Thank you for the introduction, Sir James, and thank you Mr Speaker for hosting this event.

Good evening everyone.

It’s a pleasure to be here celebrating Charities Aid Foundation’s centenary. 

This evening I will:

• take this opportunity to thank CAF for your vital work over the past 100 years - in particular at this moment, as we have committed to reset government’s relationship with civil society as a whole; and
• acknowledge the unique benefits of philanthropy to provide support for people across this country with funders, organisations like CAF, and government - including my department - working in partnership.

Giving is a fundamental part of this country; it’s ingrained into our way of life and our communities, and has been for centuries. 

CAF has shaped the culture of giving in this country over the past 100 years. 

You have played a significant role across the whole of the charity sector in that time - from monthly donation agreements, to direct financial support for charities, to offering expertise - and you are a key stakeholder in my own department’s civil society work.  

It is therefore fitting that as CAF turns 100, this government has announced a commitment to reset the relationship with civil society and work together to develop a new Civil Society Covenant. The Covenant will set out the terms of a new relationship between government and civil society and will symbolise recognition of the sector as a trusted and independent partner whose voice is heard. 

Earlier this month the Prime Minister hosted a civil society reception to announce our ambitions and I was delighted that we were joined by Charities Aid Foundation’s Chief Executive, Neil Heslop. This event kicked off a new phase of engagement to gather ideas and views to shape the Covenant. I really want to hear your views and strongly encourage you to get involved. You can find out how to contribute on Gov.uk. 

This country needs a thriving civil society, and for this, we need organisations like CAF, who can continue to support and innovate in the sector for decades to come.

In my role as Minister for Civil Society, I recognise how giving can be used to shift the dial on local, national and global issues.

For example, Barnsley Youth Choir is one of the best youth choirs in the world and that is largely thanks to the commitment and generosity of local people.

Barnsley Youth Choir provides opportunities for young people in Barnsley. The choir offers bursaries for lower income families and subsidizes events to ensure that children and families can participate without financial strain. The community comes together year after year to provide much needed funds to enable the choir to continue.

Local girl Lucy (Hoylandswaine) has just completed a 100k run over one week to raise over £1200 for Barnsley Youth Choir and this is just one of hundreds of fundraising efforts that take part each year for the Choir.

The Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation offers grants of as much as £275,000 to certain charity projects in Yorkshire, such as those promoting the protection of the environment, and has funded projects with South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation.

Philanthropy plays a key role in this. Philanthropists can take greater risks, allow more flexibility and pioneer real innovation. 

It can be long term and strategic, and range from tackling the big issues of our time, such as by funding climate solutions, to supporting grassroot charities and building up local communities.

CAF’s work is important to enabling and unlocking this type of funding. 

Using your expertise from your work on growing place based giving schemes, you built extensive evidence for how funders, including philanthropists, can effectively contribute. 

You found that funders can help stimulate giving by providing seed funding, that funding for core staffing costs is crucial, and that embracing flexibility is essential - all important lessons to take forward for work unlocking place based philanthropy.

Of course, government also has a pivotal role in this ecosystem, complementing and working alongside other sources of funding.

DCMS is focused on putting local people, communities and places first. As my department leads on philanthropy, this includes ensuring that the benefits of philanthropy can be felt in all communities. 

So we want to ensure that the giving ecosystem connects philanthropic donations with the places where it is needed most.

Together with my ministerial colleagues at DCMS, I will work with colleagues across government and with you and your sectors to make philanthropic giving as easy and compelling as possible across the country, in a renewed partnership.

Congratulations again to Charities Aid Foundation for your 100 year milestone.

I am happy to have had this chance:

• to thank Charities Aid Foundation for your work;
• to reiterate this government’s commitment to resetting the relationship with civil society, with the development of the new Civil Society Covenant; and 
• to consider how we can come together to unlock the unique benefits of philanthropy in this country.

Thank you again for inviting me to speak, and enjoy the rest of this evening’s event.