£300k from AFCFT will enhance delivery of support to beneficiaries

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25 June 2024

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity has received £300,000 from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (AFCFT). The monies, part of the AFCFT’s Transformational Grants, will fund SSAFA’s Impact Evaluation Project with the view of improving the delivery of services to the charity’s beneficiaries.

The funding will be spread over three years, ending late spring 2027.

Specifically, the project funded by the AFCFT will provide valuable data and analysis for:

• SSAFA’s continuous improvement in the delivery of casework for beneficiaries.
• SSAFA’s ability to act upon more timely and informed decision making for the delivery of casework.
• SSAFA’s ability to evidence the impact of its casework to external stakeholders, including to attract further funding to support our work.
• To share evaluation and reporting knowledge, best practice and lessons learned with the wider sector for more collaborative and joined up working, providing greater innovation and protection of scarce resources.

Casework, in simple terms, is the bedrock of the charity’s services. Each year, SSAFA assists around 60,000 people from across the UK and overseas and from all three services of UK Armed Forces, regardless of rank, regiment, ship, or squadron.

Julie McCarthy is SSAFA’s Director of Volunteer Operations, and has operational responsibility for the charity’s casework service.

Of the grant from AFCFT, she said: “The Impact Evaluation Project involves researching, establishing, piloting, and implementing a rigorous impact evaluation model as part of the overall SSAFA Network Delivery Project.

“The new evaluation model will provide invaluable data and information to SSAFA, which the charity will use for the benefit of beneficiaries and share its learning and best practice with the wider sector.

“This is a major transformational project, ultimately benefiting those who come to SSAFA for support – whether serving or retired, regular and reserves, as well as their families – and having much wider positive impacts.”