AI in the charity sector - and what to do about it

AI is already part of day-to-day work in most charities.

It’s being used to draft content, support fundraising activity, speed up reporting and test new ideas. In many cases, it’s saving time and helping teams get through growing workloads.

But if you look across an organisation as a whole, it’s often not something that’s been introduced deliberately. It has crept in through individual teams and use cases, rather than through a coordinated plan.

That creates a slightly odd situation. AI is present in lots of places, but there isn’t always a clear picture of how it’s being used, what it’s costing or how it fits into wider strategy.

What’s happening in charities right now

In most organisations, AI adoption hasn’t been a formal decision. It has happened through small, sensible steps. According to the ‘Future Charity Report’, 76% of charities are now using AI in some form.

A fundraiser experiments with a tool to help with copy. A marketing team uses it to speed up campaign production. Someone in operations finds a way to automate part of a process. Each of those choices makes sense on its own.

Over time, though, they add up.

Different teams begin using different tools. Approaches vary. Some areas move quickly, others more cautiously. And without much central visibility, it becomes difficult to answer fairly basic questions about how AI is being used across the organisation.

There is also a tendency to focus on immediate, practical benefits. Faster output, more efficient workflows and better targeting. All of these are valuable, but they tend to sit within existing ways of working rather than changing them.

As AAW’s Tobin Aldrich has highlighted, much of the sector’s use of AI is still at that level. It improves what already exists, but doesn’t often lead to a more fundamental rethink of how fundraising or operations should work.

That’s where things start to get interesting, because AI also exposes how much time is spent on internal processes rather than on supporters. It highlights inefficiencies that have built up over time, often for understandable reasons.

Some organisations are beginning to explore what that means. Others continue to layer new tools onto existing processes.

Where the AI challenge sits in charities

For most charities, the question isn’t whether AI is being used. It’s whether there is enough visibility and control around it.

Without a shared view across the organisation, it becomes difficult to understand where value is being created and where it isn’t. Costs can sit in different places, risks are harder to track and duplication can creep in without being obvious.

At the same time, boards and senior leaders are taking a greater interest. Questions around governance, data use and risk are becoming more common, often before organisations feel they have clear answers.

None of this is unusual. It’s a natural stage of adoption. But it does create a point where a more structured approach becomes necessary.

AI CAM: A structured way to approach AI

This is where AAW’s AICAM (AI Capability Assessment Model) comes in.

AICAM is a short, structured assessment designed to help organisations understand how AI is currently being used and what that means in practice. It’s not about introducing new tools or pushing a particular solution. It’s about building a clear, organisation-wide picture.

We work with teams to map current usage, look at how decisions are being made and assess capability across areas like strategy, governance, data and operations. That gives a more complete view of what is happening, rather than relying on individual perspectives.

From there, it becomes easier to identify where things are working well, where there are gaps and where attention is needed.

What that clarity makes possible

Once there is a shared understanding of how AI is being used, the conversation changes.

It becomes easier to address areas of risk before they grow. Decisions about tools and investment can be made with more confidence. And teams can start to align around a more consistent approach, rather than working in isolation.

It also gives senior leaders something concrete to work with. Instead of general discussions about AI, there is a clear view of the organisation’s position and what needs to happen next.

AICAM brings that together in a practical way, with a set of prioritised actions and a roadmap that reflects the organisation as it is today. The aim is not to create a large transformation programme, but to provide a sensible path from where things are now to a more joined-up and intentional approach.

Why AI CAM is worth looking at now

At the moment, AI use in many charities still feels relatively contained. It sits within teams and specific activities, which can make it feel manageable.

But that doesn’t tend to last.

As usage grows, the lack of structure becomes harder to sustain. Differences between teams become more pronounced, costs spread across multiple tools and risks become less visible.

At the same time, some organisations are starting to take a more deliberate approach. They are stepping back, understanding what is already happening and using that insight to shape how AI fits into their wider strategy.

Over time, the gap between those approaches becomes clearer. One leads to increasing complexity. The other leads to more control and more confident decision-making.

A simple place to start

If AI is already being used across your organisation, the most useful next step is to understand it properly.

That’s what AICAM is designed to do.

Explore AICAM and see how it works

Or get in touch if you’d like to talk through your current approach: enquiries@aawpartnerships.com