

Start somewhere
Key findings from an exploratory study into
making technology imaginable and usable for
small voluntary organisations
Key terms

Key terms
- SVOs – small voluntary organisations
- Tech – technology
Many small voluntary organisations feel technology could support them to become more accessible, relevant and efficient – but they don’t have time to properly research and test different approaches or to implement and maintain them.
Study findings include tips and advice from small voluntary organisations on overcoming the barriers to using technology; pointers for support organisations; and things for funders to think about – such as how they can support infrastructure, training and experimentation costs associated with ‘digital transformation’.
This page shares the findings from an exploratory study on helping to make technology (tech) imaginable and usable for small voluntary organisations (SVOs), carried out by the Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR) and the Centre for Acceleration of Social Technology (CAST), working in partnership with a small group of charitable funders. They are based on:
- Scoping interviews with representatives from our five funding partners
- The synthesis and analysis of online survey responses from 72 SVOs with an annual income of under £500,000 who were primarily ‘early adopters’ of tech
- A design sprint process, including user testing a digital prototype with representatives from four SVOs
Our starting point was an understanding of the important role of engaging with and using tech for SVOs interested in making their services relevant, accessible and efficient. These organisations are currently facing particular challenges, including:
- Increased demand for services
- Increased competition for fewer resources
- Changing patterns of service access and use across many of their beneficiary groups, including new behaviours for searching and finding support, and growing expectations of services being available online
- Increased competition from exclusively online providers (despite concerns about the efficacy of much online provision)
For many of them, there are aspects of their service delivery models (specifically, the interface with clients) that feel inefficient, frustrating or obsolete, and that don’t match the digital expectations and behaviours of their client groups. Recent research and commentary in this area has highlighted that the take-up of digital technology with the voluntary sector has been particularly slow in comparison to other sectors. However, while there is a degree of wariness and caution towards technology amongst many voluntary organisations, there are also exciting opportunites and examples of how technology can help. Against this backdrop, the primary aim of the study was to explore the extent to which SVOs are able or willing to consider if and how technology might have a positive role to play in their work.
About 'tech'
Supported and advised

Supported and advised
This study has been supported and advised by Comic Relief, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales and The Tudor Trust.

What does ‘tech’ mean to small voluntary organisations?
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Basic access to hardware and infrastructure: broadband, smartphones, laptops
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Internal systems and processes to increase organisational efficiency: accounting systems, document sharing
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Flexible communication tools for service users and other stakeholders: e-newsletters, social media, video conferencing, online design tools
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Tech to support service delivery: databases, case management, web-based forms and surveys for data
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Digital-first products and services: mobile apps, virtual reality apps, medical devices
With funds and time tight, don’t reinvent the wheel, use the experiments of other small charities and experts to guide decisions and involve service users in testing”
Key findings
A lot of tiny community groups come to us wringing their hands because they think they need a website. But for their needs and audience, often a Facebook page would suffice”
Small voluntary orgs
Seek advice from other organisations who are further down the road than you are”
Definite encouragement to embrace tech as much as possible
- ‘Just go for it and try it out’
- ‘Embrace the tech available at the level you want it’
- ‘Embrace it as much as you can with the capacity you have’
- ‘Go for it’
- ‘Don’t fear tech …’
The importance of being strategic, starting with a purpose, and actively managing the introduction of tech
- ‘Think about its purpose before implementing something that looks good’
- ‘Have a good project manager and have a good understanding of full costs’
- ‘Just because it’s popular, doesn’t mean it’s right for your service’.
- ‘Don’t do too much at once’.
- ‘If it doesn’t help the service user access help or use your help, or make services more efficient, what is its purpose?’
- ‘Spend a lot of time trying to find the right solutions’
- ‘Never become wedded to a current process or way of working’
The importance of allocating resources
- ‘It’s important not to underestimate the time and financial implications researching, purchasing and implementing can take’
- ‘There is no gain without some initial pain… but the benefits are enormous’
- ‘Budget but be prepared for delays and additional costs’
- ‘Give it enough time – tweaking and improving it takes time’
- ‘Investing in the time to learn and use is key’
- ‘Allocate resources to training staff and implement tech’
Seek advice and support
- ‘Be open to asking for help and advice’
- ‘Get help!’
- ‘Get the right advice for your particular service as “one size fits all” does not work’
- ‘It’s important to speak to other, similar organisations to obtain help and advice’
Funders
Tech support orgs
When we speak to people in small charities about tech, they aren’t just asking about ‘social media’ and ‘IT’, they realise it’s more than that. This is different to even two years ago”
Read the report

Research reports:
Start somewhere
Annie Caffyn, Ellie Hale
We worked with the Centre for Acceleration of Social Technology (CAST) to explore the extent to which small voluntary organisations are able or willing to consider how technology might have a positive role to play in their work.
Not everything lends itself to a technological solution”
Learn more about IVAR