Many charity fundraisers are concerned about the impact of AI and automation on their roles, according to a survey by CharityJob.
According to its Voices of Fundraising 2026 report, most fundraisers it surveyed were concerned about AI but some could see its potential “to free up time to enable fundraisers to focus on the relational side of fundraising”.
Many respondents agreed that relationship-building, donor trust, community connection and empathetic communication were things that AI cannot replicate.
The findings come after academics last year advised fundraisers to use AI to help deepen donor relationships.
Meanwhile, just under half of CharityJob’s 160 respondents reported that they experienced work-related stress “usually or always”.
The primary stressors noted were typically structural: performance targets, heavy workload and lack of resources or staffing.
Wellbeing provision was “relatively sparse” when compared to the levels of stress being reported, according to respondents, with flexible working being the most cited offering.
One third of respondents reported having access to mental health resources, while under one quarter said they could take dedicated wellbeing days.
Ex-fundraisers would consider returning
Respondents interested but not currently working in fundraising, newcomers and returners, cited several barriers to entry.
These barriers included not knowing how to get started and not knowing enough about the sector, which were both cited by nearly half of respondents, while having a lack of qualifications was noted by just over one third of respondents.
Among those who had left the profession, two-thirds of former fundraisers surveyed say they would consider returning.
Meanwhile, among those who had left the profession and had no intention of returning, reasons for leaving included career progression available elsewhere, desire for a new challenge, lack of flexible working, and management quality.
However, both leavers and potential returners reported higher stress levels than current fundraisers, with almost all respondents in these groups saying that they experienced stress “usually” or “sometimes”.
Raya Wexler, co-founder of CharityJob, said of the report findings: “The report highlights several challenges that employers should be paying close attention to.
“From attracting new talent into the profession to supporting existing fundraisers and creating opportunities for growth, there are clear areas where organisations can make a meaningful difference.
“The findings provide valuable insight into how the fundraising workforce is evolving, what professionals are looking for from employers, and where charities have opportunities to strengthen their recruitment and retention strategies.”
Some donors hesitate about overseas giving
Meanwhile, the new Donor Pulse report by Enthuse revealed that over three quarters of the general public surveyed believe charities are either more important than ever, or becoming increasingly important.
Three quarters of the 2,000 members of the general public surveyed said that they had given to charity in the last three months, while three quarters also said that they will donate in the next quarter.
The report also found that charities are the most trusted British institution, scoring double that of the UK government.
However, more than four in ten of the survey respondents said that they were reticent to donate to overseas aid charities, citing concerns on where the money goes as part of the equation.
