Celebrating sign-up milestone with our favourite articles

2020 was dominated by coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. 2021 was still dominated by coverage of the pandemic, with a slight hopefulness and an image of the charity sector post-COVID-19.

 

We have spent the past year broadly covering the sector’s digital acceleration, the ways in which charities in the UK have adapted to meet the demands of the moment, and the future of digital transformation.

 

Our articles have explored, among many other things, the ways in which charities have adopted new technologies, changed daily operations, entertained and edified with inspirational fundraising campaigns, supported others with innovative service delivery, and took small and large steps to make the world a better place.

 

Our content seems to have resonated. We have reached 20,000 sign-ups to the Charity Digital website, which is a massive milestone for us. We want to indulge ourselves a little, celebrate the landmark, and look over some of the best content we have produced in the past year.

 

Employees at Charity Digital have put forward some of their favourite pieces. We have included various types, ranging from listicles to long-reads, from interviews to series. We hope you find some inspiration, information, or perhaps even some joy from our favourite content.

 

 

The best online fundraising platforms for charities

 

Read the full article here.

 

We will start with the most successful article of the past year. The reasons for its success are obvious, as it provides simple of useful information to charities, charity workers, and the general public to help them sift through the most popular fundraising platforms available.

 

We have witnessed a huge explosion in online fundraising platforms over the past few years. The options for charities are vast, which can prove confusing. But charities still need to choose the platform that best serves their needs, which may not always be the most popular platforms on the market. 

 

In thisarticle, we include some of the lesser-known platforms. These alternative platforms often have different donation models, different types of fundraising options, smaller charges, and no subscription fee.

 

The article hopefully provides a jumping-off point for anyone hoping to find the right fundraising platform to suit their needs. And for those who prefer the visual, the article now comes complete with a helpful infographic that clearly compares the options for fundraising platforms currently on the market.

 

 

Our ‘Working from home’ series

 

In 2020, we wanted to commission a series of relatively light-hearted reads that could improve the day-to-day operations of charity workers. We were all working out the mechanics of remote working at the time, attempting to re-think our spaces, plan our days, and stay motivated. The idea fell neatly into place. 

 

The ’Working from home’ series was originally meant to last for five articles, but we found lots of unexplored ground along the way. With every commission, we thought of another commission, all of which we think are relevant to charity workers. Here are some of our favourites from the ‘Working from home’ series so far:

• How to plan your day
• How to stay motivated
• Digital life hacks
• How to secure remote systems
• Rethinking the office
• Tips to improve your Wi-Fi
• How to back up your data

As you’ll see, the articles are easy-to-follow and provide plenty of practical advice. Indeed, most of the advice found in the articles can be implemented immediately and seamlessly, as we at Charity Digital know from experience. 

 

 

Post-COVID-19 tech trends for charities

 

Read the full article here.

 

This long-read article looks to the not-to-distant future. It addresses a host of the most important trends of the horizon, exploring everything that charities need to internalise in the post-COVID-19 world.

 

The piece addresses, among other things, the continuing importance of contactless payments for charities, the social media platforms to watch out for, how Blockchain is solving tracking and trust issues, the rise of AI and VR, and much, much more.

 

The article ultimately shows that some of the trends that emerged during COVID-19 will continue into the future, often in different forms. Hybrid will likely be a buzzword in the charity sector over the next few years, as charity professionals apply the lessons learnt during the pandemic in the post-pandemic world.

 

 

Help for Heroes: how gaming helps us open up about mental health

 

Read the full article here.

 

This interview from December 2020 was a particular favourite for Charity Digital employees. The article explores mental health, gaming, and COVID-19, with reference to the Hero Up initiative from Help for Heroes.

 

COVID-19 took an unimaginable toll on the nation’s mental health. With the loss of many of our traditional support systems, we have all had to find new ways to stay connected. And military veterans always face unique mental health challenges. One of the ways certain veterans are looking after their mental health is through online gaming.

 

This is an interview with Paul Colling, a veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, about how gaming can play a vital part in the recovery of many veterans and how it helped him stay connected during the pandemic. We found the interview fascinating, moving, and informative.

 

 

The future of digital transformation in the charity sector

 

Read the full article here.

 

This long-read article looks further into the future, exploring some of the key trends of digital transformation. The piece shows that digital transformation has helped to increase fundraising efforts, improve service delivery, expand trust, enhance marketing and communications, and support the day-to-day operations of in-house charity teams.

 

We look at the challenges charities are facing with regards to digital transformation, including the lack of funding, the absence of knowledge, the digital divide, and the persistence of digital exclusion. The article gives some helpful tips to charities aiming to overcome those obstacles and wholeheartedly embrace digital transformation.

 

 

Top ten virtual fundraising event ideas for charities

 

Read the full article here.

 

This article on virtual fundraising has performed well for Charity Digital. The reason for its success is obvious. First, the subject matter became increasingly important in 2020, as the prospect of in-person events rapidly ended. Second, the article is straightforward and inviting, offering charity professionals light inspiration to take into their events calendars.

 

The article is jam-packed with useful and helpful ideas for virtual events. Each suggestion comes with an explainer and some advice on how each event might look. Some of the virtual event suggestions include, among other things, online auctions, virtual sporting events and cooking lessons, quizzes and trivia nights, and even a digital race. All of these ideas can be taken forward and used for fundraising.

 

 

The essentials of cyber security

 

COVID-19 brought attention to the lack of cyber security in the charity sector. 

 

We decided to commission articles looking at the basics of cyber security. Many of those articles focussed on providing practical advice to charity professionals who did not have a dedicated IT support. The articles cover lots of ground. Here are some of our favourites:

• What is charity cyber security?
• Cyber security: time to raise awareness
• We need to talk openly about cyber security
• How to protect your charity from data breaches
• The best cyber security products every charity needs

We will continue to produce information on cyber security in the sector. It’s a topic that has received prominence in the past year, but will only grow in importance in coming years – especially if charities do not pay attention.

 

You can keep up to date with all the latest by checking out our Cyber Security Hub, with all the essentials, tools and resources, and sector learning you need.