Charities Aid Foundation grants
Charities Aid Foundation is a national and overseas donor-advised fund that gave around £1.14bn to organisations in its latest year, with a typical grant of £110,171.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) is a donor-advised fund operating nationally and overseas, funding general charitable purposes for other charities and voluntary bodies. It gave around £1.14bn to organisations in its latest year, with a typical (median) award of £110,171 across 248 recorded grants. Separately, its CAF Bank offers secured loans of £150,000 to £10 million to UK-based charities and social purpose enterprises that have been running for at least three years, with repayment periods of two to 25 years.
What they fund
Charities Aid Foundation funds general charitable purposes for other charities and voluntary bodies, and its CAF Bank separately offers secured loans of £150,000 to £10 million to eligible charities.
Who and where
It supports other charities and voluntary bodies, working nationally and overseas, including in Wales, England, Canada and the United States.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Charities Aid Foundation says in its own guidance
Quoted directly from the funder’s own website, with a link to the page each quote came from. Always the most current word is theirs — check the source before you apply.
Who they say they'll fund
“You can apply if you're a UK-based charity or social purpose enterprise that's been running for at least three years.”
Source: cafonline.org — Charity Loans - Secured Loans for Charities and Communities | CAF Bank →
What they say they won't fund
“Your secured assets are at risk if you are unable to repay the loan.”
Source: cafonline.org — Charity Loans - Secured Loans for Charities and Communities | CAF Bank →
Grant sizes they mention
“Could a secured loan of £150,000 to £10 million transform the work you do?”
Source: cafonline.org — Charity Loans - Secured Loans for Charities and Communities | CAF Bank →
How they say to apply
“A secured loan is a loan backed by an asset (or collateral, as it is often termed) that your charity owns. This could be your premises, for example.”
Source: cafonline.org — Charity Loans - Secured Loans for Charities and Communities | CAF Bank →
“Loan applications subject to credit assessment. Security will be required.”
Source: cafonline.org — Charity Loans - Secured Loans for Charities and Communities | CAF Bank →
“We have a range of repayment periods from 2-25 years.”
Source: cafonline.org — Charity Loans - Secured Loans for Charities and Communities | CAF Bank →
“We're happy to talk to any charity in any sector about any cause or project.”
Source: cafonline.org — Charity Loans - Secured Loans for Charities and Communities | CAF Bank →
What a typical grant looks like
| Typical (median) grant | £110,171 |
|---|---|
| Middle half of grants | £48,666 – £164,327 |
| Grants published openly | 248 |
| Most recent published grant | 2025 |
Recent grants
- Clean Break Theatre Company Ltd.To build resilience of this organisation£49,727May 2023
- Young RootsTo build resilience of this organisation£49,688May 2023
- Afghanistan & Central Asian AssociationTo build resilience of this organisation£48,724May 2023
- Break The SilenceTo build resilience of this organisation£48,608May 2023
- Disability Sheffield Centre for Independent Living LimitedTo build resilience of this organisation£42,050May 2023
- North Glasgow Community Food InitiativeTo build resilience of this organisation£41,045May 2023
From grants Charities Aid Foundation publishes openly via 360Giving (the UK open grants-data standard), used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
To benefit any charitable institution, to use its funds for any charitable purposes wheresoever in the world.
How to approach them
Start with the official sources — they’re always more current than any directory, including this one.
Common questions
How much does Charities Aid Foundation typically give in grants?
Across 248 recorded grants, the typical (median) award is £110,171, with the middle half of grants ranging between £48,666 and £164,326.50.
What does Charities Aid Foundation fund?
Charities Aid Foundation funds general charitable purposes for other charities and voluntary bodies, working nationally and overseas.
Does Charities Aid Foundation offer loans as well as grants?
Yes — its CAF Bank offers secured loans of £150,000 to £10 million, backed by an asset the charity owns such as its premises, with repayment periods of two to 25 years. Loan applications are subject to credit assessment and security is required, and the charity's secured assets are at risk if it is unable to repay the loan.
Who can apply for a CAF Bank secured loan?
Applicants must be a UK-based charity or social purpose enterprise that has been running for at least three years.
How do I apply to Charities Aid Foundation?
CAF Bank says it is happy to talk to any charity in any sector about any cause or project. Full guidance is on its website, www.cafonline.org, and its Charity Commission entry can be checked using charity number 268369 — always confirm current rules with the funder directly, as these can change.
Is your charity a fit for Charities Aid Foundation?
Type your charity’s name and we’ll check this funder — and every other active UK grant-maker — against your purposes, your area and your size. Free, and nothing to fill in: we read your entry on the official register.
Check my charity’s matches — free →Thinking of applying? Start here.
Finding a funder is the easy part. These short guides help with the part that decides whether you get the money.
Contains public sector information from the Charity Commission for England and Wales licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, and grants data from 360Giving used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Figures are derived (filtered and summarised by TrusteeMeetings), not republished unchanged. About the data · Terms of use. This page is a starting point for your own research, not a promise of funding, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with Charities Aid Foundation.