AI: UK fundraisers seek guidance, case studies & funding

A new report shows that 57% of UK fundraisers feel they have the knowledge to use AI responsibly, but most still have concerns about its impact, and are seeking advice and guidance.

This is according to the 9th annual Status of UK Fundraising report from fundraising software provider Blackbaud Europe, based on the surveying of 380 UK fundraisers in January 2026.

One in eight (12%) ‘strongly agree’ that they have the knowledge to use AI responsibly and 45% ‘somewhat agree’, while 22% disagree and 21% were undecided. The report also shows that charities are increasingly getting up to speed with AI — in 2024, 68% of respondents said their charity had not begun creating an AI policy. In 2026, the majority (64%) either have one in place, or are currently working on it.

Nonetheless, fundraisers expressed several concerns about using AI in their organisations — most commonly misinformation (81%); inaccurate output (78%); and data security (75%). Less common concerns included job security (17%) and accessibility (9%).

Asked about the challenges their organisation faces in adopting and leveraging AI, the clear leaders were ethical concerns (61%) and lack of AI training (59%). In another sign that organisations want to get on board, relatively few respondents cited budget constraints (30%) and resistance to change (23%).

What resources do you need?

Asked ‘Which of the following resources would help you better leverage AI?’, the top answers were:

• Guidance on ethical and responsible AI usage – 65%
• Case studies of successful AI implementation in the sector – 56%
• Interactive training sessions, led by sector AI thought leaders – 44%
• Sector-specific templates for AI project planning – 42%
• Funding opportunities for AI-related initiatives – 40%
• Technical support for integrating AI with existing systems – 39%

Technology rarely credited for growth

Around two-thirds (63%) of the respondents met or exceeded their fundraising targets in the last full financial year, and 71% saw their voluntary income either grow or hold steady.

When asked what drove that income growth, ‘exceptional gifts’ was cited by 49% — making it the main driver for the fourth year running. It was followed by greater focus on supporter experience (36%), new or different activity (31%) and investment in fundraising (30%), while making the most of technology (9%) and investing in technology (6%) ranked lowest of all the options offered.

The report also includes anonymous responses from fundraisers surveyed. One expressed scepticism around the value of AI:

“Fundraising in our organisation is extremely personalised, with lots of context that only a personable touch and a human relationship can provide. Using AI to predict things or its use in wealth screening takes away the nuance of knowing prior context or relationship.”

Another said that AI was already reshaping grant fundraising:

 “[AI] has dramatically increased the number of applications that can be generated, leading to trusts and foundations becoming overwhelmed and saturated by applications. This has led to a number closing down or restructuring, as they don’t have the capacity to deal with this.”