Three-quarters of charities believe technology has enabled them to help more people, but 80% have no plans to use cloud computing.
Research from Accenture was conducted to coincide with Byte Night, which sees workers in the IT industry sleeping outside to raise money for homeless people.
While 76% of charities say technology has helped them support more people, few are investing in new technologies such as mobility, cloud and social media.
A total of 44% said IT speeds up the delivery of services, raises awareness and data collection by allowing organisations to better engage with new audiences.
Another 44% said technology helps them fund the same projects at lower costs.
But charities are cautious about investing in the latest technologies. A significant 30% have no plans to invest in social media despite many believing the technology has a role to play.
Only 6% said they have a mobile app for their organisation and 80% said they are not migrating to the cloud.
"The report highlights areas of real concern. Charities are more supportive of technology than ever before and many are working with IT companies – often on a pro bono basis – to evolve their strategies and there is still clearly work to be done," said Andrew Poppleton, managing director of Accenture's UK Technology group.
"Despite wanting to use new technologies, some charities are struggling to invest in areas that could show huge benefits,"
Brychan Watkins, CIO at Action for Children, said IT is more critical than ever due to economic stagnation. "At a time when every penny matters, the IT tools we have at our disposal are even more critical. Technology innovations mean it is more affordable today compared with 15 years ago.
"Now we invest in a piecemeal approach, unlike years ago where big upfront investments were made. Technology has enabled us to streamline our processes, continue to raise awareness and deliver to those who need it most."
