Charities are lagging behind the private sector when it comes to digital skills and innovation.

In his closing keynote at the Charity Finance Summit earlier this month James Plunkett, chief practices officer at innovation foundation Nesta, said that charities were “very slow” to embrace the “first wave of the internet and innovation” and missed out on potential benefits as a result. 

The 2023 Charity Digital Skills report found 78% charities cite digital as a priority for their organisation. 8 out of 10 see improving their website, digital and social media presence as the greatest priority for the year ahead.

However, just under a third of charities don’t have anyone in charge of leading their digital progress, which is an increase from 22% in 2022, and the number of charities who have a strategic approach to digital has decreased to 48% this year.

There are probably many factors contributing to the voluntary and community sector’s remaining behind in terms of digital capacity, including lack of suitable funding, the fact that two-thirds of organisations have an annual income of £100,000 or less and perhaps even the relatively older age profile of sector trustees compared to the general population (24% of trustees are under 45, compared to 57% of the general population).

Digital Grants

The Fat Beehive Foundation: Digital Grants
small grants of up to £2,500 to charities with a turnover of less than £400,000.

The Space
commission projects to empower the cultural sector to be digitally inclusive.

Access Foundation
grants of between £20k to £100K to UK charities and social enterprises focused on changing people’s lives by helping them bridge the digital divide.

Open Technology Fund: Internet Freedom Fund
funding to bring ideas to life that advance inclusive and safe access to global communications networks.

National Lottery Organisations Digital Evolution Awards (NI)
funding to upskill NI arts organisations in the use of new, emerging and immersive Digital Technology and create Digital Art.

SMART Capital Equipment Fund (Wales)
this fund provides grants to support organisations to purchase equipment which increases productivity through adoption of innovative technologies.

GSR Foundation
fund projects which work to ensure no one is excluded from participating in, or benefitting from, the advancement of technology and its role in human progress.

Worshipful Company of Information Technologists
up to £15,000 for projects which make use of information technology, and relate to one or more priority area: education, inclusion, IT for charities, and public understanding of IT.

The Leeds Digital Inclusion Fund
grants of up to £10,000 are available to community organisations aimed at ensuring that individuals and communities in Leeds have the skills, support, and equipment to be active online, now and in the future.

Support In Kind

The Developer Society
pro-bono support for charities and nonprofits looking for design support for digital projects

Google Ad Grants
up to £7,000 per month in search ads shown on Google.com

Digital Candle
free digital advice for charities – Ask us a question, and we’ll connect you with a volunteer expert. No question is too broad or too niche.

Charity Digital
one stop shop for digital donations and discounts for Nonprofits

Resources

Catalyst – 7 tips for writing a winning digital funding grant application
https://www.thecatalyst.org.uk/resource-articles/7-tips-for-writing-a-winning-digital-funding-grant-application

Catalyst – how to budget for future digital costs
https://www.thecatalyst.org.uk/resource-articles/how-to-integrate-digital-costs-into-your-operating-budget-budgeting-for-digital-part-3-of-3