# UK charities keeping one eye on American elections

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/10/30/uk-charities-keeping-one-eye-american-elections/
- Published: 2008-10-30T17:25:40+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

With both Presidential candidates promising to expand national service programmes,
release money for innovative social projects and promote Federal grants to religious
institutions and charities, the sector has never featured as heavily in recent American
politics. However, many UK based charities will also be keeping one eye on the outcome
of the election.

The opportunities for fundraising in the US are now huge: around £120 billion is
donated to charity every year, compared to only £9.5 billion in the UK. However,
for many small and medium UK based charities accessing this potentially enormous
income stream is both legally complicated and expensive.

CAFAmerica, a registered US non-profit which is part of the Charities Aid Foundation
international network, provides a solution in the ‘Friends of’ Charity Fund. This
eliminates the expense, time and trouble in setting up a separate US charity. The‘
Friends of’ Charity Fund is only a fifth the cost of setting up a standalone US 
charitable entity.

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Over 900 UK charities have been helped by CAFAmerica, and the ‘Friends of’ Charity
Fund raised over $7m for UK charities in the last financial year. Susan Saxon-Harold,
CEO of CAFAmerica said, “The ‘Friends of’ Charity Fund is a simple, cost-effective
flexible solution to attract gifts from US donors. The fund is an ideal solution
for UK charities wishing to start a state-side marketing and promotion drive.

“A charity can use their fund in a variety of ways such as launching a fundraising
appeal, conducting a membership drive, or raising money from an event like a silent
auction or dinner.”

– ends –

Contact: James Ketchell

E: jk*******@*******ne.org

T: 0207 832 3014.

Notes to editors:

The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) is a charity set up to help other charities by
working with donors, companies and charities to encourage and facilitate a culture
of giving. They do this by offering products and services that make giving easier,
tax efficient and help charities to make the most of donations through their banking
and fundraising support services.

Founded in 1992, CAFAmerica is a US 501(c)(3) public charity. CAFAmerica is part
of the CAF International Network, which spans five continents and manages more than
$4 billion in charitable funds.

Charities interested in growing their US fundraising can visit http://www.cafamerica.
org for more information.

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