Luke Upton, Head of Communications, Localgiving 

Everything we do begins with community. And we know it is the same for you too. Your charity, CIC or community organisation was created for a local need or cause, is run by people in your area and probably receives most of its financial support from a similar space too.

At the heart of everything you do is a commitment to making your community a better place. From sports teams and warm banks to green spaces and advice sessions, Localgiving members support people in countless ways and help create stronger, kinder communities.

And there’s no community without people. When I talk to our members about launching communications campaigns, I always urge them to put their impacts at the forefront of their messaging.  A real-life impact cuts through like nothing else. Similarly with grant applications, yes, you need to share solid plans, clear outputs and measurable data, but always have humans in there – you are making things better for people – be sure it make it clear.

Lately, I’ve been reflecting a lot on the role of people, as the role of AI becomes more important in everything from online support, virtual assistants, weather forecasts to suggesting songs, films or t-shirts. And here at Localgiving we are no different, since late 2025, we’ve added an AI toolkit to our offering, helping our members plan projects, find grants and draft answers in a quicker, more efficient and effective way.

Why have we done this? Not because AI is the current trend. Or because our shareholders were telling to do so. We don’t have any shareholders. But because we see it as a tool to help our members, time-pressed and resource-challenged, to create better grant applications and access more funding to support the amazing stuff they do in their communities. It’s as simple as that really.

It was this same mindset with which our founder began Localgiving in 2010, making online fundraising accessible to even the smallest of organisations and has continued to the present day with a stream of additions like Direct Debits, Gift Aid and social media integration all brought to members to solve their operational headaches and keep those donations flowing.

We know some of you are already using AI extensively, others are dipping their toes in, whilst many are wary and some even downright opposed to it. We understand that new things can be a challenge. Why? Because they are a challenge for us as well.

But we are proud of what we have built and can point to two big elements that make our AI tools different to what else might be out there on the market already.

Firstly, our tools are made purely for small charities, CICs and community organisations like yours. Unlike some other overpriced products, we’ve not just slapped a “for charities” badge on something that uses existing, generic technologies. Instead, expertise and insight from 16 years in this sector have poured into building of them, with additional insights from our in-house grant experts and technical whizzes ensuing the process truly works. We’ve also used the knowledge gained from being delivery partner of grants from the likes of National Grid and Scottish Power to understand what it is that funders really want from applications. All this has come together in an easy to use, intuitive and effective tool made just for you.

Secondly, the other ingredient that separates our AI tool from the ineffective ones on the market is the human element. There’s us, from our CEO, through to our Communications and Community teams, we are all here to help you every step of the way, from calls and emails to webinars and ongoing support. We don’t do anything else, we aren’t a small part of a larger organisation, we just work to help get you more money for your cause.

Then there’s the tool itself, no matter how slick the technology is it, it will only really work if it genuinely engages with you, in the same way as a skilled (but friendly) human expert would. As one sporting organisation who uses it told us; “The tool is a time saver, a confidence saver, it’s like having someone wrap their arm around you to take you through the process.”

Our Project Planner asks you questions and you answer, either by typing or speaking though our audio function and at the end, a plan will be created. Feel more comfortable answering in Welsh, Gujarati, or French? No problem, just switch languages and away you go. We have also made the tool “just work” – no qualifications in IT or AI required. Honest! Clear, human-language are found throughout, and the data always remains with you. We do not share. And you can delete it anytime.

And finally, there’s you.

Our AI toolkit will help you draft, find, and sharpen your applications. Greatly increasing your chance of success. But it will not win them for you. Any platform that tells you otherwise is not being truthful. Your passion must be included. Talk about the impact, your people, give real life examples of what you have achieved, why you are needed and the change you make. Be real. It’s adding this extra, this unmistakeably human element, that will make a good application a great one.

Supportive and accessible technology plus your community passion now sit firmly at the heart of successful grant applications with Localgiving. So, let’s get started!

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Questions, queries or want to chat to one of our team? Contact us today. 

Localgiving is a leading online fundraising platform and grant delivery partner, focused on supporting small charities, CICs, and community organisations. Since 2010, we’ve helped thousands of groups across the UK raise tens of millions of pounds and make a meaningful impact in their local communities.

Our platform offers an easy-to-use suite of powerful fundraising tools alongside AI-powered support for finding and applying for grants—equipping organisations with everything they need to grow and succeed.

We also collaborate with major partners, including National Grid and Scottish Power, to deliver corporate grant programmes and connect funding with the communities that need it most.

Join Localgiving today and unlock new opportunities to supercharge your fundraising.

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