What the 2025 Charity Digital Skills Report Means for Charities Today

Every year, the Charity Digital Skills Report offers a helpful snapshot of where the sector stands with digital, and where it’s heading next.

The 2025 edition feels especially thought-provoking; it shows us that while digital remains a top priority with many charities still finding their feet when it comes to digital transformation. 

Having worked with several organisations this year (from digital care planning rollouts to CRM and booking system transitions) I’ve seen first-hand just how much energy, goodwill and ambition there is, but the report also highlights the structural blockers charities are facing: limited time and funding, patchy leadership confidence, and a lack of clear strategies around AI and digital inclusion.

🧪 Fewer Strategies, More Experimentation

Only 44% of charities have a digital strategy, a drop from previous years; yet at the same time, 76% are using AI tools and 63% say they’ve made digital progress in the past year.

That mismatch will sound familiar to many: “We’re doing digital, but we’re not always sure why or how.”

In projects I’ve supported, whether streamlining workflows in care settings or designing CRM and booking pipelines for education engagement, it’s purpose that makes the difference. The charities making real progress tend to be the ones asking a simple but powerful question: “What do we want this tech to achieve?”  

🤖 AI in Charities: Pivotal but Patchy

AI in the charity sector has grown rapidly, with use jumping from 61% to 76% in just twelve months – but only 2% of charities are using it strategically. Boards and senior leaders often feel under-confident or uncertain about where to begin.

Ethics, inclusion and data protection remain valid concerns, but the shift is encouraging: nearly half of charities are now developing an AI policy, compared with just 16% last year.

For stretched teams, AI and automation can be a lifeline, but without investment in leadership skills, governance and clarity of purpose, adoption risks being shallow – or siloed.

For leaders looking for a place to start, resources like Charity AI Leadership Essentials from Zoe Amar Digital can provide practical guidance and reassurance.

🧱 The Foundations Still Matter

Despite the headlines, some things haven’t changed - time, funding and capacity remain the top three barriers to digital transformation in charities. The report gives sharper insight into what kind of support charities are asking for:

🔹 Core staff time to focus on digital (not just project funding)
🔹 Practical, hands-on training instead of one-off webinars
🔹 Funding for discovery and infrastructure, not just delivery

These might not sound flashy, but they are the building blocks of sustainable change.

So, What Now?

Here’s what stood out most to me:

🔸 You don’t need to be “ahead.” What matters is moving forward with purpose.
🔸 A digital strategy doesn’t have to be complicated. It just needs to align with your values, users and team capacity.
🔸 Peer learning, experimentation and asking good questions often count for more than having perfect answers.

I’ve seen charities grow in confidence through clearer workflows, better data, and small but meaningful automation wins – even without big budgets. Those are achievements worth celebrating.

If your team is wondering where to start (or where to go next), the 2025 report is a timely reminder. Use it as a prompt to reflect, to challenge, and most importantly, to act.