AI at work, by profession
AI in charity fundraising: what the Fundraising Regulator's guidance asks
Published on 8 December 2025. No new rules: the Code of Fundraising Practice, applied to tools that write appeals, pick donors and answer the public.
Checked against the published sources on 2 October 2026.
The short answer
A charity is responsible and accountable for its use of AI in fundraising, including by third-party fundraisers, and trustees are ultimately accountable. The guidance says to write an AI policy and carry out a proportionate risk assessment before using any tool, to have a person check AI content for accuracy, fairness and legality, and to be more transparent the greater the risk of misleading donors.
- Guidance
- 8 December 2025
- Accountable
- The charity and its trustees
- Before any tool
- A policy and a risk assessment
- Charity Commission
- No separate AI rules. Trustees remain responsible
Transparency in proportion
A tool that tidied the wording of a true appeal needs no label. A generated image, video or voice that a donor could take as real has to be made clear, or not used. The amount of transparency should be in proportion to the risk of misleading donors.
Donor data
At all times, know how a tool will use, store and share what is put into it. Privacy information should say how AI is involved, and the Code's section on people in vulnerable circumstances applies to a tool choosing whom to ask as it does to a person.
The board
The guidance asks boards to avoid knowledge about AI being concentrated among a minority of trustees, and recommends publishing how AI is used in fundraising on the charity's website.
This page explains what the rule says. It is not legal, regulatory, clinical or financial advice on your own position. Rules change, so read the sources listed beside it, and tell us at hello@wajd.co.uk if something here is out of date.
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AI at work, by industry · 1.5 CPD hours
AI in charities and fundraising: trustees, donors and honest appeals
Questions people ask
Do charities have to label AI generated images?
Where a donor could otherwise be misled, yes. Transparency should be in proportion to the risk of misleading donors.
Does a small charity need an AI policy?
The guidance says to develop one before using AI tools. It can be short, and the risk assessment should be proportionate.
Who is responsible if our agency uses AI badly?
The charity. It is accountable for its third-party fundraisers' use of AI.
Has the Charity Commission issued AI guidance?
It has said it does not anticipate specific new guidance, and that trustees remain responsible for decision making, which must not be delegated to AI.