Charities Aid Foundation

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The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) is a registered UK charity. Its role is to provide services and assistance to UK and international charities and their donors, as well as to promote donation to charity generally.

1 History
2 Key Personnel
3 Activities
4 External links

[edit] History

In 1924 the National Council of Social Service set up a Charities Department to encourage efficient giving to charity. This department was later renamed the Charities Aid Fund while the National Council of Social Service became the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).

The Charities Aid Foundation took on its current name and form in 1974 when it was spun off from the NCVO as an independent organisation.

Currently it handles over £1 billion a year and employs more than 300 staff.

[edit] Key Personnel

Patron: HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

President: Sir Brian Jenkins GBE

Chairman: Lord Cairns

[edit] Activities

[edit] Services to Charities

The CAF provides financial services, such as banking and investment management, to UK charities. It also offers administration, training, fund-raising and consultancy services.

[edit] Services to Corporate Donors

The CAF operates the Give As You Earn scheme. It advises companies on their charitable donations and assists them to donate in the most tax efficient manner.

[edit] Services to Individual Donors

The CAF operates the Charity Account scheme which allows account holders to donate to charities using vouchers, by phone and on-line. Donations are eligible for tax relief under the Gift Aid rules. Donations may be anonymous and, because payments can only be made to genuine registered charities, the account prevents account holders from accidentally donating to bogus charities.

The CAF also advises and assists individual donors who wish to set up trusts or to leave a charitable legacy through their will.

[edit] Research and Lobbying

The CAF conducts research and publishes reports on matters related to charitable donation. It also lobbies governments to encourage support and tax incentives for charities and charitable donation.