From Skepticism to Collaboration: AI in Nonprofits

When ChatGPT first launched just two years ago , it seemed like everyone in the nonprofit world had an opinion . Some were intrigued by its possibilities , but , let's be real , many were downright skeptical or even fearful . Would AI take our jobs ? Would it replace the human touch that makes donor relationships so special ? And what about the role of the fundraiser ?

Was that at risk of disappearing altogether ? Those were big questions and , if I'm honest , some of them felt unsettling . Back then , ai had its fair share of problems , especially when it came to writing quality and tone .

The outputs often missed the mark , feeling clunky or off-brand , which only deepened the concerns about whether AI could ever have a place in nonprofit communications . But fast forward to today and wow what a difference two years can make . Not only has the technology improved , but so has the way we interact with it .

By using tools like custom GPTs and developing better prompts , many of us have figured out how to harness

AI as a tool that enhances our work , rather than replacing it . This evolution has brought up new opportunities and new ethical considerations . It's not just about whether AI can help us write a killer fundraising appeal or a polished blog post . It's also about how we use it responsibly .

How do we integrate AI in ways that strengthen relationships with donors and stay true to our values as nonprofits ? That's what we're diving into today , from the early fears to the exciting possibilities we're seeing now . We'll explore how sentiments about AI and fundraising have shifted and what that means for the future of our work .

So grab your coffee or your notebook , because we're about to dig into a conversation that's equal parts practical and thought-provoking . So let's get into it and let's talk fundraising . All right , let's rewind the clock to those early days of AI and fundraising , back when ChatGPT first landed in the spotlight , which was only two years ago .

Do you remember the buzz ? It was like something out of a sci-fi movie exciting for some , but downright nerve-wracking for many others . A lot of nonprofit communication professionals felt like their jobs were on the line and , honestly , I get it . Felt like their jobs were on the line and , honestly , I get it .

When you hear about a tool that can write emails , social media posts , even donor appeals . It's natural to wonder where does that leave me ? This wasn't just a tool that could help Some , worried , it might replace them entirely . And then there was this other fear , one that ran deeper the worry that AI would strip away the heart of what we do .

Fundraising is all about connection . It's about conversations , relationships , trust . How do you build that with a piece of software ? Could donors tell if a thank you email or an appeal came from a computer instead of a person ? Would that even matter to them ? These were questions that kept people up at night .

Beyond that , there was another looming question If AI could do some of the work , where did that leave the fundraiser in the bigger picture ? Was our role becoming obsolete ? Was the human element , the creativity , the empathy , the storytelling about to get phased out in favor of automation ?

Now let's add to the mix the actual performance of AI in those early days , and let's just say it wasn't polished . Sure , jet Cheap , bt could string words together and it was impressive for the time , but when it came to crafting nuanced , mission-driven messages that truly reflected a non-profit's voice , that was a stretch .

If you tried using AI back then , you probably saw how clunky the outputs could be . The tone was often generic and the messaging felt hollow . It wasn't just about writing poorly .

It was about not being able to capture what made your organization's story special , and when you're asking someone to invest their time , their energy or their money into a cause , that's not something we can afford to miss . Another big hurdle was alignment . Nonprofits have such unique ways of communicating right .

Every word we put out there needs to reflect our values , our mission and our voice . Early , ai tools struggled to align with that . It felt like trying to teach a robot to speak a language it didn't really understand , and sometimes it felt like the robot wasn't even listening . So if you were hesitant back then , you weren't alone .

Many fundraisers decided it just wasn't worth the risk or the frustration . The stakes were too high and the technology wasn't there yet . But here's the thing those challenges were the starting point , not the end story , and people are saying the worst AI you'll ever use is the AI of today , because it's getting better every day .

While some people wrote off AI , others started to dig deeper , asking okay , this isn't perfect , but what can it do ? And that's when things began to change . One of the biggest aha moments came when people started using AI for brainstorming and idea generation . You know how it goes . Sometimes , no matter how creative you are , you hit a wall .

You're staring at a blank page and you're trying to come up with a fresh angle for your next campaign , and nothing's clicking . This is where AI really started to shine . Fundraisers began to see it as a sounding board , a tool to bounce ideas off of . You could ask it what are some creative ways to frame a year-end giving campaign ?

Or maybe what are some overlooked benefits of our programs that we haven't highlighted yet ? And while the ideas weren't always perfect , they often sparked new directions or highlighted gaps you might not have seen otherwise . For example , let's say you're planning a gala .

You ask AI to suggest unique themes and it spits out something that , on the surface , feels a little offbeat , like a future of philanthropy theme focused on technology and innovation . At first you might think that's not us , but then you realize wait , this actually ties in with our mission to equip the next generation of leaders .

Suddenly , you've got a fresh idea that's perfectly aligned with your goals . Then there's drafting . If you've ever spent hours agonizing over the first draft of an appeal letter , you know how time-consuming it can be . Ai changed the game here .

Instead of starting from scratch , you could give AI a prompt , something like write a donor appeal letter for a shelter that provides meals for the homeless . In minutes you'd have a draft that might not be perfect , but it gives you a solid foundation to build on . And here's the magic Because you're not stuck in first draft territory .

You can focus your energy on tweaking , refining and infusing the piece with that emotional resonance that connects with donors . It's like having a really speedy assistant who does the heavy lifting , so you can spend more time on the creative , relationship-driven aspects of your work . And let's not forget about editing .

Ai isn't just good for drafting , it's also an excellent editor . Maybe you've written a blog post or a case study and you need a second set of eyes to clean it up . Ai can help polish the language , catch grammatical errors or even suggest ways to make your message more clear or concise .

For instance , imagine you're writing a newsletter about a recent program success . You upload the text into an AI tool and ask it to make this more compelling . In seconds , it highlights where your tone could be stronger or suggest ways to tighten the narrative . Does it replace a human editor ?

No , but it's like having an extra layer of quality control , and that's a huge win when you're juggling the million deadlines all of us in nonprofits are . The key takeaway here is that AI isn't just a tool . It's a collaborator . It doesn't replace the creativity and the empathy that fundraisers bring to the table , but it enhances what we can do .

It gives us the space to think bigger , act faster and stay focused on what really matters building relationships and making that impact . Okay , okay , okay , let's shift gears and talk about how far AI has come in just two years .

It's honestly kind of mind-blowing to think about the advancements we've seen since tools like ChatGPT first hit the scene in November of 2022 . When it launched , we were dealing with a tool that was exciting . Well , let's face it , pretty rough around the edges .

Now the capabilities have grown exponentially , and it's not just the technology that's improved , it's how we have learned to work with it . First , let's talk about the improvements in AI itself . Early AI tools were impressive for their time , but they had serious limitations .

The language models often missed the nuances that make nonprofit communications effective , things like emotional resonance , mission-driven language and aligning with an organization's specific voice . Fast forward just 24 months and today's AI is not just better at understanding language , it's better at understanding context , for example .

Newer models are much more adept at interpreting complex prompts and producing outputs that are coherent , relevant and creative . They've been trained on larger data sets , so their grasp of language and storytelling has become sharper , and that's been a game changer for fundraisers , who need tools that can meet their standards of quality and authenticity .

But here's the thing Even as the models themselves got better , we had to get better too at prompting . If you've used AI , you know that the output is only as good as the input . Early on , we'd type in something like write a fundraising appeal and get back a generic , cookie-cutter letter that didn't feel remotely connected to our cause . Now we know better .

The key to unlocking AI's potential is crafting detailed , specific prompts . Instead of write a fundraising appeal today , we might say something like write a heartfelt donor appeal for an organization that provides meals to the homeless , focusing on the impact of a $50 donation and including a personal story about a family who benefited . Hear the difference .

And here's where it gets even more exciting . Tools like custom GPTs have taken this to the next level . With a custom GPT , you're not just giving better prompts , you're actually training the AI to understand your organization's history , its values , services , tone and style .

Think of it as building a specialized version of the AI that knows your organization inside and out . Let's say your nonprofit has a unique way of talking about its mission . Maybe you emphasize empowerment over charity or collaboration over competition ? A custom GPT can learn that language and produce content that feels like it came straight from your team .

The result Outputs that are far more aligned with your voice and require way less rewriting than those generated by a generic AI model , and this has led to a huge shift in confidence when it comes to AI-generated content . Two years ago , a lot of us were hesitant to let AI-created pieces see the light of day .

Today , with the right tools and techniques , many fundraisers are comfortable using AI to produce mass communications like newsletters , blog posts and campaign updates , provided there's still human oversight and approval , of course . That growing trust has made AI feel less like a gamble and more like a strategic advantage .

It's not that AI is going to replace fundraisers , but fundraisers who use AI are going to replace fundraisers who don't . It's not about blindly letting the technology take over . It's about using it thoughtfully to save time , to increase efficiency and to elevate the quality of what we're putting out into the world .

Let's talk about one of the big elephants in the room when it comes to AI , and that's authorship . This is where things can get a little personal for some folks . Even with all the advancements we've talked about , there's still a lingering question If it wasn't written by us , should we really be sending it out ? And that's a valid concern .

Authenticity is at the heart of what we do in fundraising . Donors trust us because they believe in our mission and the people behind it . So the idea of handing over the reins to AI can feel a bit off-brand .

Right , it can raise fears that the messages we're sending out might lack that human touch , the sincerity and the connection that are so critical to those donor relationships . But here's the thing , when you really start to break it down , the idea of using AI to draft content isn't all that different from what many nonprofits have been doing for decades .

So let me explain . Think about the CEO's message in your newsletter . How many times is that actually written by the CEO ? If you've been in this field for a while , you know the answer Not very often . Most of the time , that heartfelt message is drafted by someone in the communications team .

Maybe it gets a quick tweak or a signature from the CEO , but the heavy lifting is done by a specialist who knows how to craft that message or take fundraising appeals . How often does the author of those letters , the person whose name is printed at the bottom , actually sit down and write them ?

In many cases , those appeals are created by a team of people who know how to weave a compelling narrative and speak directly to the donor's heart . This isn't about cutting corners . It's about tapping into expertise . We rely on professionals who understand storytelling , donor psychology and strategic messaging to get the job done .

The end result isn't any less authentic . It's just the product of collaboration . But let's bring this back to AI . If we're comfortable ghostwriting for our leadership or crafting appeals on behalf of others , why should it be any different when AI plays a role in that process ? The key is that , just like with human ghostwriters , there's still a final step review

and approval by the credited author or organization . That approval process is critical . It's where we , as fundraisers , ensure that the content reflects the voice , the values and the mission of our organization . Whether a piece is written by a communications professional or generated with the help of AI , it needs to pass through those same filters .

Is it aligned with our messaging ? Does it convey the emotion and urgency we're aiming for ? Would the credited author or organization feel proud to stand behind it ? In this way , ai becomes less of a mysterious force and more like any other tool we use to support our work . The key is transparency and accountability .

The organization's leaders , whether that's the CEO , executive director or the fundraising team , still have the final say in what goes out into the world . And here's the bottom line . Authenticity doesn't come from who physically wrote the words . It comes from the intention behind them and the care we take in ensuring they align with our mission and our values .

If AI helps us get there faster or more efficiently , great , but the responsibility for what we send out always rests with us . Let's talk about the power of human creativity and how it serves the foundation for everything AI can do , and I want to talk a little bit about this concept of hero content .

So let's be clear it's not about superheroes swooping in to save the day . Hero content is the primary story or the narrative that an organization crafts . It's the deep , well-thought-out piece that captures the full scope of a story , complete with its emotional arc , key details and transformative impact . Think of it as the cornerstone of your communication strategy .

It could be a blog post that tells the story of a family whose lives were transformed by your programs , or maybe it's a case study about a major project that brought incredible results to the community . Whatever it is , this hero content is where the magic starts . It's the comprehensive , human-driven narrative that sets the tone for everything else .

And why should humans take the lead in creating hero content ? Simple Stories aren't just a collection of facts . They are an art form . They require nuance , emotion and connection . As much as AI has advanced , those qualities still come most naturally from people who are passionate about the mission and deeply understand the audience .

But once that hero content is created , ai can step in to help with what comes next , turning that primary story into derivative content . And here's where it gets really exciting . Let's say you've written a blog post that dives deep into a donor's journey , why they gave the impact of their gift and the lives that were changed as a result .

That story has so much potential beyond the blog itself . With AI , you can repurpose that content into all kinds of formats . For example , ai can condense the blog post into a shorter piece for your print newsletter .

It can generate highlight summaries for your digital newsletter , including a call-to-action link that brings readers back to the full story on your website . Ai can also help draft a series of social media posts that tease key elements of the story , driving traffic and engagement . And what about fundraising letters ?

Ai can take that same narrative and reframe it into a donor appeal , keeping the core of the story while adapting it to the specific tone and structure that works best for an appeal . The beauty of this process is that it creates consistency in your messaging .

By starting with one well-crafted piece , you ensure that every derivative version reflects the same values , tone and core message . Your audience sees a cohesive story across all of your channels , which reinforces your brand and your mission . This approach is also incredibly efficient .

Instead of starting from scratch for each platform or format , you're building on something you've already created . Ai can handle much of the heavy lifting , freeing up your team to focus on strategy , donor relationships and other high-impact activities . But let me emphasize one thing this does not mean you're handing over full control to AI .

It's still essential to have human oversight at every stage in the process . You're not just looking for grammatical errors . You're ensuring that each piece stays true to your mission , resonates with your audience and aligns with your goals . So here's the takeaway all right , humans bring the heart , the vision and the creativity to craft that hero content .

Ai helps us scale that vision , turning a single story into a multi-channel campaign that's consistent , efficient and impactful . It's a partnership that plays to the strengths of both . And let's dig into the ethics of using AI in non-profit communications , a topic that feels more important than ever as AI becomes a bigger part of our work . Technology .

It's evolving fast and while it brings incredible opportunities , it also comes with deep responsibilities . How we choose to use AI can either strengthen our relationships with donors or , if we're not careful , damage the trust we've worked so hard to build . I want to first talk about mass communications things like newsletters , blog posts and appeals .

Personally , I'm comfortable with AI playing a significant role here , as long as there's human oversight . With the tools and techniques we've discussed , ai can help us create polished , professional content that saves time and resources .

But and this is a big key piece no piece of AI-generated content should go out without a careful human review , and that's not just about catching typos . It's about ensuring that the messaging aligns with your organization's voice , values , goals and that the story is true .

This balance letting AI do the heavy lifting while humans guide and approve can be a real game-changer . It allows your team to focus on strategy and relationship building while still delivering high quality content . But let's also shift gears to talk about AI chatbots . These have become increasingly popular on for-profit websites , and for good reason .

Chatbots can handle FAQs quickly and efficiently , things like what's your mailing address or how do I make a purchase . They're especially helpful for organizations that don't have the capacity to answer every inquiry in real time . But here's where we need to be cautious . Chatbots should complement human interactions and not replace them .

If a visitor's question becomes more nuanced or emotionally sensitive , like asking for help accessing services or wanting to share a personal story , there should always be a clear pathway to a human connection , and this brings us to an absolutely non-negotiable point transparency .

Anytime someone interacts with AI , especially in a one-on-one context , they should know they're talking to a chatbot or an AI agent . There's nothing wrong with using AIs in these scenarios , but honesty is critical .

If people find out after the fact that they've been engaging with AI , it can feel like a breach of trust , and let's address a more controversial application reach of trust . And let's address a more controversial application AI making sales or fundraising calls .

On one hand , ai agents have been shown to have high success rates in closing sales and that can be tempting to test it out on securing donations , but on the other hand , this raises serious ethical questions when it comes to donor relations . Coercion even unintentional coercion is a huge red flag .

Donors give because they feel connected to your mission and values , not because they were cleverly persuaded by an algorithm . The risk with AI making these calls is that it could cross ethical lines , pushing people to give in ways that feel transactional or manipulative . To me , this is where we need to draw a hard line .

Ai might be able to assist with donor data and outreach strategies , but when it comes to building personal relationships , that work is best left to humans . So how do we approach AI use ethically ? Start by embracing

it where it enhances relationships rather than replacing them . Mass communications , great Chatbots for FAQs Absolutely , but when it comes to anything that could feel manipulative or coercive , it's time for us to hit pause . It's also helpful to have organizational principles around AI use .

This could be as simple as a checklist you run through before implementing any new AI tool . Does this align with our mission ? Are we being transparent ? Could this damage trust with our stakeholders ? If the answers raise any red flags , it's worth re-evaluating .

And don't forget , if you're ever unsure , there are resources you can turn to , like the AFP's Ethical Code of Conduct and the Donor Bill of Rights . These frameworks can help guide you when you're navigating new territory with AI . At the end of the day , ai is a tool .

It's up to us to use it in ways that uphold the integrity of our work and strengthen the relationships that drive our mission forward . Well , we've covered a lot of ground today ambitious fundraisers . Let's take a moment to recap and tie everything together . Over the past few years , we've seen a remarkable shift in how we think about AI in fundraising .

It started with skepticism and fear , concerns about job loss , losing the human touch and the role of fundraisers in an AI-driven world . But as the technology has advanced and as we've learned how to work with it , those initial doubts have given way to cautious optimism and for some genuine excitement .

We've explored how AI can serve as a thought partner , helping with brainstorming , drafting and editing .

We've seen how the evolution of AI models and smarter prompting , especially with tools like custom GPTs has made our outputs more aligned with our organizational values and voice , and we've talked about the power of human-crafted hero content as the foundation for consistent , impactful communications . With AI stepping in to scale that work efficiently and effectively .

But at every turn , we've come back to one essential theme ethical integration . Whether it's using AI for mass communications , deploying chatbots for FAQs , or deciding where AI shouldn't play a role , the key is being thoughtful , transparent and grounded in trust .

Ai is an incredibly powerful tool , but how we use it and where we draw the line is what will determine its impact on our work and our relationships with donors .

So here's my encouragement to you Don't be afraid to explore AI , experiment , learn and see where it can make your work more efficient , creative and impactful , but do it thoughtfully , make sure it aligns with your organization's values , and don't hesitate to hit pause if something doesn't feel right .

And now I want to hear from you how are you using AI in your fundraising work ? What challenges or breakthroughs have you experienced ? Let's keep this conversation going , reach out , share your stories and let's learn from one another .

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