Tech Debt in the Charity Sector

Tech debt might sound like something for developers and IT teams to worry about -  but if you're a charity leader, fundraiser, or digital manager, it's probably affecting you more than you think.

💡 What is tech debt (in plain English)?

Tech debt is what builds up when you stick with old or temporary systems because they're “working for now.” It’s:

• The spreadsheet you know is fragile
• The legacy CRM only one person knows how to use
• The “quick fix” tool duct-taped into your fundraising journey

Every time you delay a system upgrade or patch over a process gap, you’re borrowing time -  and that interest builds.

Why tech debt matters to charities

In the charity sector, tech debt is more than inefficient - it’s costly in time, supporter experience, and ultimately, income.

Here’s what it looks like in practice:

• Wasted hours manually transferring data between systems
• Inconsistent supporter comms due to outdated or fragmented data
• Missed insights from lack of integration
• Staff stress (and burnout) from working around limitations
• Delayed innovation because you're stuck in firefighting mode

And in a sector where every hour and every donation counts - that's a problem we can't afford to ignore.

Why does it happen?

Because charities are under pressure to:

• Keep costs down
• Avoid big change during critical campaigns
• Stick with what they know (especially with high staff turnover)
• “Make do” with systems that kind of work

And let’s be honest - new tech can feel risky when your team is stretched and capacity is limited.

What can you do about it?

You don’t have to clear your tech debt all at once. But you do need a strategy.

Start by:

• Auditing your pain points - Where is tech slowing you down or causing duplicate work?
• Asking your team - “What process feels harder than it should?”
• Prioritising upgrades that directly affect supporter experience or staff time
• Partnering with platforms and agencies that align with your long-term goals - not just your immediate tasks

At Dreamscape, we work with charities to build digital ecosystems that grow with you - not weigh you down.

Let’s keep the conversation going

What’s the biggest bit of tech debt your organisation is living with right now?
Or… what’s something you finally fixed that changed everything?

This article is part of our new “Let’s Talk About…” mini-series exploring the real digital challenges (and opportunities) facing charities today. Stay tuned for our next edition: Let’s Talk About Digital Friction.