The Charity Digital Agenda

Hosted by Charity Digital

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157

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Aug 2026

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About the show

The podcast that explores what charities are doing differently with digital. Every month, we check in with charity professionals to see how they are using digital to support their mission and review the latest digital trends shaping the sector. Every episode we'll be discussing digital success stories, digital pet peeves, and creating a digital wishlist for the future. Listen to hear what's on the Charity Digital Agenda today!

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August 6, 202619 min

Emma Bracegirdle - Founder, The Saltways

Welcome to the new podcast from Charity Digital: The Charity Digital Agenda. Every month we’ll be interviewing charity professionals and digital experts to find out what technology they value and what they have learned in their digital work. In this episode, Laura (Charity Digital’s Content Manager) is joined by Emma Bracegirdle, Founder of ethical filmmakers The Saltways. Emma talks to us about authentic storytelling, the importance of AI transparency, and what makes a good digital partner - and much more. Resources : Charity Digital - Topics - AI image guidelines for charities Charity Digital - Webinar: A guide to creating ethical AI-generated imagery Meta pulls new AI image feature after days of backlash - BBC News ⁠ Two days in Birmingham: connection, reflection — and the great chocolate debate! | by CAST Contact us at ⁠content@charitydigital.org.uk⁠ 😊

July 23, 202630 min

Trends report: What is AI burnout?

The charity sector is already prone to burnout, as a sector stretched for time and resources. Artificial intelligence (AI) promises productivity gains, and time-saving opportunities, but how is that actually affecting the way we work? In this trends report, we look at the concept of AI burnout , exploring how it is shifting our workplace mentality and processes, and what charities can do to support their workers in the age of AI. Join Charity Digital's Lisa Chomette (Head of Strategic Growth), Josie Sparling (Senior Content Writer and Editor), and Laura Stanley (Content Manager) as they discuss the latest digital trends shaping the charity sector. Resources: Charity Digital Conscious AI Hub AI is exhausting workers so much, researchers have dubbed the condition ‘AI brain fry’ | CNN Business Why AI is burning women out - Fast Company Increased AI expectations without guidance leads to employee burnout | CIO AI is boosting productivity and burnout - teams must build hope - Psychology Today ‘We’re up against forces that have all the money in the world’: Erin Brockovich on her battle against AI datacentres | Energy | The Guardian Contact us at ⁠content@charitydigital.org.uk⁠ 😊

July 9, 2026Episode 131 min

Alice Kershaw - Head of Digital Transformation, The Wildlife Trusts

Welcome to the new podcast from Charity Digital: The Charity Digital Agenda. Every month we’ll be interviewing charity professionals and digital experts to find out what technology they value and what they have learned in their digital work. In this episode, Laura (Charity Digital’s Content Manager) is joined by Alice Kershaw, Head of Digital Transformation at The Wildlife Trusts. Alice talks to us about tech optimism, how generative AI is affecting our perception of nature, and the biggest digital lessons she has learned (always plan more time!). Resources: The Wildlife Trusts You're Not Imagining It: Google Search Results Are Getting Worse, Study Finds Concerns around AI psychosis Charity Digital’s Conscious AI Hub Contact us at content@charitydigital.org.uk 😊

June 9, 202626 min

154: What’s new in cyber security in 2026?

What constitutes good cyber security in 2026? The cyber security landscape is always evolving, particularly in the wake of artificial intelligence. With almost three in ten charities experiencing a cyber breach or attack between 2025 and 2026, it is important that the sector keeps pace with the threat and knows what robust cyber security looks like in a challenging environment. In this podcast, we are joined by Mike Horton, Head of Business Development at Qlic IT, to discuss how the cyber threat landscape has changed for charities and what practical steps organisations can take to prepare for these changes. Resources: Qlic for Not-for-Profits Changes to Cyber Essentials – Charity Digital Conscious AI Hub – Charity Digital

December 12, 202540 min

153: Digital fundraising trends for 2026

The world of digital fundraising has grown considerably since 2020, with three in five donations now being made online. It has become so normalised, in fact, that you might expect us to be able to drive donations online by rote. But the world of digital technology changes all the time and donor behaviour evolves – fundraising strategies must evolve with them in order to provide seamless supporter experiences. In this podcast, we explore some of the upcoming fundraising trends that we believe will shape 2026, from revitalising the sector’s storytelling to improving the way we use data. Resources: .ORG Learning Center PIR - Four ways nonprofits can keep their community engaged Digital fundraising trends article Artificial Intelligence: Responsible use for charities ⁠2025 Digital Fundraising Summit⁠ Mind the Engagement Gap report Charity Digital Skills report Mind – Workplace wellbeing resources

December 4, 202527 min

152: How to make your awards submission stand out

Storytelling is a very important part of charity work – it boosts their ability to fundraise, helps them to reach and motivate more supporters, and as we’ll see in this podcast, gain more recognition for their hard work in serving their communities. This episode gives nonprofits and mission-driven leaders practical tips on how to create award-winning submissions. We are joined by Megan Waters, Director of Community Engagement at Public Interest Registry, the organisation behind the .org domain name and the .ORG Impact Awards . Megan shares insights from reviewing thousands of .ORG Impact Awards applications — with a focus on storytelling, clarity, alignment to criteria, and demonstrating real impact. Find out more about the .ORG Impact Awards and how to enter here . Read 2024's .ORG of the Year, Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation's story .

May 20, 202521 min

151: Turning awards into impact: How to apply and stand out

Charities of all sizes can reap the benefits of awards and grants. Massive budgets and huge teams are not necessary to get recognised – charities just need a compelling story and the right strategy in order to stand out. This episode is the first of a three-part podcast series with Public Interest Registry that pulls back the curtain on how to successfully apply for awards, amplify your recognition, and turn visibility into meaningful funding, attention, and donor support. In this podcast, we’re joined by Tony Connor, Senior Director, Product Marketing at Public Interest Registry and Darren Dannelly, President & CEO of The Center for Courageous Kids, who will walk us through what makes an application shine. Our guests will talk candidly about crafting a standout submission, how to showcase impact with clarity, and what judges actually look for. Whether you're a first-time applicant or refining for a second shot, this is your inside edge. Find out more about the .ORG Impact Awards: https://pir.org/for-orgs/org-impact-awards/

March 25, 202536 min

150: Digital inclusion: What we know in 2025

We know that digital technology can be transformative in helping charities achieve their goals, whether it’s reaching new supporters or delivering more services. But there remain challenges around how inclusive digital technology is, with millions of people in the UK unable to get online. This is a particular issue for the charity sector, whose purpose is reaching as many people as possible, from supporters to beneficiaries. Indeed, our report, Digital inclusion in the UK charity sector, revealed that 82% of charities are concerned about digital inclusion, with more than half finding it difficult to reach service users due to problems with digital technology. In 2024, we launched a digital inclusion campaign to help address these problems. In this podcast, we explore what we’ve learned about digital inclusion as part of our campaign, sharing insights from our report and from working closely with charities engaged in tackling the issue. Join us as we discover more about charity attitudes towards digital inclusion and what they can do to prioritise it in the future. Useful resources: Dr Emma Stone: AI shifts the goalposts of digital inclusion Digital Inclusion Hub

March 11, 202538 min

149: The digital service delivery landscape in 2025

Charities are mission-led organisations, with service delivery at their core. They help to uphold society with vastly ranging activities such as personal care, advice, research, advocacy, care for animals, environmental protection, community and cultural activities, religious events, and so much more. But too often, the conditions that charities work within can get in the way. Recent years have financially squeezed charities, putting pressure on the services they deliver, and harming the communities who use them. Working to achieve their ideals with limited time can also leave charities tied to traditional ways of operating, lacking the opportunity to overhaul their approach to be more effective, efficient, and empowering to those who use services. In this podcast, we explore how charities are making the best of the current service delivery landscape, improving services with digital, and engaging with service users in new ways. Have your say! Take our Reimagining Services survey: https://charitydigital.org.uk/topics/reimagining-services-take-our-survey-11931

February 25, 202522 min

148: AI for charities 101

Understanding artificial intelligence (AI) in 2025 feels like a mammoth task, with new tools emerging out of seemingly nowhere at a time where we’re trying to get to grips with the existing ones. For charities, the process of getting to know AI is yet harder. With a low threshold for risk, and vital services needing to be funded and delivered, charities have limited time and resource to dedicate to AI, despite its future potential to make charity operations more efficient and give us that time back. This podcast aims to help. In this episode, we are joined by Adam Graham, Managing Director of Qlic IT, to discuss the opportunities and use cases of AI in the charity sector. We explore how AI can be used in the charity sector, how to create an effective AI policy, and share practical advice for your next steps on the AI journey. Resources: Qlic IT for charities Charity Digital AI Hub