Looking to the future and reflecting on the past: a letter from our chairman Ian Balm

Charitylog has come a long way in the past two decades. But then, haven't we all - technologically speaking, at least!

Remember when sending out a newsletter meant printing, folding, and stuffing envelopes? Or when fax machines were a daily part (or bugbear) of office life?

Now, helped no doubt by the enforced isolation during Covid, technology is no longer just an add-on. Most of us are online several hours a day, whether for shopping, filling in forms, booking a holiday or even a time-slot at the local tip. What used to take hours now takes minutes — and what used to feel futuristic (video calls... cloud storage... online giving) is now - for the majority of us, anyway - part of everyday life.

The birth of Charitylog

The first ever version of Charitylog was switched on at Age Concern Ledbury in August 2005 – replacing an old laptop that came out of their filing cabinet drawer once a week to print a transport list. A big step, technically and culturally!

Charitylog was designed specifically for service provision and reporting within the voluntary sector - and was fully cloud based even back then. We called it a ‘database’ because hardly anyone knew what 'CRM' meant.

CRMs and the voluntary sector

The range of charities looking for a CRM system has increased greatly, especially in recent years. Previously, it was mainly the partners of the bigger organisations such as Carers Trust and Age Concern (as was). Now we see enquiries from many different types of charity with a wide variety of beneficiaries.

The sector is clearly becoming more aware of technology and the benefits that using the right tools effectively can bring – especially in terms of reducing admin time and demonstrating value to funders.

As co-originator of possibly the UK’s first charity-specific CRM, I’d like to think that Charitylog has played some small part in raising awareness of the benefits this type of technology can bring to the sector.

This increase in technical skills and knowledge must surely be helpful in a world where the need for increased efficiency (not to mention funding) never seems to let up!

Resilience in the face of change

Looking back over the past two decades, I’m constantly struck by the impressive resilience and sheer persistence of those of you working in the voluntary sector.

In the face of repeated pressures – such as the severe funding cuts in 2010 – you demonstrate again and again your passion and commitment to carry on supporting people in the face of near-overwhelming odds.

Now it seems we’re facing similar challenges, with councils struggling for funding and support, rising costs such as the NI increase and some charities having to resort to their reserves to survive.

Please know our thoughts are with you, our charity clients, as you navigate these turbulent times – which, as an independent SME, we also feel.

All we can do is continue to develop and hone a dependable, robust and user-friendly CRM system that helps ease your administrative burden – still, I believe, one of the best and most affordable in its class.

Optimistic about the future

As for me, the last 20 years have been a fascinating and instructive period. I do feel optimistic about the future, knowing we have an excellent team of software developers, implementation experts and customer support people, each committed to the voluntary sector ethos and to making sure Charitylog is the best tool it can possibly be.

If, twenty years ago, I could have seen us today, I would have been proud.