Digital service delivery
81% of charities are using digital tools in service delivery, either behind the scenes, in a supportive role or in an integral role
Four years on from lockdown, the use of digital tools in service delivery has evolved significantly across the sector. Digital tools, software, data and devices are now largely interwoven in many aspects of delivery and operations. As such, we can no longer differentiate clearly or meaningfully between digital, hybrid and face-to-face services as we have in previous surveys. This year, we set out to understand the variety of ways in which charities are using digital tools in service delivery. Note that charities could select a range of options here, to reflect multiple services and approaches to using digital tools.
- Two thirds (62%) use digital tools behind the scenes (e.g. for project management or administration).
- More than half (57%) use digital tools as part of service delivery (e.g. video calls).
- Overall, most charities are now using digital tools in their services, with 81% saying this plays a supportive, significant or integral role in their delivery. This figure combines all charities that are either using digital tools behind the scenes or in a supportive role in service delivery (note that many do both).
- When we look at the results by size of charity, 88% of large charities are delivering digital services, compared to 56% of small charities.
- A third (29%) say they are prioritising face-to-face service delivery. For those providing frontline services, this rises to 35%.
- A smaller proportion of charities has developed their use of service delivery, with 14% having developed their own products and platforms for digital services, and 5% being entirely platform based. This is similar to 2023.
Digital inclusion
Digital inclusion services (such as providing devices, training and data) remain a priority for a quarter of charities, but there is a gap in capacity to provide this support
Data notes: In our analysis for this section, we only look at the 336 responses for charities delivering frontline services to individuals. All percentages relate to this 336.
For charities delivering frontline services to individuals
- Only 16% offer digital inclusion support services. There are minimal differences between large and small charities here.
- 26% of charities supporting older people as a main target group are providing digital inclusion support and 30% see this as a top priority this year.
- Over a quarter (27%) see digital inclusion as a top priority this year. This is the same as the 27% who saw this as a priority last year.
- However, only 17% say that improving digital inclusion is a key achievement in the last 12 months.
- We can see that the need for funding to provide digital inclusion services has declined from 24% in 2022, to 18% in 2023, to 16% this year. Instead, internal funding needs for digital costs are the priority (such as capacity and training for staff and volunteers). Barriers such as capacity are clearly affecting how charities can deliver on their priorities.
- We can see a slightly greater prioritisation of digital inclusion support among organisations tackling racial injustice. A third (33%) say this is a key priority for their organisation this year and 29% say this is a key need for funding.
Collaboration and reuse in digital service design
Peer learning
- 42% of charities do discuss digital choices and challenges with other nonprofits, whilst 20% say they are talking to peers to learn about AI.
- Later in this report, we can see that 38% of charities progressed with digital as a result of direct advice from peers.
Collaborating on digital and data
- Whilst less than 1 in 5 (18%) say they are collaborating with other nonprofits to create shared digital solutions, this is equivalent to 104 charities and has the potential to create more effective services.
- Only 15% of charities share and combine data with other nonprofits. Whilst only 16% of charities contribute to open or sector data, this rises to a quarter (25%) of large charities.
- Only 16% of charities share their learning openly online for others to benefit from.
Sector best practice
- Nearly a quarter (23%) of charities adopt sector digital standards or design principles. This rises to 39% of large charities.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in digital services
Nearly all charities (95%) say their digital services are inclusive to some extent, however, only a third (33%) say their digital services are fully inclusive
Diversity and inclusion in digital services
- A third (33%) say their digital services are inclusive to a great extent (29% last year), a further 62% say they are inclusive to some extent (95% in total).
- 84% say their services reach diverse communities, but only 17% say they are reaching diverse communities to a great extent.
- However, only 15% say they are monitoring diversity and inclusion to a great extent and nearly a third (31%) are not doing this at all. This is a key skills gap.
Developing and designing services with users
- Undertaking user research: Only 32% of charities say they are undertaking user research to inform their service design. This is not surprising given that earlier in the survey, 33% say they have poor user research and 15% say they don’t do this.
- Undertaking user research with diverse groups: Only 18% say their services are informed by research with users from diverse communities to a great extent (compared to 25% last year). Nearly a third of organisations say they are not undertaking user research with diverse groups (30%).
- Co-designing services with users or people with lived experience: It is promising to see that 37% of charities say they are co-designing their services with users. This rises to 42% of charities that are providing frontline services.
- Assessing co-design skills in procurement: When charities are commissioning a digital agency or supplier, 52% assess how they involve people with lived experience as a very important or important factor in their decision
- Improving services: A quarter of charities are following good practice and improving their services based on feedback and evaluation to a great extent (25%). A further 62% are doing this to some extent (total of 87%).
Developing and designing services with diverse teams
- 74% of charities say their services are developed by diverse teams. However, only 15% say they do this to a great extent.
- Half (54%) say that when they are choosing a digital supplier, commitment to diversity and inclusion is important or very important. However, only 39% said that diversity in the team was a key factor in their decision.
Accessibility of digital services
- 23% say their services are accessible to a great extent (28% in 2023), whilst 65% say they are to some extent, indicating this is a key area for improvement.
