Championing change: investing in nonprofit digital transformation

At Lightful we are on a mission to help nonprofits become better storytellers, communicators and fundraisers, and we believe in the transformative power of digital to help them do this. With more and more individuals turning to online platforms to connect with one another, campaign, share stories, and support the causes they care about, it’s crucial that nonprofits have a strong digital presence as a powerful tool to build trust with their audiences.

Over the past six months we have been working with a hugely impressive network of philanthropic partners, nonprofits and civil society organisations (CSOS) to champion change and support the digital transformation of the nonprofit sector. Through our partnerships with organisations like GlobalGiving and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, our programmes have had a transformational impact on hundreds of nonprofits across the globe. So here is a snapshot of Lightful’s highlights so far in 2023, and a sneak peek at some of our core focus areas within the philanthropy space!

Investing in digital skills for nonprofits

Many grassroots organisations lack the necessary digital skills and confidence to fully harness the power of technology. According to the Charity Skills 2023 Digital Report, what charities need funding for most is time and support to develop a strategic approach to digital. This demand has grown over the last year, from 38% in 2022 to almost half (45%) this year.

It seems clear that although most charities (78%) recognise digital as a priority, they are not always clear on how to structure their approach to digital. That is where BRIDGE - Building Resilience in Digital Growth and Engagement - can make a difference. BRIDGE is Lightful’s 6 month programme that helps grassroots nonprofits think strategically about their digital presence, and encourages them to take their storytelling, campaigns, and online fundraising to the next level.

Listening to nonprofit voices

There are huge disparities when it comes to digital skills and through BRIDGE, we are working on solving these disparities in the nonprofit space. For example, women-led and women-focused organisations receive less funding than other nonprofits: only 1.9% of all donations make it to organisations dedicated to women and girls. And Black feminist social movements get even less - under 0.5%. A study into grantmaking by community foundations in the USA found that the combined funding to Black communities is 1% of all community foundation funding while the combined Black population is 15%, resulting in an underfunding of Black communities of $2 billion.

Lightful is working with partners across the globe to close these giving gaps, and amplify a diverse range of nonprofit voices. One way of doing this has been to contextualise our tried and tested curriculum for different cause areas. This ensures we’re meeting the needs of nonprofits and delivering content that is relevant and driving impact in local communities.

Impact highlights from 2023 so far

• Emergency Response: Since the onset of the war in Ukraine local grassroots organisations continue to serve their communities with life-saving programmes. Digital has a vital role to play in this. We have partnered with Zagoriy Foundation, GlobalGiving and UBS Optimus Foundation on four different BRIDGE programmes, delivered in Ukrainian, to help hundreds of charities and civil society organisations build trust online and foster a culture of online giving in their local communities.

• Gender Equality: In February we launched the first cohort of Lightful’s Gender Equality Fund, in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, GlobalGiving and Amplify Change. One of our largest ever cohorts, we supported 170 organisations, all working in the area of gender justice and reproductive rights. Through a co-creation process, we created new learning content to ensure the curriculum had a gender-equity lens, and responded to the digital needs and challenges of participants. New topics included Digital storytelling as a feminist practice and Intersectional communications.

• Climate Action: Earlier in the year we finished a climate focused programme in partnership with a popular outdoor brand who has made climate action central to its mission. We supported 27 organisations to leverage the power of digital to raise awareness and funds within the climate space, focusing on countering climate anxiety through digital storytelling.

• Cancer Control: We developed a BRIDGE programme dedicated to helping organisations working in the area of cancer prevention, treatment and control. In collaboration with the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), Lightful helped 20 organisations to plan and run digital campaigns for World Cancer Day. Guest speaker sessions included UICC’s Campaign Manager Janine Fuochi Huguenin, and Jorge Alday, Director at Stopping Tobacco Organisations and Products (STOP).

• Fighting Online Polarisation: We’ve recently launched a new cohort for Irish nonprofits that want to combat online polarisation and advocate for the protection of human rights. In collaboration with Community Foundation Ireland and the Siol Foundation, we’re supporting 28 locally-led and locally-focused organisations that empower minority populations across Ireland.

• Racial Equity: 2023 will see not one, not two, but three iterations of the BRIDGE programme funded by JP Morgan Chase Foundation! Organisations dedicated to advancing racial justice and equity in the US will learn how they can leverage digital to create safe spaces online and combat misinformation.

• Philanthropists United: We also launched Lightful’s first ever ‘pooled cohort’ which saw multiple funders joining forces to create a multi-thematic cohort including: Mpala Foundation, Obama Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, Malala Fund, ACAPS and Impact Planet. This collective effort was a great opportunity for a variety of organisations to come together, share learnings, and inspire one another through their different approaches to digital.

• Localised Giving: The Bolton Digital Skills programme, a new initiative in partnership with Bolton Wanderers in the Community and Bolton CVS helped 50 community-led organisations in Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK, take a more strategic approach to digital, and raise more funds to support the local community.

The future of nonprofit digital transformation

Looking ahead, we can expect even more nonprofits and funders to recognise the power of digital and smart tech. The demand is evident across the sector. A recent report on digital inequity among civil society organisations shared that 60% of organisations do not provide digital literacy training, meaning a lack of digital skills is a major challenge for these organisations and the people they serve.

Over the next six months Lightful will be bringing a whole new group of partners and nonprofits (and AI tools!) together to continue our work in these core areas, plus a whole lot more. We are excited about how Lightful can help bridge the digital divide and support grassroots organisations to continue making a profound difference in the lives of those they serve. If you are interested in joining forces with Lightful in our mission to close the digital skills gap in the nonprofit sector, get in touch at externalrelations@lightful.com. We would love to hear from you and discuss the different ways we could collaborate!