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Sector · Charities
AI for charities, with trustees still accountable
We set up AI for charities that saves time on bids, admin and supporter communications, while trustees stay responsible and vulnerable beneficiaries always reach a person.
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AI handles0
A person decides0
UK charities now using AI0%
Source: Charity Digital Skills Report (Zoe Amar Digital) ↗Charities that say their board has poor AI skills0%
Source: Charity Digital Skills Report (Zoe Amar Digital) ↗Charities that do not trust AI tools0%More than double the year before.
Source: Charity Digital Skills Report (Zoe Amar Digital) ↗Where the line sits
Small teams, big workloads, and people who rely on you
Most charities are already using AI in some form.
Few have the budget, skills or policy to use it well.
AI for charities works best on the tasks that eat staff time, such as bids, reports and admin.
It needs far more care near donors’ data, safeguarding and beneficiaries in difficult circumstances.
We help you get the time savings and keep people where they matter most.
What the AI handles
- First drafts of grant bids, reports and case studies
- Summaries of board papers and meeting notes
- Supporter newsletters and social posts for review
- Cleaning and deduplicating donor records
- Routine volunteer and supporter questions
What stays with a person
- Trustee decisions and strategy
- Safeguarding concerns, every time
- Contact with vulnerable beneficiaries and supporters
- Final sign-off on fundraising content
- Decisions about using personal or sensitive data
Where it helps
AI for charities on a small budget
The Charity Digital Skills Report 2026 found 79% of charities now use AI.
It also found a lack of skills is the biggest AI barrier, and a third of charities rate their board’s AI skills as poor.
Our approach to AI for charities starts with the tools you already pay for, before recommending anything new.
We work with charities of all sizes, in person or remotely, and scope work to fit a small budget.
Bid drafts, report writing, board paper summaries and supporter updates are usually the fastest wins.
Every draft goes to a named member of staff before it leaves the building.
If budget is tight, the free government AI training is a sensible first step for staff.
- Grant bids and funder reports
- Board paper summaries for trustees
- Supporter newsletters and social posts
- Donor record clean-up
85%
AI acts alone
130
65% of 200 cases
Goes to a person
70
35% of 200 cases
Illustrative batch with a typical confidence spread. Your real split comes from a pilot on your own work. Some decisions go to a person whatever the score.
Trustee duties
Trustees stay responsible, whatever the tool
The Charity Commission’s view on AI is clear that trustees remain responsible for decision making.
It says decisions should not be delegated to AI or based on AI-generated content alone.
It expects human oversight to prevent material errors, and extra care where beneficiaries are at higher risk or data is sensitive.
The Commission is applying its existing guidance, such as The essential trustee, rather than writing AI-specific rules.
That guidance says trustees can delegate tasks but never their overall responsibility.
We help boards set the rules, and our AI literacy training gives trustees enough grounding to ask good questions.
AI drafts
Check
Person decides
Learns
01 / 04
Donors and beneficiaries
Donors, data and people who need a person
The Fundraising Regulator’s AI guidance asks you to agree an AI policy before using AI in fundraising.
It recommends publishing that policy, so donors know when AI is used.
It also expects a person to check AI content for accuracy, fairness and legality before it is used.
Chatbots and voicebots with no immediate human oversight need monitoring and audit.
Our AI for charities goes further for beneficiaries, because anyone in a vulnerable situation should always be able to reach a person.
Any mention of harm or risk goes straight to a named member of staff under your safeguarding policy.
Supporters who seem confused or distressed are handed to a person too, rather than kept in an automated loop.
The Fundraising Regulator’s AI guidance asks you to agree an AI policy before using AI in fundraising.
How it works
Four steps, one owner
Each system ships with a named person accountable for what it does.
01
01
Take stock
We find out how staff and volunteers already use AI and which tools you already pay for.
02
02
Agree the rules with trustees
We draft a short AI policy with your board, including where people must always be involved.
03
03
Set up the first uses
We set up two or three low-risk workflows, such as bids and board summaries, with review steps.
04
04
Train and report back
We train staff and report results and risks to trustees, so the board can decide what comes next.
Questions
Asked and answered
Further reading
From the source
Charity Commission for England and WalesCharities and artificial intelligence ↗Why trustees cannot hand decisions to AI.Charity Commission for England and WalesThe essential trustee: what you need to know, what you need to do (CC3) ↗Fundraising RegulatorGuidance for using artificial intelligence in fundraising ↗Policy, transparency and human checks for AI in fundraising.Charity Digital Skills Report (Zoe Amar Digital)Charity Digital Skills Report 2026 ↗The sector’s annual survey of digital and AI skills.Information Commissioner’s OfficeGuidance on AI and data protection ↗
Keep reading
Related pages
GovernanceAI policy template →An AI policy template your team will actually followTrainingAI literacy training →AI literacy training for everyone who touches AI at workTrainingFree government AI training →Free government AI training, explained in plain EnglishConsultancyAI for small business →An AI consultant for small business, that starts small and stays safe
Next step
Tell us the work. We’ll show you where the line goes.
A 30-minute call. We map one workflow, what the AI could take, and where a person must stay in the loop.