ACO describes itself as the membership body for charities that provide financial and wellbeing support to individuals. Its main role is to help those charities connect, collaborate and share good practice, but its website also includes a public directory of member organisations.
That directory may be useful if you are trying to identify charities that could help in a particular situation. Users can search for a charity directly or filter by charity type and by the people supported, they also have a “What should I do in a crisis?” section on their website.
This is not a direct support service or grant fund. Its value lies in helping people find relevant charities, including those offering grants, hardship support and wellbeing support. Clergy Support Trust is also listed within ACO’s network as a member.
What does ACO offer?
ACO offers a public directory of member charities, along with crisis information and other support resources. It is mainly a signposting resource rather than a charity that provides help directly.
Who is it for?
ACO’s main audience is member charities, but its directory may also help individuals looking for financial or wellbeing support from a relevant charity or benevolent fund.
How might it help?
It may be helpful if you are not sure where to start and want to search for charities by type, sector or beneficiary group.