Donations to Charities Aid Foundation and payments made to charities through CAF both increased during the last financial year despite the ongoing economic uncertainty and CAF’s own research suggesting that public generosity is waning.

In its annual report and accounts for the year to 30 April 2013, CAF reveals that overall donations to the organisation during the year were £448m, a modest rise from £438m in 2011/12, and monies paid out to charities through CAF increased by £25m to £428m – though this growth was almost entirely due to a one-off exceptional donation made through the Give As You Earn payroll giving scheme.

Donations from regular givers rose by £2m to £70m while companies gave £78m to charities through CAF Company Accounts and fundraising accounts – up £6.6m on 2011/12. CAF Charity Account-holders gave £98m throughout the year, a slight drop from the previous year’s £101m.

Donations worldwide to charities through CAF were nearly £25m higher than in 2011/12 and CAF America received its largest-ever single donation - $9.1m, which will be used to provide student scholarships in Mexico.

Total funds managed by the CAF group also increased, to £2.9bn, an increase of £400m since the start of the financial year and £200m ahead of target.

Although deposits in CAF Bank ended the year down at £922m, the aggregate value of charity funds deposited and invested in the CAF family’s banking and investment services increased by £336m to £1.8bn.  

CAF’s positive results seem to fly in the face of its own research.  UK Giving, its annual survey of charitable giving which was last published in November 2012, suggested that public donations had contracted sharply, with the average monthly gift falling from £11 to £10.  And a further survey produced in December suggested that one in six charities feared they may have to close in the coming year.

Invited to comment on the apparent discrepancy, Rhodri Davies, head of policies and campaigns at CAF, said: “CAF givers are largely committed, regular charitable donors, so although they are a hugely important source of support for charities they are not necessarily representative of broader public attitudes to giving.

"The success of the Charities Aid Foundation during these difficult financial times is a testament to the effectiveness of our services for donors and the popularity of our products such as Give As You Earn."

Maintained overall staff numbers

The organisation made savings in its marketing, comms and back-office functions during the year but going forward these will be offset by increases in customer-facing and business-development teams. Employee numbers barely changed, from 518 employees in 2012 to 523 a year later. The salary band for the highest-paid employee remained static at £150,000 to £160,000.

The report hinted at a new giving product in the pipeline: “Depending on final third-party commitments, we are aiming to launch a new retail strategy that should offer a significant change in the way UK donors are able to give to charities.”

CAF Venturesome committed a further £2.5m in loans to 33 organisations.

NCVO was paid £1.5m as part of its ongoing contractual obligation with CAF.