CAF launches investment research and simulation tool for charities
The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) has launched an investment research and simulation tool built specifically for charities.
The Investment Explorer is free, and allows users to ‘try before they buy’ by building virtual portfolios from a selection of the funds available through the CAF Investment Account.
Charities can research, plan and test their investment choices without exposing any of their money. The platform allows for the creation of multiple portfolios to cover different scenarios and potential needs, and the ability to monitor investments at any time. It has been designed specifically with charities in mind, to provide a simple, safe and secure way for them to learn about investing and to create in-depth fund comparison reports for their trustees.
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There are around 500 funds to choose. Options include those from CAF’s own fund range, M&G Investments, Edentree Investments and Rathbones. Once charities progress from Investment Explorer to the CAF Investment Account, there are over 1,200 funds available with more to be added to the platform in due course.
Bridgit Richards, Director of Product & Marketing at CAF said:
“This is another building block in our growing suite of digital services for charities. We have designed Investment Explorer to be an intuitive and cost-free option for charities that are eager to learn more about investments, but didn’t previously have the resources to do so.
“There are funds covering all major investment classes – including equities and bonds listed on the London Stock Exchange and international markets – as well as charity specific funds such as Common Investment Funds (CIFs).
“We are confident that charities of all sizes will benefit from using Investment Explorer. It’s a positive first step in helping them to dip their toes into the investment space, empowering charities to take greater control of their finances and to build for the future.”