Over the past decade, charities have faced austerity, a global pandemic, cost of living pressures, declining consumer spending, rising operational costs, and shifting government support. Yet within these challenges lie many opportunities. While digital transformation can be complex, it enables charities to innovate, streamline operations, cut costs, and strengthen fundraising.
Building resilience in this environment is an ongoing journey – one that requires continuous learning, the ability to recover quickly from setbacks, and the courage to use change as a catalyst for growth, innovation, and renewed purpose.
According to our consumer spending data, spend on charities declined by 1.7% in 2025. While the number of donations and donors has remained stable, the average donation value has fallen by 1.2% over the past year1. With the UK rapidly moving towards a cashless society, digitising fundraising presents a vital opportunity for charities to boost donations to help future-proof their income.
Digital and contactless payments give charities real‑time insights into:
Example:
Toucan’s internal data shows donors often give slightly above suggested amounts meaning even small adjustments to donation prompts can significantly increase the total amount raised.
A single contactless donation can become the beginning of a relationship with supporters.
By seamlessly offering Gift Aid as a secondary step and gaining consent for future communications, this enables:
Gift Aid increases eligible donations by 25% at no cost to donors2.
With digital tools that integrate Gift Aid into the donation journey:
Depending on a charity’s size, budget and goals, cashless digital fundraising can deliver strong returns:
We can support charities wishing to capitalise on the opportunities provided by digital fundraising. We offer a range of payment services including card and mobile payment solutions, whether donors are giving online through our payment gateway, in-person using our terminals, over the phone with card-not-present solutions, or via recurring card donations. Through our partnership with Toucan Giving, a provider of innovative fundraising solutions, we’re doubling down on our commitment to helping charities grow their income and build stronger supporter relationships.
In uncertain times, clarity of mission provides direction. By grounding decisions, collaborations, and innovations in their organisation’s purpose, charity leaders can prioritise what truly matters and inspire their teams to act decisively to drive lasting impact.
As organisations operating across sometimes challenging geographies in an increasingly multipolar world, the aim is to maintain a unified sense of purpose while adapting strategies to meet the unique needs of the diverse communities they serve.
For organisations to continue functioning during and after a disruption, preparation, adaptability and swift recovery are key. With cyber threats inevitable, organisations must stay proactive - continually strengthening defences, identifying vulnerabilities, and preparing clear response plans.
Navigating the unknown requires a mindset shift - acknowledging today’s unpredictable challenges, from financial pressures to digital disruption, while focusing on what can be influenced, adapting with creativity, and building resilience instead of resisting change.
By anticipating potential challenges, running scenario analyses, and creating a range of alternative ‘playbooks’, leaders can equip themselves and their teams with the tools to respond effectively, ensuring they can bounce back quickly and confidently when unexpected situations arise.
Connecting with peers in similar situations can be very valuable. By sharing experiences and exchanging practical advice, leaders can learn from others’ successes and challenges, gain a fresh perspective and build confidence in their chosen approach.
Leaders perform at their best and contribute most effectively when they take care of their own wellbeing. It’s also important to periodically take a step back from day-to-day operations to reflect strategically. Holding dedicated strategy days creates space to collaborate, challenge assumptions, and think ahead. Regular informal meetings and social occasions help build mutual understanding and shared problem-solving.
By prioritising the wellbeing of staff and volunteers, and helping them manage stress and uncertainty, organisations can enable colleagues to bring their best selves to work, utilise their talents, and maximise overall performance. These strategies can help build a resilient workforce, capable of thriving and delivering on organisational goals even in challenging times.
Many charities are increasingly adopting strategies to mitigate financial headwinds and diversify their sources of income - expanding grant applications, broadening fundraising, forming commercial partnerships or launching trading subsidiaries. Some are collaborating with peers through shared services to reduce costs, while others are investing in their brands to attract new funding.
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