February brings real change, not just more theory. New rules are live, new tools are landing, and there’s a growing gap between charities with lots of data and charities actually using it well. This edition cuts straight to what’s changed, what to prioritise, and where small actions can deliver outsized impact.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s in this month’s newsletter:
Soft Opt-In is now live for charities
Three new Forge apps have been added to CRAFT – two of which are free - with more on the way...
Data maturity remains a barrier across the sector
Simplifying reports and running focused micro-stewardship campaigns can make an immediate impact
Don’t miss upcoming events or prepare early for financial reporting threshold changes coming in October 2026
Why your data probably isn’t broken – it’s just underused
With the Data (Use and Access) Act now live for charities, we’ve published a new free resource on CRAFT to help teams act with confidence. Our Soft Opt-In Checklistwalks through what charities can (and can’t) do under the new rules, with practical steps for fundraising, data, and compliance teams. It’s designed to be something you can actually use, not just file away for “later”.
On the product side of ADA news, we’ve added three new Forge apps to CRAFT this month, all built to remove common data pain points without adding complexity:
Single Postcode Enricher – ideal for quick checks, supporter lookups, or frontline data validation. Free for all users!
Bulk Postcode Enricher – designed for cleaning and enriching whole datasets, improving geographic insight and reporting at scale.
Insight Designer – a new way to structure, document, and share insights so they’re easier to reuse, trust, and act on across teams. Free for all users!
That brings the total number of Forge apps to five, and we’ve still got plenty more on the way. The team is currently working on parser tools for names and addresses, aimed at improving data consistency at the point of entry – especially useful for CRM hygiene, matching, and downstream analysis.
Stay tuned for next month’s newsletter for more, but until then, you can find more info on our Forge apps over on the CRAFT website.
Why Data Maturity Is Still a Barrier for Many Charities
Recent sector research shows a growing data maturity gap across UK charities – and it’s less about tools, more about skills and confidence.
According to the Charity Digital Skills Report, over 50% of charities rate their data skills as “fair” or “poor”, with smaller organisations disproportionately affected. Many have access to dashboards and reports, but struggle to interpret them or use them consistently in decision-making.
Meanwhile, Third Sector recently highlighted how limited time and resources prevent charities from sharing, analysing, and acting on impact data – reinforcing that the issue isn’t lack of intent, but lack of capacity.
What this means for analytics and fundraising teams:
More dashboards won’t fix adoption problems on their own
Interpretation and narrative matter as much as accuracy
Insight teams are increasingly responsible for enabling decisions, not just reporting metrics
Actionable takeaway: This month, try simplifying one regular report. Reduce the number of KPIs, add plain-English commentary, and include a short “what we recommend doing next” section. Many charities see better engagement from this than from adding new metrics.
Plan Micro-Stewardship Campaigns
February is a great month to reconnect with donors in a targeted, manageable way before the spring rush. Small, focused outreach can drive repeat giving and strengthen relationships – without overloading your team.
Segment by recency and frequency: Identify donors who haven’t given recently or who give irregularly. A short, targeted list is more effective than a broad appeal.
Tailor your messaging: Personalise emails or letters with impact stories and updates that matter to each segment – even a single line about what their gift achieves can boost engagement.
Run a small test first: Launch a mini email or SMS campaign with a limited group, track responses, and adjust messaging before scaling to your main donor list.
Pro tip: Even micro-campaigns can feed your analytics – capture responses and behaviour to improve targeting and content for larger spring appeals.
Don’t miss upcoming events – and prepare early for financial reporting threshold changes coming in October 2026.
Elevate 2026 – March 11, 2026 (London) Held in London, this event focuses on voice, visibility, and vulnerability to realise influence and impact.
CFG Digital and Technology Conference 2026 – March 26 2026 (London) This London event is designed for finance, leadership, and digital teams within charities, covering digital transformation and AI.
Data Decoded – April 22-23 2026(London) A two-day festival for data and analytics professionals, featuring expert talks, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities to turn insight into practical impact. Free to attend.
A senior-level session for CEOs, COOs, Directors, and Trustees in the charity sector. Learn how to optimise your data landscape, turn insights into decisions, and build a practical, people-led data strategy to improve organisational performance.
ENCC 2026 – 19-20 May 2026 – (London) A two‑day event for charity leaders, fundraisers, and tech teams focused on practical fundraising, advocacy, and supporter engagement strategies. Expect case studies, workshops, expert panels, and networking with third‑sector peers.
Third Sector: The Conference 2026 – 23-24 June 2026 (London) A flagship two‑day event for charity leaders and practitioners, packed with practical insight on resilience, fundraising, governance, tech and leadership – plus time built in for networking and hands‑on sessions to help you take ideas straight back to the office.
You can also find a full, regularly updated list on the Events Calendar on the CRAFT website.
Legislative & Policy Updates
Soft Opt-In Now in Force
As of 5th February 2026, charities can use the soft opt-in for electronic fundraising communications. Supporters who have expressed interest or previously donated can be contacted without explicit consent, provided an opt-out is offered and that messages are for charitable purposes.
Action required:
Update onboarding and privacy notices with clear opt-out options
Ensure your CRM distinguishes consent-based from soft opt-in contacts
Align internal processes with ethical fundraising standards
Helpful resource: As mentioned earlier, be sure to use the Soft Opt-In Checklist on CRAFT to ensure your systems and campaigns are compliant.
Financial Threshold Changes Coming in Late 2026
The DCMS and Charity Commission consultation outcomes signal that new financial reporting thresholds will be introduced, likely coming into force from 1st October 2026. These changes aim to simplify annual accounts for smaller charities and support more proportionate regulatory requirements.
What this means for your charity:
Smaller charities may have reduced filing and audit obligations, freeing up time and resources.
Finance teams should review processes now to anticipate which reporting tier your charity will fall into.
Early planning helps ensure a smooth transition to the new thresholds, avoiding last-minute compliance pressure.
“Our data’s no good” is something we hear a lot in the charity sector – but is it actually true? I decided to explore this in our February question:
What’s the biggest misconception about charity data?
Mike: "The biggest misconception is that charity data is ‘too bad to use’. In reality, the problem usually isn’t the data – it’s that teams don’t know it as well as they think. When we dig into the numbers, charities are often surprised to find they have more supporters, more value, or more opportunity than expected. Another common belief is that systems don’t integrate, but that’s often based on outdated assumptions. Technology has moved on – it’s worth checking what’s possible now.”
Ant: “I’d go further and say the real missed opportunity is data blending. When you combine your internal data with external datasets, that’s where the most powerful insights appear. We’ve seen supporters from ‘low value’ areas turn out to be some of the most generous, and strong links between volunteers, lottery or raffle supporters, and long-term legacy giving. These audiences are often overlooked, but the data shows they can be incredibly valuable over time.”
Do you agree with what our experts say? Or maybe you'd like to learn more about how to get the most out of your data? You can either reply to this email directly or head to the CRAFT Crew Community forums. We're always here to chat and help!
Before we finish, here’s a quick round-up of recent and notable blogs in case they passed you by the first time round:
Soft Opt-in Is Live. The Opportunity is Real. The Risk is Trust
Practical guidance for charities to use the new rules confidently while maintaining supporter trust.
That’s it for this edition. There may be a lot happening, but you don’t need to tackle everything at once. Pick one improvement, one report to simplify, or one campaign to test, and start there — small, focused actions compound quickly.
Before I sign off, some of you might have had the wrong name at the top of your email last month. Rest assured, the person responsible for the error has been dealt with (it was me – I was the person. Apologies, and thanks for taking it in good humour!).
Until next time,
Carl Phillips
Head of Marketing
Actually Data Analytics Ltd, 3 Milestone Road, Crystal Palace, London SE19 2LL, United Kingdom, 0782 444 3989
