The role of technology in shaping the future of the giving sector

As technology evolves, so does Australia’s giving sector. Charities now have more tools than ever to share their work, demonstrate impact and connect with donors. At the same time, donors’ expectations are changing. They’re looking for clarity, trust and experiences that feel genuinely human.  

So what role does technology play in the giving landscape, and how can it bring the most benefit to charities and donors? We asked Ben Richards, Creative Director of Friendship Tree. 

Ben’s career spans from creative technology and digital production to working across film, VFX, immersive media and large-scale digital platforms. Today, Ben focuses on how digital experiences feel, and how thoughtful design can build trust, reduce friction and help people act on their good intentions.

In this conversation, Ben shares how technology can strengthen trust in the giving space, the thinking behind Friendship Tree’s human-centred design, and why integrity isn’t optional. 

Meet Ben

Friendship Tree: What drew you to Friendship Tree and the mission behind it?

Ben: Friendship Tree stood out because it wasn’t trying to ‘disrupt’ giving for the sake of it. It was trying to fix very real friction - confusion, lack of trust, emotional distance - while staying human.

The mission resonated with me because it treats generosity with care. It acknowledges the realities people are living in, while still believing in collective good. That balance is rare.

Friendship Tree: What excites you most about working in the giving space?

Ben: The fact that small design and technology decisions can have outsized real-world impact. When you’re working in giving, clarity and trust aren’t abstract concepts, they directly affect whether help actually reaches the people and causes who need it.

That sense of responsibility is energising. My parents were carers working in the medical space and I always felt I wasn’t living up to their legacy when I was working primarily in entertainment. Now I feel like the work I do truly makes a difference to people’s lives.

Technology and trust

Friendship Tree: Giving is deeply personal. How can technology strengthen trust rather than get in the way of it?

Ben: Technology strengthens trust when it’s transparent, predictable and invisible. People don’t want surprises when they’re giving. They want to know where their money is going, why a charity is there, and what happens next. 

Showing impact, progress and continuity over time helps people understand that their contribution matters, and technology plays a big role in this. Visual feedback and storytelling play a big role here.

When technology removes ambiguity instead of adding layers, it becomes a quiet enabler rather than a barrier.

Friendship Tree: What role does good user experience (UX) play in helping people feel confident their money is going where they expect it to?

Ben: Good user UX reduces cognitive load. If someone has to think too hard, second-guess, or interpret unclear language, confidence drops. Clear information hierarchy, plain language and intentional pacing help people feel in control. When the experience feels considered, people assume the systems behind it are considered too.

Friendship Tree: How does Friendship Tree ensure technology feels warm and human, not transactional?

Ben: By designing for intention, not volume. We avoid urgency-driven patterns, visual noise or manipulative prompts. Instead, the platform invites people in, explains things gently, and empowers agency. 

The visual language draws on a quiet, storybook quality, something familiar and almost childlike, creating a space that feels safe, warm and trustworthy. It subtly recalls a time when trust was more instinctive, when things felt simpler and intentions were easier to read. Together, this reinforces the idea that giving is a relationship, not a transaction.

Designing the Friendship Tree website

Friendship Tree: When you first approached Friendship Tree’s brand and website, what problem were you trying to solve?

Ben: The core problem was trust and overwhelm. There are over 60,000 charities in Australia. How can you decide which of those are truly doing good?

Many giving platforms either feel overly technical or emotionally distant. We wanted to create a place where people could arrive, breathe, understand what’s happening, and feel good about taking a small action.

Friendship Tree: The website feels simple, calm and human. Why was that important?

Ben: Because people arrive carrying a lot already - financial stress, information overload, emotional fatigue. Calm design isn’t an aesthetic preference, it’s functional.

It helps people slow down, absorb information and make thoughtful choices.

Friendship Tree: People are less likely to give when the process feels hard, unclear or disconnected. How does Friendship Tree’s website address these barriers?

Ben: By reducing steps, using clear language, and surfacing the most important information at the right time.

We’ve deliberately avoided complexity where it doesn’t add value, and focused on making the journey feel coherent from first visit through to impact.

A big part of this is making it easy to find meaningful information about each charity partner, with clear explanations of what they do, why they matter, and how they’re vetted.

How technology is shaping the future of giving 

Friendship Tree: In your view, what’s the biggest opportunity technology brings to the giving sector?

Ben: Lowering the barrier to participation. Technology allows generosity to be small, frequent and collective, not just reserved for moments of surplus or large one-off donations.

Friendship Tree: What are people looking for from giving platforms today that didn’t exist five or ten years ago? 

Ben: Flexibility and alignment with real life. People want to give in ways that fit their circumstances, values and rhythms, whether that’s micro-donations, workplace giving, or gifting. They also expect clarity and proof, not just good intentions.

Transparency is also expected, rather than being a bonus. As people become more discerning, platforms that can clearly explain how charities are vetted and how funds flow are earning long-term trust. 

Designing with integrity

Friendship Tree: As a Creative Director, what responsibility do you feel designers have when working in the giving space?

Ben: A huge one. Design choices influence behaviour. In the giving space especially, we have a responsibility to avoid manipulation, respect people’s circumstances, and design with integrity.

Technology won’t solve generosity on its own, but thoughtful, human-centred design can remove the friction that stops people from acting on the good intentions they already have.

Ultimately, the future of giving will be shaped by the values behind the technology we use. When charities and their partners use technology with care, they can build trust, foster connections and create positive donor experiences. That belief sits at the heart of Friendship Tree. Experts like Ben ensure integrity guides every design choice, so generosity can follow.