Manchester-based Raiser has secured £100,000 in innovation funding to develop an AI-powered grant-matching engine. The startup aims to revolutionize the charity funding landscape by using structured impact data instead of traditional keyword searches.
TL;DR
- Raiser secures £100k funding to develop AI-powered grant-matching engine for charities.
- The startup aims to address the longstanding problem of small charities struggling to surface in grant searches.
- Raiser's approach focuses on building shared data infrastructure using the Open Impact Standard.
What happened
Raiser, a Manchester-based startup, has secured £100,000 in innovation funding from the Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub. The funding will support the development of an AI-enabled grant-matching engine designed to match charities with funders using structured impact data rather than keyword-based searches.
The startup was founded by Luke Wilkinson, a former charity chief executive, and Beckie Denny. Raiser's existing Charity Agent product is already live in beta, with more than 130 charities using the platform to manage funding opportunities, assemble evidence, and support applications.
The funding coincides with an expansion of Raiser's network of advisers and backers, including Daryl Upsall, who advised the founders of JustGiving during its early development. Two other figures with charity and philanthropy experience, Zahra Hedges and Mark Carrigan, have also joined as advisers and board members, respectively.
Why it matters
Raiser's approach aims to address a longstanding problem in grant fundraising: smaller charities can struggle to surface in searches or present their work in terms that fit funders' criteria. By building shared data infrastructure that records charitable activities, outputs, and outcomes in a common format, Raiser hopes to give charities and funders a shared language for describing work and results.
The startup's AI-powered grant-matching engine is positioned as an alternative to a growing market for AI tools focused on drafting more applications or helping funders process larger volumes of submissions. Instead, Raiser is building software for both sides of the funding process, including tools for charities to capture evidence of impact and for funders to discover organisations, assess their work, and manage funding relationships.
The funding will also support work on intellectual property as Raiser develops the next stage of the service. The startup's commercial model keeps the charity-facing platform free to use, while revenue is expected to come from funders using its technology and services.
Key facts
- Raiser secures £100,000 in innovation funding from the Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub.
- The startup aims to match charities with funders using structured impact data instead of keyword-based searches.
- Raiser's existing Charity Agent product is live in beta, with more than 130 charities using the platform.
- The startup was founded by Luke Wilkinson and Beckie Denny.
- Daryl Upsall, Zahra Hedges, and Mark Carrigan have joined Raiser's network of advisers and backers.
- Raiser is building its software on Ruby on Rails and plans to make its impact-data framework interoperable with other charity and grant-management systems.
- The startup is already working with charity software provider Lamplight on a two-way integration intended to allow impact data to move between platforms.
- Raiser's commercial model keeps the charity-facing platform free to use, while revenue is expected to come from funders using its technology and services.
Context
Raiser's approach to grant matching is part of a broader trend in the AI industry, where startups are increasingly focusing on using AI to solve complex problems in various sectors. The charity sector, in particular, has been ripe for disruption, with many small charities struggling to access the funding they need to make a difference.
The startup's focus on building shared data infrastructure using the Open Impact Standard is a notable development in the AI industry. By creating a common language for describing work and results, Raiser hopes to make the grant-matching process more efficient and effective for both charities and funders.
Raiser's approach to grant matching is also notable for its emphasis on explainability and human decision-making. While AI-powered tools can help streamline the grant-matching process, the startup is careful to ensure that funding decisions remain in the hands of people rather than automated tools.