Benefits of ACF membership

ACF membership is issued per organisation so that all employees and trustees can make the most of our benefits. Your membership connects you to like-minded foundations and grant making professionals across the UK in person, online and in print. All employees and trustees can benefit from:

 

Information and guidance

Funders' News, our monthly e-newsletter

our digital newsletter summarising key information UK foundations need to know about changes in charity regulation and within the sector.

Key findings from annual member surveys

including a salary & benefits survey from 2021.

Trust and Foundation News, our member magazine

our magazine packed with sector news and shared member experiences, published three times a year.

Free copies of our publications

which provide vital reference material or summarise current thinking.

Policy briefings

on key policy issues affecting trusts and foundations, such as safeguarding, governance and fraud guidance.

Events and networking

Discounted fees for ACF events

Discounted fees for professional development and learning events.

Discounted fee for the ACF annual conference

Significant discount to attend our ACF Annual Conference – delivered as a virtual conference in 2020, the biggest trust and foundation sector event of the year.

Access to member-led peer networks

Exclusive access to member-led peer networks on areas of funding interest or grant-making practice. These networks meet at least twice per year and each have a dedicated digital space for members to connect between meetings.

Annual reception

An annual reception for foundation Chairs and special events for foundation leaders, such as roundtables on advocacy and place-based funding.

Investment events

Events exploring foundation approaches to responsible, sustainable and impact-driven investing, and discounted fees for the Social Impact Investors Group (SIIG).

Support from staff team

support from a dedicated staff team to answer queries and put members directly in touch with their peers.

Policy and advocacy

Defending the independence of foundations

so they can operate flexibly and in a way that is most aligned to their individual missions.

Engaging with charity regulators and government departments

Engaging with officials within the charity regulators and government departments to influence legislation, policies and guidance, such as the government's Civil Society Strategy in England & HMRC's guidance on Common Reporting Standard.

Working collaboratively with sector partners

Working collaboratively with sector partners to promote the value of the voluntary sector and civil society.

Regional and international collaboration

Regional and international collaboration on behalf of members through Dafne and individual country/regional forums.

ACF members can get directly involved with our policy and advocacy work

including:

  • helping ACF strengthen the evidence-base and promote the contribution of UK foundations through engagement with initiatives such as Stronger Foundations and Foundation Giving Trends
  • engaging directly with ACF policy and policy-makers in government through the Members Policy Forum
  • receiving regular updates on ACF’s involvement with sector-wide initiatives, including the Funder Commitment on Climate Change and the Funders’ Collaborative Hub.

Other practical services

Ability to post on jobs board

Add a job to our online Jobs Board to advertise relevant roles to support your recruitment.

Funder Network, our platform for shared knowledge

Register on Funder Network: a forum for funders to ask questions and share knowledge.

Access learning and thought leadership from ACF’s Official Partners

Cazenove, CCLA, Mercer and Ruffer.