Through our Venturesome Impact Fund, we provide social investment for purpose driven organisations – charities, social enterprises and community groups – all over the UK.

This is in line with our vision for a fair and sustainable future for all. The fund offers flexible finance options designed to help your social organisation ease cashflow, develop new services or purchase assets – to grow your trading income which plays an important part in sustaining and scaling your social impact.

Our social investment fund is designed for social organisations that would find it hard to borrow from a mainstream lender or social bank.

CAF first pioneered social investment in 2002, through its Venturesome funds; using philanthropic capital to make social investments, donated by private and corporate clients, and other charitable foundations.   

We were one of the first social investors in the UK and for the last 20 years have been one of the most active.

The social investment team lends money to social purpose organisations and, as they repay us, we use the same money to make loans to other organisations looking for affordable and flexible finance to grow their impact. This means that one pot of money can benefit many causes and multiply the impact social purpose organisations make. 

At CAF, social investment recycles capital provided by our generous donors.
 

Our Funds

Venturesome Impact Fund

We want all purpose-driven organisations to be able to access affordable, flexible finance – particularly those who may not otherwise be able to access mainstream lending – so they can become stronger and more resilient. That’s why our fund is: Continuously open for applications Cause universal...

Our Case Studies

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Inner City Music
Inner City Music

Inner City Music is an award-winning charity that exists to celebrate music and its power to engage, inspire and unify. 

Duration
5 Years
Cost of capital
6.5%
Turnover
£1,382,000
Amount invested
£300,000
Investor
CAF (Charities Aid Foundation)
  • Product type
    Unsecured loan (incl. overdrafts)

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Alternatives Activity Centre
Alternatives Activity Centre

Established in 1990, Alternatives Activity Centre (AAC) is a registered charity that provides support for adults with learning disabilities in the city of Derby, in the form of an activity-based day centre, a training shop (which offers training workshops as well placements within their own charity shop) and community support.

Duration
3 years
Cost of capital
6.5%
Turnover
£262,000
Amount invested
£75,000 (Loan) and £25,000 (Grant)
Investor
CAF (Charities Aid Foundation)
  • Product type
    Blended – part grant, part loan

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Book of you
Book of You

Book of You acts as a reminiscence therapy, to help people living with dementia to connect to their memories but soon realised that we could help all sorts of people, including older people living in assisted accommodation and young adults with learning disabilities. They've now developed a digital story book helps the user to build a familiar picture and story of someone’s life, filled with precious life events and memories.

Duration
4 years
Cost of capital
0%
Turnover
£50,000
Amount invested
£20,000
Investor
CAF (Charities Aid Foundation)
  • Product type
    Unsecured loan (incl. overdrafts)