Third Sector Round-up

Applications Open for £5m Digital Fund for Charities

Source: Charity Times

The coronavirus pandemic has catastrophically impacted the global economy, leading to widespread job losses across multiple industries. Charities have been hit hard, with funding being limited at the best of times.

Emergency funding has been made available by the National Lottery Community Fund to help charities that are struggling to deliver their services due to the pandemic. This funding aims to help organisations looking to develop their online capabilities and deliver digitally-enabled services to vulnerable people. Many charities have successfully adopted digital solutions to provide their services during the pandemic.

This article discusses the two types of funding available and when the application deadlines are.

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COVID-19 Changes Charities Should Be Taking Forward

Source: Charity Digital

The response charities made to the coronavirus crisis must be commended. Charities rapidly responded to the pandemic and embraced digital solutions to help continue delivering their service to those who need it.

The lockdown forced charities to close their stores and shift the sale of goods to online alternatives like eBay and shopping app Depop. Solutions such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom allow charities to communicate internally and engage with those who require the service remotely.

Charities of all sizes have used technology to aid fundraising initiatives and host virtual events. For example, Comic Relief hosted a Dungeons and Dragons tournament that raised over £25,000. A combination of live streaming, celebrity support, and social media outreach made this achievement possible. This success highlights how charities can utilise technological solutions to provide a better service moving forward.

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Charities Urged to Develop Voice-activated Tech to Support Beneficiaries

Source: Charity Times

In 2018, The British Heart Foundation became the first charity in the world to develop voice-activated capabilities, allowing people to make donations using an Alexa-enabled device. Experts in the Third Sector urge other charities to consider using voice-activated technology such as Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.

Voice-activated technology goes beyond simplifying the donation process, it also helps those who need support to find the right service. The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) partnered with Alexa to enable those with sight loss to ask the voice-activated technology questions like “how do I register as sight impaired”. This integration enables Alexa to offer advice directly from RNIB’s Sight Loss Advice Service. This is a huge step forward because it helps visually-impaired people to find out more about RNIB’s service and get the help they need.

The integration of voice-activated technology into charities creates new opportunities to enhance the delivery of services and provide a higher level of support to those in need.

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Top 10 Digital Tools Every Charity Should Have

Source: Charity Digital

In this article, Charity Digital discusses ten digital solutions and tools that help charities provide their service and manage their organisation. Digital solutions are incredibly valuable to modern charities, presenting innovative ways of improving internal efficiencies and enhancing the overall service provided.

Tools like CRM systems, social media platforms, chatbots, and mobile apps help charities to connect with those who need support and provide the best service while operating remotely. The article lists key tools and discusses how they help charities manage internal functions like finance and security, and activities like fundraising and service delivery.

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