health

AstraZeneca’s Young Health Programme is just one way in which we help them work towards achieving UN SDG 3.4.

Affordable homes for older people

How we helped an almshouse charity build three new housing schemes for social rent.

A safe base for trafficking survivors

How we helped secure a new home for Snowdrop Project to continue its vital work.

Investing in change in Scotland

How CAF Bank’s services have helped Impact Funding Partners support over 700 organisations since 2014.

Refurbishing a property to tackle homelessness

A former care home has been redeveloped into a 14 bedroom house to accommodate homeless people.

Removing barriers through positive steps

Helping Scottish, Christian charity offer an outreach service for disadvantaged people in the community.

Growing place-based giving

This report details findings from our work on the Growing Place-Based Giving programme for the DCMS.

Listening for the future

This report looks at how small charities use feedback, and how they should act on it to build their resilience.

How funders can support small charities

This report shares insight into what funders and major donors can do to help small charities be more resilient.

25 ways to give to charity

Discover some imaginative ways for you to support the causes close to your heart.

Waypoint church achieves its vision for more space

With the help of a loan from CAF Bank, Waypoint Church creates a new space to connect with more people.

Breathing new life into heritage buildings

With a loan from CAF Bank, St Vincents and St Georges purchases significant buildings that have fallen into disrepair.

£277,000 boost for sight loss research

How a legacy gift is supporting cutting-edge studies into macular disease, the biggest cause of sight loss.

Tackling rural isolation stitch by stitch

How a legacy gift is funding a local sewing group in Wales, to share skills and combat loneliness.

Fundraising fundamentals

Our four-part fundraising guide will help you put the foundations in place for an effective and successful fundraising strategy.

Funding a high impact project in Burkina Faso

Fifty women in Burkina Faso are paving the way for future generations of female beekeepers in their community.

Helping emerging entrepreneurs at the University of East Anglia

How a legacy gift is helping to transform the lives of young entrepreneurial minds at UEA.

Martin Lewis' strategic giving for long-term social impact

How ‘Consumer-champion’ Martin Lewis uses his Charitable Trust to give with purpose.

Empowering local causes and communities

How one of the largest legacy distributions that we’ve managed, has helped support small local organisations.

Preserving the past for a brighter future

How a legacy gift is helping to finance plans to restore 200 year-old Hough Mill to its former glory.

Striking the right chord with a legacy gift

How a legacy gift is helping Wigmore Hall attract a younger audience to live music events.