An AI demonstration
M&M asked local AI experts for tips for how nonprofits could benefit by using AI. We opened a ChatGPT window, typed in the prompt “Summarize these tips for ways nonprofits can begin using AI in 900 words” and pasted in the compiled responses. In ten seconds, ChatGPT generated the text below. The next prompt was, “Replace uses in this summary of ‘impact’ and ‘impactful’ with appropriate and varied synonyms” (prompter’s pet peeve). Subheads were lightly edited on the page to fit on one line. Voilà!
Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers nonprofits a wealth of opportunities to enhance their operations, streamline processes, and deepen their effectiveness. As nonprofits explore AI integration, the following expert tips can guide them in leveraging AI tools effectively and ethically.
Personalize donor engagement
AI can transform donor management by analyzing donor data to identify patterns and preferences. This insight enables nonprofits to personalize communications, predict which donors are most likely to contribute, and automate follow-up actions. By tailoring engagement strategies and predicting donor behavior, AI can enhance campaign success, build stronger relationships, and potentially increase contributions.
Enhance productivity
AI serves as a productivity booster by automating routine tasks. Nonprofit staff can utilize AI to quickly generate draft documents, perform preliminary research, and streamline administrative duties. This not only reduces time spent on repetitive tasks but also allows staff to focus more on strategic activities, ultimately increasing operational efficiency.
AI as a transformational partner
Nonprofits should view AI not just as a tool, but as a partner that can significantly amplify their effectiveness. AI can help in personalizing engagement, predicting donor behavior, and automating various tasks. By harnessing AI’s capabilities, nonprofits can streamline their operations and focus more on their core mission, making their work more efficient and influential.
Amplify storytelling, engagement
AI can enhance storytelling and community engagement by crafting personalized narratives that resonate with donors and beneficiaries. Tools that analyze social media trends can identify the most engaging content, while AI-generated email campaigns can target different supporter groups effectively. Additionally, AI-powered chatbots can provide instant information on websites, improving interaction with potential donors and volunteers.
Start with accessible AI tools
To integrate AI successfully, nonprofits should begin with accessible tools that align with their interests and needs. Starting with user-friendly AI tools can build confidence and inspire innovation across various areas, from donor management to productivity enhancements. The key is to initiate the process and let innovation evolve as confidence in the technology grows.
Utilize AI for grant writing
Grant writing is a critical function for nonprofits, and AI can significantly enhance this process. AI tools can speed up research, generate proposal drafts, and apply best practices in grant writing. This allows nonprofits to apply for more grants efficiently without overburdening staff, enabling them to concentrate on advancing their mission.
Predict donor trends
Predictive AI can analyze donor trends to identify the types of donors most likely to give and contribute significantly. This information helps nonprofits target their fundraising efforts more effectively, improving the likelihood of securing donations and optimizing fundraising strategies.
Content creation and visuals
AI can assist nonprofits in creating engaging content and visuals. Tools such as Canva for images, Looka for logos, and various transcription services can simplify the creation of marketing materials and presentations. Additionally, AI can help with video editing and summarizing meetings, providing nonprofits with more efficient ways to produce and manage content.
Implement AI-driven chatbots
AI-driven chatbots can automate routine inquiries, allowing staff to focus on higher-value activities such as donor relations and expanding services. By running a pilot program with AI chatbots or knowledge retrieval systems, nonprofits can increase efficiency, enhance personalized outreach, and improve their capacity to serve the community without additional staffing costs.
Operations and decision-making
AI can streamline nonprofit operations by generating content drafts for various needs, from websites to grant applications. This enables staff to invest more time in strategic activities. Additionally, AI can assist in making data-driven decisions by analyzing organizational data and providing actionable insights, helping nonprofits address immediate and long-term goals effectively.
Ensure ethical AI use
Ethical considerations are paramount when using AI. Nonprofits should ensure that AI tools respect copyright information and privacy rights, and that they are used to avoid reinforcing biases. Monitoring AI systems and maintaining human oversight are essential to ensure that AI applications remain fair, transparent, and aligned with the organization’s values.
Explore diverse AI tools
Nonprofits have access to a variety of AI tools that offer free or low-cost options. Exploring different tools can provide support in areas such as content creation, visual design, and document management. By utilizing a range of AI tools, nonprofits can enhance their capabilities and find solutions tailored to their specific needs.
In conclusion, AI presents a transformative opportunity for nonprofits to optimize their operations, enhance donor engagement, and amplify their effectiveness. By starting with accessible tools, leveraging AI for key functions like grant writing and content creation, and ensuring ethical use, nonprofits can harness AI’s full potential while remaining focused on their mission. Embracing AI with confidence and a strategic approach can lead to more effective and efficient nonprofit operations, ultimately advancing their goals and expanding their positive influence on the community.
Below are the original responses we asked ChatGPT to summarize
Editors note: We do not know whether any of the responses below were generated by AI. There was no stipulation they not be. Thank you to all who contributed.
Matthew Sias, founder, Innovation Acceleration, LLC
Nonprofits might use AI tools to analyze donor data, identify patterns and preferences, personalize communications, predict which donors are most likely to give, and automate follow-up actions. This can lead to more effective campaigns, stronger relationships, and increased donations.
Carl Fraik, executive director, Cincinnati AI Catalyst
Use AI as a productivity tool. Non-profit staff can significantly reduce the time required to create draft documents and complete preliminary research.
Pete Blackshaw, founder and CEO, BrandRank.ai
Dive in…don’t be afraid, and enjoy the ride. You’ll double your power and impact with every session you spend with AI. I encourage nonprofits to embrace AI not just as a tool but as a transformational partner. It can personalize engagement, predict donor behavior, and automate tasks, allowing you to focus on what truly matters—your mission. By harnessing AI’s insights, you’ll strengthen connections, streamline operations, and amplify the difference you’re making in the world.
Michael Beck, president, Code for Kids
One piece of advice I’d give to a nonprofit organization about AI is to use it to amplify storytelling and community engagement. AI can help craft personalized and impactful narratives that connect with donors and beneficiaries in deeper ways. For instance, AI tools can analyze social media trends to identify the most engaging content or generate tailored email campaigns that resonate with different supporter groups. AI-powered chatbots on your website can also offer instant, 24/7 information to potential volunteers or donors. By enhancing communication and outreach, AI can help you strengthen connections with your community and boost support for your mission.
Elisha Herrmann, worldwide solutions leader, Amazon Web Services
Just start! Choose any common AI tool that appeals to your passion to gain confidence. Then, let that confidence drive innovation in your organization from donors to productivity. Gain confidence in the technology and then let the innovation happen. Technology is for everyone.
Helen Todd, founder and podcast host, Creativity Squared + CincyAI Co-Host
A.I. can help nonprofits with grant writing.
Kelly Cohen, chair and director, AI Bio Lab, University of Cincinnati
Ethical AI which respects copyright information and privacy rights of individuals
Sabrina Donley, practice leader, Secure · AI, CybrCastle
AI for grant writing. Grant writing is mission-critical for nonprofits—without enough funding, the organization’s work either won’t happen or the few staff it can afford will be overworked trying to make it happen. That’s why learning to use AI for grants should be one of the first AI use cases that nonprofits learn and adopt.
AI can speed up the research process and generate proposal drafts, applying grant writing best practices seamlessly and personalizing at scale. AI applied to grant writing ensures that nonprofit leaders can apply for more grants in less time, without tying up senior staff, and allowing their team to focus on advancing your mission effectively. That’s why AI for grant writing should be the first use case that nonprofits focus on.
Additionally, use AI to predict best donors. Using predictive AI to analyze donor trends, what types of donors and most likely to give and give the most.
Tracy Ruberg, executive director, The Circuit, the region’s IT industry nonprofit and CEO of T6 Group
My immediate response to your question was “just one?!” There are so many tools out there that offer free access or low-cost subscriptions for non-profits. Of course, the easy stuff is to use the new generative AI LLM (large language model) tools to help you create your messaging, content, articles, etc. They do a nice job of giving you a great starting point.
However, beyond that, there are lots of tools that can provide you with specific support. These include creating a logo for a new program, creating visuals to help promote your vision more clearly, and even creating a full PowerPoint presentation with just a few prompts.
Some of these tools are:
- Canva for images, templates for email/PowerPoint, etc.
- Looka.com for logos
- Images can be created in Midjourney or Canva
- Tango captures your keystrokes and lets you easily create training programs
- Transcription services to capture and summarize meetings: Otter.ai, Microsoft CoPilot 365, etc. (There are quite a few of these services.)
- Vidyo.ai can turn long videos into short videos
- You can search a large database of AI tools by checking out All Things ai
Christopher Brock, CISO, Piqua Shawnee Tribe; founder, primary.hosting
AI is a transformative force, and it’s time to stop fearing it. Fear, after all, is simply False Evidence Appearing Real. AI is not here to replace us but to empower us. Those who embrace AI will gain a competitive edge, especially in areas like Words, Images, Numbers, and Sounds (WINS). AI will enhance these elements in ways never before possible.
One specific way nonprofits can benefit is by running a pilot program using AI-driven chatbots or knowledge retrieval systems (like RAG Chatbots). These can automate routine inquiries, freeing up time for staff to focus on high-value activities such as donor relations or expanding service impact. The advantage? Increased efficiency, more personalized outreach, and greater capacity to serve the community—all without adding to your headcount. The key is to start early, test carefully, and ensure that your approach to AI is safe, ethical, and aligned with your mission. By doing so, you’ll find AI to be a valuable partner in achieving your goals.
Nicole Armstrong, founder and CEO, Ellequate
AI presents a powerful opportunity for nonprofits to streamline operations and save time—for example, quickly generating first drafts of content for websites, social media, grant applications, reports, and more. This allows employees to focus more time and energy on innovation and strategic activities, increasing the overall impact of the organization.
AI can also help organizations make smarter, data-driven decisions that address both immediate needs and long-term goals. At Ellequate, we are developing AI-powered tools that analyze data from organizational policies, practices, employee surveys, and more to provide real-time insights and targeted recommendations. These help organizations proactively address employee needs, promoting well-being and retention. For nonprofits, this leads to a stronger, more resilient workforce.
AI is a powerful tool; ensuring equitable access, using high-quality data, and mitigating bias are all essential for maximizing its benefits and avoiding unintended harm. Without these safeguards, AI can perpetuate existing inequalities, produce inaccurate insights, or reinforce harmful biases. Ongoing monitoring and human involvement are equally important to provide context, ensure transparency, and maintain accountability, ensuring AI remains adaptable and aligned with an organization’s values.
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