# CAF launches ‘evergreen’ cause-universal social investment fund

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2024/09/10/caf-launches-evergreen-cause-universal-social-investment-fund/
- Published: 2024-09-10T11:21:08+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**Charities Aid Foundation’s (CAF) new Venturesome Impact Fund is described by CAF
as an ‘evergreen’ fund, remaining continuously open for applications. It is also
cause universal, to enable social purpose organisations to access affordable, repayable
finance to grow and improve their resilience.**

The [Venturesome Impact Fund](https://www.cafonline.org/services-for-charities/funding-for-charities/social-investment)
opens with £10mn of philanthropic capital from CAF’s private clients, businesses
and other foundations, with the goal to grow available funding to at least £20mn.

Most social investments will be unsecured loans since many social purpose organisations
do not have property assets that can be used as collateral and can struggle to access
finance from banks. For smaller organisations that face additional income pressures,
the fund can also offer blended finance packages that are part loan and part grant.

## Advertisement

 [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/)

The new fund will provide:

 * Mostly unsecured loans, standby facilities and blended finance packages (part
   loan/part grant), typically over a three-to-five-year period with a regular repayment
   schedule.
 * Total packages from £50k to £1mn with a fixed interest rate of 5.5% p.a.
 * Blended finance packages for organisations with a turnover of less than £500k
   and will typically be a 70% loan/30% grant.

Ashling Cashmore, CAF Head of Impact and Advisory said:

> “As we mark our centenary this year, we are excited to launch our new ‘always-
> on’ social investment offering to provide what social purpose organisations say
> they need from social investment and address where there are currently gaps in
> the market.
>  
> “The Venturesome Impact Fund allows one pot of money to benefit many different
> organisations and causes throughout the UK. Helping them to grow and accelerate
> their impact will improve communities and individual lives, and have a positive
> influence on the environment.”