The news that Oxfam GB may cut 265 jobs in an effort to save £10 million is tough to read, but sadly, it reflects the pressure so many charities are facing right now. Costs are rising, income is uncertain, and the demand for services is growing. It’s a perfect storm, and it’s forcing even the most established organisations to make heartbreaking decisions.
In moments like this, we need to ask: is there another way? Can charities adapt and protect their missions without sacrificing the people who make it all happen?
At Fundin, we believe AI can be part of the answer.
AI as a helping hand, not a replacement
Let’s be clear, AI isn’t here to replace the people doing the work. It’s here to support them. In the charity sector, so much valuable time is spent on repetitive, manual processes: grant applications, funding assessments, report writing, compliance checks. AI can take the strain on those parts, freeing up teams to focus on what they do best: building relationships, delivering impact, and navigating complex human challenges.
By using AI to automate the admin-heavy work, charities can save costs in ways that protect jobs, not cut them.
Smarter, faster funding
At Fundin, we use AI to simplify and speed up the funding process, both for funders and those applying. Our platform helps match applications to the right funds, improves decision-making, and reduces time wasted on form-filling and filtering. It’s one small example of how AI can take a broken, resource-intensive process and make it manageable again.
AI that builds trust, not barriers
We recently wrote about how the UK government’s adoption of AI could help shift public perceptions of the technology, making it feel less like a mysterious black box and more like a useful tool for good. Read the full blog here.
That same principle applies in the charity world. If the sector embraces AI in a way that’s transparent, thoughtful, and led by people, it could help rebuild trust, not only in how services are delivered, but in how money is managed, too.
Not a silver bullet, but a serious opportunity
AI isn’t going to fix everything. Human judgement, empathy, and frontline experience will always be central to how charities work. But when used wisely, AI can buy back time, reduce burnout, and create breathing space for teams who are stretched to the limit.
In a sector that’s constantly being asked to do more with less, this matters.
A call to think differently
Oxfam’s announcement is a moment to reflect, but also a chance for the sector to rethink how things are done. What if AI could help prevent the next round of cuts? What if it could help protect frontline roles by taking care of the back-end work?
The future of charity work will always be human. But with the right tools, like AI, we can make that work more sustainable, more effective, and more focused on what really matters.
