Organisational priorities
How important is your progress with digital and data compared to other priorities in your organisation?
Digital is a priority for almost three-quarters of charities.
- Digital is an organisational priority (medium or high) for 75% of charities, falling from 80% last year.
- More than 1 in 5 (22%) of charities say that digital is a top priority for them, falling from 27% last year.
- However, it’s positive that more than half (52%) see digital as a medium priority (i.e. important but there are other pressing priorities). This is similar to last year (53%).
- Almost 1 in 4 (24%) say that digital is either low priority or not a priority for them.
Large and small charities are both prioritising digital, with 82% of large charities saying digital is a high or medium priority in their organisation, compared to 72% of small charities.
Digital priorities
What do charities see as their key digital, data and technology priorities for the next 12 months?
Income is a clear priority for charities, with more than half saying that their key priorities are attracting donations (52%) and digital communications and fundraising (51%).
Top priorities
- Attracting funding or donations (52%), the same as 2024.
- Digital communications and fundraising (51%).
- Develop our strategy for digital, data or AI (49%), up from 45% last year.
- Grow staff/volunteer digital skills (43%), similar to last year.
- Improve/use our data to improve services or operations (39%), this has fallen significantly from 48% last year.
- Develop a strategic approach to using AI (36%).
- Improve our use of digital tools in service delivery (31%, rising to 38% of large charities).
It is worrying that only 31% are looking to improve their use of digital tools in service delivery and, in turn, that only 28% of charities see accessibility, diversity and inclusion in digital services as a top priority. However, this is a higher priority for charities led by specific marginalised groups. This includes for black led charities (40%), disabled or d/Deaf led charities (53%), charities led by neurodivergent people (43%) and LGBTQIA+ led charities (40%).
Lower priorities (for less than a third of charities)
- Accessibility, diversity and inclusion in digital services (28%, rising to 33% of large charities).
- Invest in IT, infrastructure or systems upgrades (28%).
- Digital policies and governance (23%).
- Strengthen data protection or cybersecurity (23%).
- Grow board/leaders’ digital skills (20%).
- Develop, scale or offer new digital services (20%, rising to 27% of large charities, vs 15% of small charities).
- Support clients with devices, data or digital skills (digital inclusion) (16%). This rises to 25% of charities in the North of England and 22% in the Midlands, 25% in Scotland and 22% in Wales.
- Recruit new digital, data or technology roles (13%). This increases to 20% of large charities (but only 10% of small charities). Last year, 10% said hiring digital roles and 5% said hiring data roles was a priority.
- Reduce our tech/digital carbon footprint (12%).
Small charity priorities
- Attracting funding or donations (59%).
- Digital communications and fundraising (54%).
- Develop our strategy (for digital, data or AI) (45%).
- Grow staff/volunteer digital skills (45%).
- Improve/use our data to improve services or operations (37%).
Large charity priorities
- Develop our strategy (for digital, data or AI) (59%).
- Develop a strategic approach to using AI (51%).
- Improve/use our data to improve services or operations (46%).
- Digital communications and fundraising (42%).
- Grow staff/volunteer digital skills (41%).
What are charities’ digital communications and fundraising aims for the next 12 months?
Building digital presence and growing reach have become more urgent priorities for charities this year.
This is a new question based on the communications and fundraising answer options from a previous question.
Top 5 priorities:
- Build our online presence and social media engagement (64%), up from 54% last year.
- Grow our reach (60%), up significantly from 48% in 2024.
- Increase online fundraising (57%), an increase from 52% last year.
- Using data to better engage with supporters (54%).
- Revamp our website (39%), similar to 2024.
The fact that growing charities’ digital presences, growing reach and increasing fundraising have increased as priorities indicate how pressing generating income and meeting demand are.
We were surprised that growing a young supporter base was only a priority for 28% of charities. While not all organisations will be targeting young people, it does raise questions about the number of charities who are succession planning for the next generation of young supporters.
For those directly supporting children and young people (118 charities), 36% saw growing their young supporter base as a priority.