How do you make the right decisions about digital during Covid19?

Take a look at the new, free checklist for charity trustees and leaders from The Charity Digital Code on how to make sound digital decisions.

During the Coronavirus crisis, many charities will be grappling with loss of income, closure of face to face services and staff absence, whilst simultaneously accelerating remote working, digital service delivery, and digital fundraising.

This is an exceptionally difficult period for the sector and its leaders. Yet it may also be a chance to think differently about what your charity does and how it delivers its mission. Digital is more than a channel. Leveraging its potential could position your charity for the opportunities that arise in the future once the crisis ends.

Charity Digital Code have created this checklist to help charity boards and leaders with the decisions they need to make about digital during the crisis, and to get them thinking about what they’d like their charities to achieve during this time.

This list is a starting point to get charity trustees and leaders thinking, and is not exhaustive. They will be adding to it as they gain more user insights about how charities are dealing with the COVID-19 crisis.

As one of the early testers of the checklist I have been quoted:

“Many charity trustees are put off by the word 'digital' and it is often tempting to leave decisions about digital activity to other board members if you don't feel confident about your own knowledge and skills. To govern successfully we need collective decision making at Board level and this applies to digital strategy too. The great thing about this new checklist is that it's accessible to everyone. It is a tool which can bring an understanding of digital to the entire Board, giving them everything they need to understand what they should be aiming to achieve and how to go about it.”

Key messages:

• The checklist aims to help charity trustees and leaders make the right decisions about digital during COVID-19 and plan for their charity’s future
• The best practice in the checklist will help trustees and leaders evaluate key decisions, assess progress so far and create a consistent understanding of their charity’s digital goals
• The checklist is aligned with recommendations in The Charity Digital Code of Practice but focuses on the issues identified about top digital support needs for charities during Covid-19
• Leadership is a key theme of the Code. We continue to encourage charity leaders and trustees to incorporate digital activity into strategy and governance
• The need for the Code was identified to improve the sustainability, impact and efficiency of charities across the UK
• The Code is a resource to help charities in a time of transition and change be more sustainable and increase impact
• The Code aims to help charities fulfil their charitable purpose in a digital age
• The Code helps make charities more relevant and accessible for beneficiaries and create new opportunities for funders to engage with digital activity
• The Code aims to create a level playing field, helping organisations who are worried about a lack of budget or skills understand what they need to do
• There are resources specifically aimed at small charities, as well as for larger organisations
• User research and testing since the Code was launched has helped us improve the Code resources and the user experience of the Code’s website
• Uptake of the code is voluntary. It is free to access and open to all registered charities