The Lifeboat Fund is an official charity of the Civil Service,
and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.  It exists for one reason: to help the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) save lives at sea.

The (Civil Service) Lifeboat Fund is the RNLI's longest-standing contributor and its single biggest donor.  It was founded in 1866 by a group of civil servants and is the only Civil Service charity run in-house to this day. 

The RNLI is now asking civil servants to support its work by giving to The Lifeboat Fund, so that, together, we can demonstrate how much we value its brave volunteers.  

With over 90% of its total income coming from donations and legacies, the RNLI’s life-saving work depends on dedicated volunteers and supporters. That support means RNLI lifeboat crews can reunite with their families the 22 people (on average) helped every single day. If you get involved in Lifeboat Fund activity, you can be sure that you're making a difference to crucial RNLI’s projects – which it assigns to us for our annual Appeals.   

Ever since that original group of civil servants asked their workmates for donations to buy a lifeboat, The Lifeboat Fund has continued to provide financial support for RNLI priorities, including:   

•       purchasing and maintaining lifeboats   

•       funding crew and lifeguard training and equipment   

•       refurbishing lifeboat stations and helping with life-saving                      projects  

•       continued running of this vital emergency service around our                coastline