This is a living library of resources that we hope will support you as you explore the challenges and opportunities associated with AI. We’ll add to this section regularly; if there is anything you would particularly like to see added, or anything you need support with, please contact us at [email protected] - thank you! And if you'd like be amongst the first to hear about new AI events, opportunities and resources as they arise, please sign up to our free newsletter.

NEW: A series of workshops, supported by Deloitte

Thanks to support from Deloitte, CAST is hosting a series of three free AI workshops and associated Q&A drop-ins - running from late May through until the end of June. These sessions are designed to help charities explore and experiment with AI confidently and responsibly. They also offer a unique opportunity to collaborate and learn alongside peers and sector experts. Check out the series and sign up for one or more of the sessions below.

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Getting the most from AI - Boosting productivity

Thursday 12th June, 10am - 11.30am

Curious about AI but not sure how to get the most out of it? Wondering how AI can help you save time, improve efficiency and work smarter? Join the CAST team for this session diving into how charities are already using AI to lighten the load in their day-to-day work - from supporting communications and research to making data tasks quicker and easier. We’ll share practical examples from across our networks, give you a chance to see tools in action, and help you figure out which ones might work best for your needs. Open to any UK charity or social impact organisation.

Book your your free place on the second AI workshop here.
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What could AI mean for your charity's mission?

Wednesday 25th June, 10am - 11.30am

​AI is evolving fast - and it’s reshaping how people live, work and engage with the world around them. But what does this mean for the mission and future of your organisation? ​In this session, we’ll zoom out to explore the bigger picture. You’ll be invited to reflect on the broader implications of AI for your mission, your services and the people you support. ​You’ll explore key AI trends on the horizon (and how they're changing behaviours and expectations), ​implications for your mission and operations - and ​practical ways to assess the impact of AI, particularly on the communities you serve. Open to any UK charity or social impact organisation.

Book your free place on the third AI workshop here.
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How to get started with AI today

This workshop took place in May 2025. You can access the recording and slides, plus all of the resources shared, below:

See the full workshop description here

Q&A drop-in sessions:

If you've got questions after attending one of the workshops as above, please feel free to join one of our relaxed drop-in Q&A sessions with a member of the CAST team. Again, thanks to Deloitte for their support in enabling us to offer these. Whether you're feeling stuck, curious, or just want to bounce ideas around, this is a space to ask anything about AI — no question is too simple or too niche! Come along for: friendly, jargon-free answers, space to reflect on what you’ve learned, quick demos or tool tips (if helpful) and peer-to-peer learning. No need to prep – just bring your questions!

Digital Leads Network AI Peer Group meeting

If you're a member of the Digital Leads Network (DLN), you can join the next DLN AI Peer Group meeting on Wednesday 11th June, from 10am - 12pm. This group will collectively share and discuss different use cases and applications of AI within respective organisations, explore how to use AI responsibly and support each other in gaining confidence and feeling empowered to use it. If you're already a member of the DLN, sign up for the June AI Peer Group meeting here. And if you're keen to join the DLN, please fill out the short form here.

Other events

Our thanks to Deloitte for supporting us to deliver the following events:

How is AI reshaping the funding landscape - and what that means for fundraising
To be delivered as part of London Funders' Festival of Learning, Tuesday 10th June, 10am - 11am

Members of London Funders are invited to join CAST at the Festival of Learning for an interactive session exploring the top ten AI trends that matter to both charities and grantmakers. Drawing on insights from CAST’s AI for Grantmakers and Digital Leads peer groups, we’ll share what we’re seeing, what we’re hearing, and how it’s affecting everything from fundraising to application design. You'll find out about 10 key trends that are already shaping the sector, and what AI means for trust, equity and decision-making - as well as discovering opportunities to align your mission with sector-wide initiatives. This session is open only to members of London Funders. Find out more and register for CAST's Festival of Learning session here.

Using AI in services and safeguarding its impact
Part of the Digital Frontiers for Funders: WMFN Annual Conference 2025. Friday 20th June (all day), Birmingham (in-person)

Join CAST for a keynote and panel session exploring how charities and funders are using AI tools for operational purposes - and the critical questions that come with it. Members of CAST’s Digital Leads Network will also be sharing live demos and use cases in the breakout sessions, alongside other key stakeholders in the sector. This is a ticketed event; find out more and book tickets at the West Midlands Funders Network website.

Support offered by CAST:

Getting Started With AI: a self-serve course
If you’re keen to get to grips with AI but not sure where to start, our free self-serve course is here to help! Every week for seven weeks, you'll receive an email with a guided activity, designed to help you comfortably familiarise yourself with AI - and discover the ways in which it can help make your work life easier. Sign up for the free AI self-serve course here.

AI for Digital Leads Peer Group
The Digital Leads Network is a vibrant community of over 250 members, dedicated to sharing knowledge, fostering best practice and peer-to-peer learning in the UK charity sector. The network offers a range of resources and learning opportunities, including access to a new AI Peer group, bringing digital leads together to explore the opportunities and challenges of AI across the sector. The network is free to join; if you are interested in becoming involved, please fill out the expression of interest form.

AI for Grantmakers - peer group
An opportunity for funders of all sizes to come together and explore the opportunities and challenges of AI. The group - which consists of over 200 people from more than 150 Trusts and Foundations - is open to all UK funders, of any size. Meetings take place every six weeks; find out more at the AI for Grantmakers page - or fill in this short form to express your interest in joining.

Charity AI Task Force
A task force convened by CAST and Zoe Amar Digital, designed to champion the responsible, inclusive and collaborative use of AI across the social sector, for maximum impact and collective benefit. Find out more at the Charity AI Task Force page.

Safe experiments with AI
We're currently supporting a number of organisations to safely experiment with AI, either through internal peer groups or working with specific teams. If you're interested in this support please contact [email protected].

Blogs and reflections
Check out our latest content on AI:

Shared Digital Guides
Our Shared Digital Guides platform contains step-by-step Guides to handy ways of using digital tools, written by charities, for charities. There are more than 80 Guides in total, covering a wide range of topics; take a look at the AI Guides as below:

If you would like to suggest a topic or contribute a Guide, we’d love to hear from you; please get in touch via the Shared Digital Guides site.

AI experimentation canvas
We’ve developed a simple AI experimentation canvas, which helps us think through any use of GenAI. As the test or practice becomes bigger, we might use a more detailed version to document and think through the approach. Download the canvas for yourself: we’ve got a Miro version that is easy to edit, and printable versions if Post-its and Sharpies are your style.

AI perspectives visual
We've been using a new diagram as a basis for contextualising the different perspectives at play when thinking - and talking - about Generative AI (GenAI). Incorporating four key elements - Efficiencies within existing workflows; New processes & ways of working; Changes to mission and Context change - we have found that the diagram can be useful when starting or guiding discussions around the full scale of opportunities and challenges presented by GenAI. Take a look at Dan Sutch's blog for more information and the full AI perspectives visual.

Other resources that we recommend:

Just some of the other organisations working in the AI / charity sector space:

If you have a resource, event or organisation to add to this list, please contact us at [email protected] - thank you!