Charity Digital Skills: What the 2026 Report Means for Wales

Participation in this year’s Charity Digital Skills Report doubled in Wales, with 127 Welsh charities taking part. This larger sample gives us our clearest snapshot yet of where digital is advancing in Wales - and where teams are feeling the strain.

Here is a quick look at the core findings and how Newid can support your next steps.

Confident with the Basics, Unclear on Direction

Welsh charities show strong confidence in compliance and day-to-day admin tools:

• GDPR & Data Protection: 82% feel confident.
• Everyday Digital Tools: 70% use them comfortably in daily work.
• Cybersecurity: 67% feel secure (though this drops to 55% for small charities).

...but strategy and service design remain the main hurdles:

• Only 38% of Welsh charities (and just 21% of small charities) have a formal digital strategy.
• 79% of small charities describe themselves as still being at an early stage of digital development.
• While 52% use digital tools in service delivery, 41% rate their skills here as only fair. Only 35% feel confident conducting user research.

What This Means in Practice: Most charities believe they have  the day-to-day basics covered, like email, compliance, and online meetings. The harder part is stepping back to figure out how digital can make services and daily work smoother to run  both for internal teams and the people they support.

Wales’ Advantage: Lived Experience & Community Grounding

Welsh charities stand out from the UK-wide average through their strong community connection:

• 47% of small charities in Wales report being directly led by people with lived experience of the issues they tackle, well above the UK-wide average of 32% for small charities.
• 69% of Welsh charities highlight storytelling and lived experience as a key communications priority, rising to 87% for large charities. That’s more than double the UK average of 34%.

What This Means in Practice: Welsh charities show a strong commitment to and understanding of the communities they serve. However, only 35% of Welsh charities report feeling confident conducting user research, with many citing a lack of time, skills, and budget. Without this step, it is hard to build a true understanding of what people need, making it trickier to design tools, content, support, and services that really work.

AI in Wales: Moving from Experimentation to Expertise

Artificial intelligence usage is growing rapidly, though many charities express a need for clearer guidance and structured training:

• 82% of Welsh respondents report using AI tools in some capacity, compared to the UK-wide survey average of 79%.
• 60% cite a lack of internal skills and technical expertise as a key barrier (equal across both large and small charities).
• 84% of large charities report having an AI policy in place, compared to 48% of small charities.
• Sector-wide, AI training for staff and volunteers (67%) is what charities report needing most, alongside training for leaders and trustees (57%).

What This Means in Practice: While team members are increasingly experimenting with generative AI, many organisations express a lack of confidence, training, and formal governance to integrate these tools into core operations securely and effectively.

The Real Bottlenecks: Time and Money

When asked what holds them back, third sector organisations in Wales pointed directly to resources:

• Squeezed Finances: The #1 barrier for 62% of Welsh charities.
• Lack of Headspace: 50% struggle with staff capacity and bandwidth.
• Funding Deficit: Only 30% accessed grant funding for digital costs or projects this year (falling to 25% for small charities). A drop from 2025, where 38% of Welsh charities secured digital grant funding.

What Welsh Charities Are Prioritising Next

Looking at the year ahead, the report suggests Welsh organisations are shifting their focus from reactive digital adoption to long-term resilience. Rather than chasing shiny new tools, the sector's top goals reflect a clear desire to strengthen internal foundations:

• Focusing on people first: Building staff and leadership digital skills is the top goal (64%, rising to 78% for large charities), showing a recognition that digital confidence starts with culture, not just systems.
• Better Data, Stronger Reach: Improving online communications (59%, rising to 66% for small charities) and making better use of data (59%, rising to 76% for large charities) highlight a push toward demonstrating impact and communicating effectively with communities.
• Building a Future-Proof Roadmap: Developing a clear strategy for digital and AI (56%) shows organisations know they need a clear plan to navigate emerging technology safely and effectively.

Digital doesn't have to be overwhelming. Our free 10-week course gives you the skills, headspace, and confidence to improve the way your organisation works - whether that's making services easier to access, improving experiences for people you support, or streamlining your team's day-to-day tasks.

With only 3 set calendar dates, you'll move from guessing what your community needs to knowing, helping you:

• Solve a Real Challenge: Gather feedback to tackle a real organisation hurdle or idea.
• Learn by Doing: Master service design to turn user insights into practical tools, experiment with digital, and access resources.
• Expert Support: Get direct mentoring from digital experts throughout.
• Unlock Funding: Completion unlocks eligibility for Newid’s Autumn 2026 Small Grants Scheme.