The only charity-specific investment platform in the UK has reached £205.4m in assets under administration, at the same time as launching a new digital hub for charities which are looking to grow their investment knowledge.
The innovative CAF Investment Account – offered by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) in partnership with Winterflood Business Services (WBS) – offers the largest collection of charity-specific funds of any platform, with 1,200 funds and equities.
The funds available include ethical options and Common Investment Funds (CIFs) at just the click of a button.
It is the UK’s only secure, digital trading platform designed specifically with charities in mind and – importantly for charities that invest their funds – the CAF platform has dual authorisation for trading built in.
The CAF Investment Account is a key element of the new Charity Investment Hub that creates a single destination for charities who invest.
The Hub is comprised of three separate pillars: Learn, Try and Grow. Charities can learn the basics in the investment knowledge centre, dip their toes in the water by trying the free Investment Explorer tool, essentially a “try before you buy” simulator, and grow their investments with products specifically developed for charities by investment professionals.
Last year, a report by Charity Financials Spotlight revealed that the top 5,000 UK charities (in terms of new assets, income or expenditure) hold £16.7bn in deposits.
Charities often need to invest and manage their funds smartly for the long term and the CAF platform and investment solutions can help them do that easily and cost effectively.
Bridgit Richards, Director of Product and Marketing at CAF, said providing charities that invest their funds with a tool to see and trade their portfolios online, and offering this ability in a cost effective way, is key to what CAF is offering:
“We are so pleased to be able to support charities by making this range of charity-specific funds accessible like this and to be able to do so in a way that is secure, low cost and extensive – including ethical and ESG options.
“This is just one piece of a suite of technology innovations that we have planned for charities in the UK over the next 18 months.”
