Take our 2024 Tech Trends Quiz!

Every year, the Charity Digital Exchange connects hundreds of charities with the technologies they need to achieve their missions, each one at a discounted price. Our diverse catalogue houses products for charities of many sizes, causes, and needs.

 

To find the right technologies for your charity, we crunched the numbers to identify the tech trends of the past year. Which technologies do small charities favour, for example? Which are popular with arts and cultural organisations?

 

Curious if your charity follows the trends? Take the quiz below to find our insights on the best tech discounts for your charity.

 

 

Question one – What size is your charity?

 

The size of an organisation can heavily influence the type of digital technologies they will most benefit from. What size is your charity?

• Supermajor or major (annual turnover of over £10 million)
• Large (annual turnover of £1 million to £10 million)
• Medium (annual turnover of £100,000 to £1 million)
• Small or micro (annual turnover of less than £10,000) 
• I don’t know

 

 

Question two – What is your digital need?  

    

    

Supermajor or major charities: What is your digital need?

 

We’ve seen high demand for productivity and collaboration tools, cyber security tools, and remote application execution tools from major and supermajor charities.

 

Supermajor and major charities can face challenges such as unnecessary competition with other charities, and uncertain, fragmented, and insufficient funding when delivering public services.

 

In addition, over a third (37%) of high-income charities experienced cyber crime between April 2023 and April 2024.

 

What is your charity’s digital need? Let’s see if we can help.

 

• Productivity and collaboration
• Enhancing security
• Using remote servers
• Something else

 

 

Large charities – What is your digital need?

 

The majority of large charities (68%) are advancing with digital technologies, according to the Charity Digital Skills Report 2023. But they still face challenges, such as making sure all teams are equally digitally literate, and finding funds to invest in devices, software, and infrastructure.

 

In the last year, large charities have made use of the Charity Digital Exchange to save on digital technologies, favouring cyber security tools, marketing and design software, and remote application execution technology.

 

Large charities are also less likely than small or medium charities to believe that they are well-trusted by the public, according to Enthuse’s Charity Pulse Report 2024. That could be among the reasons why large charities have been focused on cyber security and marketing this year: to earn and justify the public trust needed to achieve their missions.

 

What is your charity’s digital need? Let’s see if we can help.

• Maintaining network cyber security
• Accessing the internet securely
• Editing images
• Designing websites
• Publishing newsletters
• Creating video or audio productions
• Using remote servers
• Something else

 

 

Medium charities – What is your digital need?

 

Medium-sized charities were the most “hard pressed” in 2023-2024, according to Enthuse’s Charity Pulse Report, although they note more than half (52%) grew their income during this period.

 

During this time, we saw medium-sized charities continue to prioritise cyber security tools, marketing and design software, and website-building tools to help them achieve their missions.

 

Medium-income charities are mixed in terms of cyber security preparedness, according to the UK Government’s Cyber Security breaches survey 2024, meaning that their focus in this area is warranted.

 

Charities of this size have also sought marketing, publishing, and website-building tools, consistent with the 79% of all charities who wished to improve website, online presence and social media in 2024, according to the Charity Digital Skills Report 2023.

 

What is your charity’s digital need? Let’s see if we can help.

• Maintaining network cyber security
• Accessing the internet securely
• Editing images
• Designing websites
• Publishing newsletters
• Creating video or audio productions
• Building a website
• Something else

 

 

Small or micro charities – What is your digital need?

 

This year, small charities are struggling with finding funds for devices, software, and infrastructure, with over half (54%) citing this as their biggest digital challenge.

 

Of the many who have used the Charity Digital Exchange service to cut their digital costs, small charities have favoured marketing tools, cloud solutions, and website-building technology.

 

Small charities don’t always have the time, space, or resources to manage on-premise infrastructure like storage devices and servers. For example, 54% of the smallest charities are working remotely, suggesting one reason why cloud solutions are highly sought after by this group.

 

When it comes to marketing and creating a website, small charities favour simple, do-it-yourself-style tools, reflecting both their limited budget and a can-do attitude towards using digital technology.

 

What is your charity’s digital need? Let’s see if we can help.

• Creating social graphics and videos
• Cloud computing power
• Cloud database storage
• Cloud content delivery
• Building a website
• Something else

 

 

Question three – What is the purpose of your charity?

 

A charity’s purpose can dictate the type of technology it needs to deliver its mission.

 

Whether videoconferencing, website building, designing marketing, or protecting the cyber security of the organisation, you can find tools to help with all this and more on the Charity Digital Exchange.

 

To find out which would suit your organisation best, explore the links associated with the purpose of your charity below. 

• Arts and Culture
  • Remote cloud infrastructure
  • Design software
  • Videoconferencing software
• Combating community deterioration
  • Design software
• Community centre
  • Remote cloud infrastructure
  • Virtual reality headset
• Community promotion
  • Remote cloud infrastructure
  • Publishing software
  • Virtual reality headset
• Community recreational facilities
  • Remote cloud infrastructure
  • Virtual reality headset
• Community service organisation
  • Endpoint cyber protection
  • Remote cloud infrastructure
  • Design Software
  • Publishing software
  • Virtual reality headset
• Community theatrical group
  • Design software
• Credit counselling and assistance
  • Endpoint cyber protection
• Cultural performances
  • Design software
• Educational services
  • Endpoint cyber protection
• Employment preparation and procurement
  • Endpoint cyber protection
• Gifts, grants, or loans to other organisations
  • Endpoint cyber protection
  • Publishing software
• Giving information or opinion
  • Endpoint cyber protection
  • Remote cloud infrastructure
  • Publishing software
  • Data analysis software
• Historical Societies and historic preservation, historical site, records or re-enactment
  • Design software
• Hospice
  • Endpoint cyber protection
• Humanities
  • Design software
• Mental health care
  • Endpoint cyber protection
  • Publishing software
• Preservation or conservation of natural resources
  • Publishing software
• Referral service
  • Publishing software
• Religious institutions or religious activities
  • Endpoint cyber protection
  • Remote cloud infrastructure
  • Publishing software
  • Creative marketing software
  • Videoconferencing software
• Services for people with disabilities
  • Design software
  • Publishing software
  • Virtual reality headset
• Services for people experiencing poverty
  • Endpoint cyber protection
  • Remote cloud infrastructure
  • Design software
  • Publishing software
  • Creative marketing software
  • Data analysis software
• Youth Development Programs
  • Remote cloud infrastructure
  • Virtual reality headset
  • Videoconferencing software
• Something else

 

 

The results

 

See below for the most popular tech discounts of the past year.  

 

 

Adobe Acrobat

 

If the link has sent you here, your organisation type is among the most likely to access discounts for Adobe Acrobat!

 

Adobe Acrobat is a publishing software for viewing, creating, combining, and controlling PDF documents.

 

Using this tool, you can convert documents to PDF, combine files from multiple applications, apply controls and security onto PDFs, collect data with fillable PDF forms, have multiple people interacting with a live PDF at once, and export PDF files into other types of documents.

 

Click here to explore our discounts for Adobe Acrobat.

 

 

Adobe Express

 

If the link has sent you here, your organisation type is among the most likely to access discounts for Adobe Express!

 

Adobe Express is essential for charities to engage stakeholders with creative marketing and content. Available for free on the Charity Digital Exchange, the online and mobile app allows you to create custom marketing materials such as graphics and videos.

 

The software has prebuilt templates to help you create high-quality, effective content without previous graphic design experience. It includes a stock images and fonts library, editing and publishing tools, and branding tools.

 

Click here to learn more about our free offer for Adobe Express Premium Plan.

 

 

Amazon Web Services

 

If the link has sent you here, your organisation type is among the most likely to access discounts for Amazon Web Services (AWS)!

 

AWS provides access to remote infrastructure through the cloud. This enables organisations to remotely access high-powered computing, storage, data warehousing, development, analytics, content delivery, and other services – all without having to invest in their own physical servers or devices.

 

The Charity Digital Exchange offers discounts on AWS for small, medium, and large nonprofits, while the TechSoup Boost 1-Year Subscription creates a further discount on these products for one year.

 

Click here to explore all AWS discounts on the Charity Digital Exchange.

 

 

Autodesk

 

If the link has sent you here, your organisation type is among the most likely to access discounts for the design software Autodesk!

 

Autodesk is popular among theatres, who use it for set design, as well as historical preservation societies. Our large range of Autodesk discounts includes:

• AutoCAD, which allows users to develop and draft 2D and 3D designs
• Fusion 360, which allows users to design, simulate, and collaborate on designs
• Architecture, Engineering, and Construction collection, which creates 3D building and infrastructure designs for transportation, land, utility, and water projects
• Media and Entertainment Collection, which allows users to create 3D animations and effects
• Product Design Collection, which allows users to create 3D product designs
• User Programme Kit, which provides evidence of users’ proficiency on Autodesk applications

Click here to explore all Autodesk discounts on the Charity Digital Exchange.

 

Note: TechSoup Boost 1-Year Subscription creates a further discount on the above products for one year.

 

 

Avast

 

If the link has sent you here, your organisation type is among the most likely to access discounts for Avast cyber security software!

 

Our most popular endpoint protection, Avast products make it easy for charity IT teams to manage security, assign licensing, and receive useful security reporting.

 

Our Avast range includes:

• Business Antivirus Subscriptions, which block cyberthreats from entering your network, protect against zero-day attacks, predict and identify new threats, and allow free remote IT control
• Patch Management, which identifies critical vulnerabilities across all devices and quickly deploys “patches” to keep your systems secure
• Content Filtering, which helps IT managers increase security by notifying them when employees visit sensitive websites
• Cyber Security Bundles, which combine the above three product types to maximise your cyber security at an even greater discount

 

Click here to explore all the Avast discounts available on the Charity Digital Exchange.

 

 

Bitdefender

 

If the link has sent you here, your organisation type is among the most likely to access discounts for Bitdefender’s cyber security range!

 

Favoured by small charities, Bitdefender offers secure endpoint protection without slowing down your machines. Our range of discounts includes four kinds of Bitdefender products:

• Business Security, which protects networked devices from cyber security threats, managed through a central console. It contains antivirus and antispyware, content control, and other security features
• Mobile Security, which protects your organisation’s mobile devices from cyber security threats
• Internet Security, which protects computers from viruses, spam, and other online threats
• Antivirus, which protects devices from viruses

 

Click here to explore all the Bitdefender discounts available on the Charity Digital Exchange.

 

 

Cisco

 

If the link has sent you here, your organisation type is among the most likely to access discounts for Cisco technology!

 

In 2024, we have seen a massive surge of requests for networking equipment from this market leader. The products, including routers, security appliances, VPNs, and more, have proven essential for charities that manage their own site or office’s internet connection.

 

Click here to explore our discounted Cisco range.

 

For more information, read our Product Guide to Cisco.

 

 

Meta Quest Pro VR Headset

 

If the link has sent you here, your organisation type is among the most likely to access discounts for the Meta Quest Pro VR Headset!

 

The Meta Quest Headset is one of our newest products making a splash with our users, helping them deliver even greater impact.

 

The headset can be used to provide immersive virtual reality experiences for staff, volunteers, and service users. It is particularly popular with youth organisations, charities providing recreational activities to their local communities, and charities working with neurological conditions.

 

Click here to learn more about our Meta Quest Pro VR Headset discount.

 

For more information, read our guide to the virtues of Meta Quest.

 

 

Microsoft 

 

If the link has sent you here, your organisation type is among the most likely to access discounts for Microsoft!

 

For organisations of all sizes, Microsoft products are deeply embedded in day-to-day working life, enabling productivity and collaboration across teams, and enhancing cyber security. The Microsoft 365 Nonprofit Cloud Subscription provides users with access to favourites like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as device management and security abilities.

 

Microsoft’s productivity and collaboration products are particularly popular with major and supermajor-sized charities. If your charity is major or supermajor, we recommend Microsoft’s E5 subscriptions, suitable for organisations with large teams, and which provide access to enhanced security and apps from the Power Platform.

 

To explore our full range of Microsoft discounts, check out:

• Microsoft Discounted Software
• Microsoft Discounted with Software Assurance
• Microsoft Donated Software

 

 

Tableau

 

If the link has sent you here, your organisation type is among the most likely to access discounts for the data analysis software Tableau!

 

Tableau Desktop and Tableau Prep builder are brilliant tools for preparing, analysing, and visualising data. You can use them to reduce time creating reports, combine, shape, and clean data, automate data-related tasks, provide transparency, analyse trends, and perform rapid and detailed analytics.

 

The software allows users to create dashboards to visualise data, as well as creating “stories” to helpfully convey the data.

 

Click here to explore Tableau discounts on the Charity Digital Exchange.

 

Note: the TechSoup Boost 1-Year Subscription creates a further discount on these products for one year.

 

 

Windows Remote Desktop Services

 

If the link has sent you here, your organisation type is among the most likely to access discounts for Windows Remote Desktop Services!

 

If your organisation uses physical servers for its operations, Windows Remote Desktop Services allows users to execute applications remotely without having to be near the physical server itself.

 

Our range of discounts include:

• Windows Remote Desktop Services – User CAL, which allows one user to access Windows Remote Desktop Services from any device.
• Windows Remote Desktop Services – Device CAL, which allows one computer to access Windows Remote Desktop Services, regardless of the number of users (for example, on a shared workstation).
• Windows Remote Desktop Services – External Connector License, which allows an unlimited number of simultaneous connections.

 

Click here to explore all our Windows Remote Desktop Services discounts.

 

 

Wix

 

If the link has sent you here, your organisation type is among the most likely to access discounts for the website creation tool Wix!  

 

We have found that Wix is enjoyed by any organisation who wants to build a website easily, but is particularly popular with small and medium charities. The Wix Premium Core Plan includes web hosting and storage, creating a custom domain name, website-building tools, and a secure e-commerce platform.

 

The Wix Premium Business/Business Elite Plan includes all of these features, as well as the ability to display product pricing in your customer’s local currency, the ability to collect and post product reviews, and the ability to automate sales tax.

 

Click here to explore our discounted Wix subscriptions.

 

 

Zoom

 

If the link has sent you here, your organisation type is among the most likely to access discounts for Zoom’s videoconferencing software!

 

For the large number of organisations using remote meetings in 2024, Zoom is essential. Zoom One allows remote teams and users to meet using video and audio conferencing and group messaging.

 

This can be useful for charities connecting both within their team and externally, whether you wish to meet with service users, donors, or other organisations. Zoom discounts have been most popular with religious organisations, arts organisations, and charities that provide training.

 

Click here to explore all Zoom offers on the Charity Digital Exchange.

 

For more information, read our guide on how to use Zoom.

 

Note: the TechSoup Boost 1-Year Subscription creates a further discount on these products for one year.

 

 

Browse our catalogue and speak to our friendly Customer Service Team

 

If the link has sent you here, your organisation is just too unique to follow the trends. But don’t fear, there is a world of tech discounts out there on the Charity Digital Exchange. Click here to peruse the full catalogue.

 

And if you’re still not sure about the best tech discount for you, our Customer Service Team are here to help. Here’s how you can contact them:

• Chat to a member of the team through the Live Chat bubble in the bottom right corner of the website
• Email customerservice@charitydigital.org.uk
• Call 020 7324 3390

Our product guide articles are also here to help you make the most of discounted digital technology available on the Charity Digital Exchange. Click here to visit our Product Guides Hub.