PERSPECTIVES

What Is the Epworth Cash Plus Fund—and Who Is It For?

Blog

August 2025

Introduction: Ethical Doesn’t Have to Mean Long-Term

Not every investment has to be about long-term growth. Many charities hold cash for short-term needsoperational flexibility, or capital projects—but still want those funds managed ethically.

The Epworth Cash Plus Fund is built for this exact purpose: a short-term, liquid investment solution that reflects Christian values without compromising access, oversight, or prudence.

Whether you're a bursar managing school fees, a church treasurer overseeing reserves, or a charity CFO navigating cash flow, this fund provides a simple, transparent way to invest ethically—even at the short end of the spectrum.


What Is the Epworth Cash Plus Fund?

The Epworth Cash Plus Fund is a low-risk, short-duration fund designed for UK charities. It aims to:

  • Provide capital preservation
  • Deliver a competitive return over bank deposit rates
  • Offer daily access to your money
  • Maintain ethical integrity throughout

The fund invests primarily in high-quality short-term instruments—such as government securities, corporate bonds, and money market instruments—screened through Epworth’s ethical policy.


Who Is It For?

The Cash Plus Fund is ideal for charities and churches that:

  • Need ready access to capital (within 7 days)
  • Want to avoid large bank deposits with unclear ethics
  • Hold reserves for operational costsrestricted funds, or capital campaigns
  • Want a step up in return from traditional bank accounts
  • Are seeking a values-aligned alternative to mainstream liquidity funds

Common Use Cases:

  • Independent schools investing fee income
  • Church circuits managing manse sale proceeds
  • Mission agencies holding grant cash between disbursements
  • Charitable trusts awaiting board decisions on deployment
  • Dioceses managing short-term bursary or building funds


Why Not Just Use a Bank Account?

Traditional deposit accounts offer simplicity—but often at a cost:

  • Low or negligible returns
  • Exposure to banks financing fossil fuels or armaments
  • Lack of transparency on how your money is used

The Cash Plus Fund gives charities a way to earn morestay flexible, and uphold their mission—all within a professionally managed, regulated structure.


What Makes It Ethical?

The Epworth Cash Plus Fund applies our full suite of ethical exclusions, meaning your capital won’t be used to support:

  • Fossil fuel production
  • Tobacco and adult entertainment
  • Payday lending and gambling
  • Weapons or military systems
  • Companies breaching human rights or labour standards

Review our ethical investment policy

All holdings are subject to ongoing ethical and credit risk review, with active oversight from our investment and ethical research teams.


Operational Benefits for Charities

  • Daily dealing and T+4 settlement
  • Low minimum investment threshold
  • FCA-authorised and charity-exclusive
  • No complex paperwork or governance required
  • Transparent reporting to support trustees, auditors, and finance teams


Common Questions from Clients

Is the Cash Plus Fund a money market fund?
Not quite. It is a short-duration fund offering a better yield and more flexibility than many traditional money market vehicles—while still prioritising capital preservation.

Is there a notice period or penalty for withdrawal?
No. The fund offers daily liquidity with settlement typically in four days (T+4).

What kind of return can we expect?
While returns vary with interest rates, the fund is managed to outperform typical charity deposit rates while maintaining a low risk profile.

Can we open sub-accounts for different church or fund designations?
Yes, particularly through our Discretionary Charity Service, which allows detailed sub-accounting and reporting for complex structures.


Conclusion: Ethical Liquidity Made Simple

Charities and churches deserve investment options that are not only secure—but also spiritually and socially consistent. The Epworth Cash Plus Fund fills a critical gap: offering both ethical certainty and financial flexibility.

If you’re looking to move beyond bank deposits without taking on undue risk, this fund could be your next step.

Speak to our team today about opening an account or switching from your current provider.

Learn more about the Epworth Cash Plus Fund