Digital trends to help charities prepare for 2026

Half of charities find keeping up with emerging challenging trends challenging or are not across them at all, according to the 2025 Charity Digital Skills report. This statistic is hardly surprising given how quickly the digital landscape changes, especially in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). Embracing new tools and opportunities requires continuous effort from organisations, who must scan the horizon for ways to meet their challenges with digital technology. 

As 2026 approaches, we share some of the most noteworthy digital trends for charities, to help them thrive in the new year. We also share where they can find specialist resources, including discounted technology, with help from TechSoup. 

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Digital trends for charities in 2026 

Moving to more strategic AI  

AI has been the most notable digital trend of recent years, since ChatGPT made its debut in late 2022. Since then, many charities have embraced the technology, with more than three quarters of charities saying they are using AI, according to the 2025 Charity Digital Skills report. 

The top uses of AI for charities, as noted in that report, are administration and project management, grant fundraising, and communications and fundraising – all of which rely more heavily on generative AI than its predictive counterpart.  

In 2026, we are more likely to see more strategic approaches to how we use AI, as our experience with the technology and our awareness of its limitations grows. Of the 76% of charities using AI tools at work, just 2% are currently using them at a strategic level, while 51% are exploring, piloting, and testing them. As we gain a clearer picture of how AI can support charities, the way we use it will likely become more focused. There will be an added emphasis on the technology as simply a tool, not a miracle machine, and as the allure around it fades, AI tools that don’t serve a purpose will be dropped in favour of those that do. 

Already we have seen calls for rationality around AI. For example, Sundar Pichai, Chief Executive of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, has urged people to use AI models alongside other tools, to reduce reliance on AI and mitigate the risk of errors. And as we learn more, our ability to identify where it can be used most effectively will too. Almost half of charities (48%) say they are developing an AI policy in 2025, a percentage that will surely grow in 2026. 

For those charities getting started with AI, TechSoup offers a number of ways to help. Charities can access Microsoft Copilot at a discount, allowing them to integrate AI into their everyday operations, using it with data to predict trends and summarise meetings. TechSoup also has lots of AI skills resources to help organisations make the most of these tools and use them effectively in the year to come. 

Addressing growing cyber security challenges 

Alongside the rise of AI, there has been an increase in cyber security threats. Around 61,000 charities experienced a cyber breach in the previous 12 months, according to the 2025 Cyber Breaches survey. AI is expected to give way to a larger volume of cyber threats – not necessarily more sophisticated threats, just a lot more of them, powered by AI. 

“Artificial intelligence (AI) will almost certainly continue to make elements of cyber intrusion operations more effective and efficient, leading to an increase in frequency and intensity of cyber threats,” explains the National Cyber Security Centre.  

It adds: “There will almost certainly be a digital divide between systems keeping pace with AI-enabled threats and a large proportion that are more vulnerable, making cyber security at scale increasingly important to 2027 and beyond.” 

Cyber security threats can disproportionately affect charities, as they hold a wealth of data and employ limited resources to protect it due to the perceived cost of cyber security tools.  But cyber security doesn’t have to be prohibitively expensive – charities can access a wide range of cyber security tools through TechSoup at a discount, as well as dedicated courses and support.  

Reviewing skills and processes 

Charities have faced myriad crises over the past few years. They have had to learn how to stretch resources further to keep delivering services amid uncertain economic conditions and rising demand.  

Digital technology has been instrumental in helping them achieve their goals, but in 2025, the Charity Digital Skills report revealed only 44% of charities had a digital strategy in place. The report also revealed a slower pace of progress, with 63% saying they had made progress with digital in the past year, compared to 76% who said the same in 2024.  

The world of digital is fast-paced. Digital strategies grow old quickly. It is important that charities review them to ensure their use of digital is purposeful and effective, solving problems rather than causing them. 

So 2026 is likely to be a year of embracing new processes and prioritising efficiency. As we get to know AI and automation better, more practical applications will emerge that will make charities more agile, even when unprecedented challenges occur.  

Charities should match their tools up with their needs. TeamViewer, for example, which is available via TechSoup at a discount to charities, provides IT support to staff, even remotely, and safely gives remote access to files, programs, emails and network resources of another computer, to keep charity operations running smoothly.  

Likewise, continuing to invest in digital skills will help charities embrace new tools and navigate change. Courses, such as those available through the TechSoup Courses Catalogue, can help charity professionals manage projects, unlock AI, use products such as Adobe and WhatsApp, and much more. 

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Investing in skills makes it easier for charities to use the technology that meets their needs, even if the technology itself is initially unfamiliar. It gives teams the confidence to move forwards with digital technology, remove any barriers to progressing their charity’s mission, and ultimately, deliver more impact for their communities.