How charities are preparing for uncertainty

Charities are no stranger to adapting and have been doing so since well before 2020. But COVID-19 did cause an acceleration in the pace of transformation, particularly when it comes to digital. The Charity Digital Skills report 2021 revealed more than 80% of charities started offering online services in 2020, while 78% deployed digital to speak to new audiences. 

 

But change keeps coming. As the world begins its slow recovery from the pandemic and continues to battle with ongoing uncertainty amid rising costs and political upheaval, charities have started to take stock of where they are and where they are going.  

 

The recent Nonprofit Summit, hosted by Salesforce.org, featured plenty of examples of charities who were navigating change: from Greenpeace Nordic implementing a new CRM system to better communicate with supporters to The Firefighters Charity creating a new digital consultation platform to better serve their beneficiaries. 

 

Below, we outline three ways that charities are adapting to shifting circumstances, with help from Salesforce.org’s ebook, 7 Ways Nonprofits are Delivering Change.  

 

 

Using new channels to enhance services 

 

Personalisation for beneficiaries and programme participants helps to deliver faster and more relevant services to more people. Insights derived from individual beneficiary journeys means that charities can choose the appropriate channels to meet their demand and ensure they reach as many people in need as possible.  

 

The Fire Fighters Charity, which provides support to current and former members of the UK Fire and Rescue services, was able to reach more people across more locations using its new digital consultation tool. Its MyFFC digital community app also enabled them to continue their care and provide useful resources to the thousands of beneficiaries who signed up.   

 

Martin Smith, Finance Director at the Fire Fighters Charity, said: "We now have a completely new way of looking at our beneficiaries and the support we provide them. Instead of numerous siloed and separate cases for an individual, there is one joined-up story of all our interactions over their lifetime, across all our numerous pathways and solutions.” 

 

 

Prioritising data security 

 

Data is critical to good decision-making in times of uncertainty. The data charities have on hand can be an incredibly valuable asset when it comes to adapting to changing circumstances, allowing them to monitor the behaviour of their key audiences and adopt new tactics as necessary.  

 

But keeping that data secure is crucial, from a reputational, operational, and ethical perspective. As Salesforce notes, “even with the best-laid plans, projects can be derailed if data is at risk or the right back-up solutions haven’t been put in place”. 

 

When Make-A-Wish UK decided to move to a cloud-based product to allow itself a unified view of interactions with donors and beneficiaries, they had to be sure that the migration of critical data from multiple sources and systems would be safe. The charity did this using backup and recovery solutions, which protected their data and enabled them to keep track of any changes to the data once it is moved. 

 

 

Expanding reach with technology 

 

Charities need to be heard, but it can be difficult with so many competing voices online. But using the right technology can make all the difference. The wealth of digital channels available means that reaching your audiences has never been easier, while data insight means you can engage with them in a way that suits them. 

 

To find out how WWF Netherlands was able to harness technology to grow its donor base by 209%, and how other charities are using digital to futureproof themselves, download the Salesforce.org ebook below. The time for digital transformation is now.