November 18, 2024 • 28 mins
Unlock the transformative potential of AI in fundraising, as we explore how technology is reshaping the nonprofit landscape. From the initial skepticism and concerns of job security that accompanied the launch of ChatGPT, to the innovative strides made in aligning AI outputs with organizational values, this episode promises a journey through the evolving perceptions and uses of AI in the nonprofit sector. Discover how AI has transitioned from a misunderstood tool to a creative partner, opening new opportunities for fundraisers while enhancing the essential human elements of donor relationships.
We'll journey behind the scenes of crafting authentic nonprofit messages, shedding light on how AI is being integrated into communication strategies. By examining the parallels between human collaboration and AI assistance, we highlight the ethical considerations and transparency needed when scaling content across platforms. Learn about the concept of "hero content" and how AI plays a vital role in transforming these narratives into diverse formats, maintaining trust and alignment with organizational values.
The conversation also delves into the ethical use of AI chatbots and the importance of maintaining personal connections with donors. As AI becomes a thought partner in the fundraising world, this episode emphasizes the need for ethical integration and transparency in utilizing AI. Whether you're looking to brainstorm, draft, or engage in mass communications, we encourage listeners to share their experiences and foster a community of innovation, ensuring AI is used responsibly to enhance mission-driven relationships.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hey there, hi, and welcome back.
Ambitious fundraisers.
I am so glad you're here.
Today.
We're diving into a topic thathas sparked some of the most
interesting debates and excitingbreakthroughs in our field over
the past couple of years AI andfundraising.
When ChatGPT first launched justtwo years ago, it seemed like
everyone in the nonprofit worldhad an opinion.
(00:26):
Some were intrigued by itspossibilities, but, let's be
real, many were downrightskeptical or even fearful.
Would AI take our jobs?
Would it replace the humantouch that makes donor
relationships so special?
And what about the role of thefundraiser?
Was that at risk ofdisappearing altogether?
Those were big questions and,if I'm honest, some of them felt
(00:48):
unsettling.
Back then, ai had its fairshare of problems, especially
when it came to writing qualityand tone.
The outputs often missed themark, feeling clunky or
off-brand, which only deepenedthe concerns about whether AI
could ever have a place innonprofit communications.
But fast forward to today andwow what a difference two years
(01:11):
can make.
Not only has the technologyimproved, but so has the way we
interact with it.
By using tools like custom GPTsand developing better prompts,
many of us have figured out howto harness AI as a tool that
enhances our work, rather thanreplacing it.
This evolution has brought upnew opportunities and new
(01:31):
ethical considerations.
It's not just about whether AIcan help us write a killer
fundraising appeal or a polishedblog post.
It's also about how we use itresponsibly.
How do we integrate AI in waysthat strengthen relationships
with donors and stay true to ourvalues as nonprofits?
That's what we're diving intotoday, from the early fears to
(01:54):
the exciting possibilities we'reseeing now.
We'll explore how sentimentsabout AI and fundraising have
shifted and what that means forthe future of our work.
So grab your coffee or yournotebook, because we're about to
dig into a conversation that'sequal parts practical and
thought-provoking.
So let's get into it and let'stalk fundraising.
(02:17):
All right, let's rewind theclock to those early days of AI
and fundraising, back whenChatGPT first landed in the
spotlight, which was only twoyears ago.
Do you remember the buzz?
It was like something out of asci-fi movie exciting for some,
but downright nerve-wracking formany others.
A lot of nonprofitcommunication professionals felt
(02:40):
like their jobs were on theline and, honestly, I get it.
Felt like their jobs were onthe line and, honestly, I get it
.
When you hear about a tool thatcan write emails, social media
posts, even donor appeals.
It's natural to wonder wheredoes that leave me?
This wasn't just a tool thatcould help Some, worried, it
might replace them entirely.
And then there was this otherfear, one that ran deeper the
(03:02):
worry that AI would strip awaythe heart of what we do.
Fundraising is all aboutconnection.
It's about conversations,relationships, trust.
How do you build that with apiece of software?
Could donors tell if a thankyou email or an appeal came from
a computer instead of a person?
Would that even matter to them?
(03:22):
These were questions that keptpeople up at night.
Beyond that, there was anotherlooming question If AI could do
some of the work, where did thatleave the fundraiser in the
bigger picture?
Was our role becoming obsolete?
Was the human element, thecreativity, the empathy, the
storytelling about to get phasedout in favor of automation?
(03:43):
Now let's add to the mix theactual performance of AI in
those early days, and let's justsay it wasn't polished.
Sure, jet Cheap, bt couldstring words together and it was
impressive for the time, butwhen it came to crafting nuanced
, mission-driven messages thattruly reflected a non-profit's
(04:04):
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 andthe messaging felt hollow.
It wasn't just about writingpoorly.
It was about not being able tocapture what made your
organization's story special,and when you're asking someone
(04:24):
to invest their time, theirenergy or their money into a
cause, that's not something wecan afford to miss.
Another big hurdle was alignment.
Nonprofits have such uniqueways of communicating right.
Every word we put out thereneeds to reflect our values, our
mission and our voice.
Early, ai tools struggled toalign with that.
(04:44):
It felt like trying to teach arobot to speak a language it
didn't really understand, andsometimes it felt like the robot
wasn't even listening.
So if you were hesitant backthen, you weren't alone.
Many fundraisers decided itjust wasn't worth the risk or
the frustration.
The stakes were too high andthe technology wasn't there yet.
But here's the thing thosechallenges were the starting
(05:08):
point, not the end story, andpeople are saying the worst AI
you'll ever use is the AI oftoday, 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 tochange.
(05:29):
One of the biggest aha momentscame when people started using
AI for brainstorming and ideageneration.
You know how it goes.
Sometimes, no matter howcreative you are, you hit a wall
.
You're staring at a blank pageand you're trying to come up
with a fresh angle for your nextcampaign, and nothing's
clicking.
This is where AI really startedto shine.
(05:50):
Fundraisers began to see it as asounding board, a tool to
bounce ideas off of.
You could ask it what are somecreative ways to frame a
year-end giving campaign?
Or maybe what are someoverlooked benefits of our
programs that we haven'thighlighted yet?
And while the ideas weren'talways perfect, they often
sparked new directions orhighlighted gaps you might not
(06:12):
have seen otherwise.
For example, let's say you'replanning a gala.
You ask AI to suggest uniquethemes and it spits out
something that, on the surface,feels a little offbeat, like a
future of philanthropy themefocused on technology and
innovation.
At first you might think that'snot us, but then you realize
wait, this actually ties in withour mission to equip the next
(06:34):
generation of leaders.
Suddenly, you've got a freshidea that's perfectly aligned
with your goals.
Then there's drafting.
If you've ever spent hoursagonizing over the first draft
of an appeal letter, you knowhow time-consuming it can be.
Ai changed the game here.
Instead of starting fromscratch, you could give AI a
(06:54):
prompt, something like write adonor appeal letter for a
shelter that provides meals forthe homeless.
In minutes you'd have a draftthat might not be perfect, but
it gives you a solid foundationto build on.
And here's the magic Becauseyou're not stuck in first draft
territory.
You can focus your energy ontweaking, refining and infusing
(07:16):
the piece with that emotionalresonance that connects with
donors.
It's like having a reallyspeedy assistant who does the
heavy lifting, so you can spendmore time on the creative,
relationship-driven aspects ofyour work.
And let's not forget aboutediting.
Ai isn't just good for drafting, it's also an excellent editor.
Maybe you've written a blogpost or a case study and you
(07:38):
need a second set of eyes toclean it up.
Ai can help polish the language, catch grammatical errors or
even suggest ways to make yourmessage more clear or concise.
For instance, imagine you'rewriting a newsletter about a
recent program success.
You upload the text into an AItool and ask it to make this
more compelling.
(07:58):
In seconds, it highlights whereyour tone could be stronger or
suggest ways to tighten thenarrative.
Does it replace a human editor?
No, but it's like having anextra layer of quality control,
and that's a huge win whenyou're juggling the million
deadlines all of us innonprofits are.
The key takeaway here is that AIisn't just a tool.
(08:19):
It's a collaborator.
It doesn't replace thecreativity and the empathy that
fundraisers bring to the table,but it enhances what we can do.
It gives us the space to thinkbigger, act faster and stay
focused on what really mattersbuilding relationships and
making that impact.
Okay, okay, okay, let's shiftgears and talk about how far AI
(08:44):
has come in just two years.
It's honestly kind ofmind-blowing to think about the
advancements we've seen sincetools like ChatGPT first hit the
scene in November of 2022.
When it launched, we weredealing with a tool that was
exciting.
Well, let's face it, prettyrough around the edges.
Now the capabilities have grownexponentially, and it's not
(09:06):
just the technology that'simproved, it's how we have
learned to work with it.
First, let's talk about theimprovements in AI itself.
Early AI tools were impressivefor their time, but they had
serious limitations.
The language models oftenmissed the nuances that make
nonprofit communicationseffective, things like emotional
(09:27):
resonance, mission-drivenlanguage and aligning with an
organization's specific voice.
Fast forward just 24 months andtoday's AI is not just better
at understanding language, it'sbetter at understanding context,
for example.
Newer models are much moreadept at interpreting complex
(09:47):
prompts and producing outputsthat are coherent, relevant and
creative.
They've been trained on largerdata sets, so their grasp of
language and storytelling hasbecome sharper, and that's been
a game changer for fundraisers,who need tools that can meet
their standards of quality andauthenticity.
But here's the thing Even asthe models themselves got better
(10:10):
, we had to get better too atprompting.
If you've used AI, you know thatthe output is only as good as
the input.
Early on, we'd type insomething like write a
fundraising appeal and get backa generic, cookie-cutter letter
that didn't feel remotelyconnected to our cause.
Now we know better.
(10:30):
The key to unlocking AI'spotential is crafting detailed,
specific prompts.
Instead of write a fundraisingappeal today, we might say
something like write a heartfeltdonor appeal for an
organization that provides mealsto the homeless, focusing on
the impact of a $50 donation andincluding a personal story
(10:51):
about a family who benefited.
Hear the difference.
And here's where it gets evenmore exciting.
Tools like custom GPTs havetaken this to the next level.
With a custom GPT, you're notjust giving better prompts,
you're actually training the AIto understand your
organization's history, itsvalues, services, tone and style
(11:12):
.
Think of it as building aspecialized version of the AI
that knows your organizationinside and out.
Let's say your nonprofit has aunique way of talking about its
mission.
Maybe you emphasize empowermentover charity or collaboration
over competition?
A custom GPT can learn thatlanguage and produce content
(11:33):
that feels like it came straightfrom your team.
The result Outputs that are farmore aligned with your voice
and require way less rewritingthan those generated by a
generic AI model, and this hasled to a huge shift in
confidence when it comes toAI-generated content.
Two years ago, a lot of us werehesitant to let AI-created
(11:53):
pieces see the light of day.
Today, with the right tools andtechniques, many fundraisers
are comfortable using AI toproduce mass communications like
newsletters, blog posts andcampaign updates, provided
there's still human oversightand approval, of course.
That growing trust has made AIfeel less like a gamble and more
(12:14):
like a strategic advantage.
It's not that AI is going toreplace fundraisers, but
fundraisers who use AI are goingto replace fundraisers who
don't.
It's not about blindly lettingthe technology take over.
It's about using itthoughtfully to save time, to
increase efficiency and toelevate the quality of what
(12:34):
we're putting out into the world.
Let's talk about one of the bigelephants in the room when it
comes to AI, and that'sauthorship.
This is where things can get alittle personal for some folks.
Even with all the advancementswe've talked about, there's
still a lingering question If itwasn't written by us, should we
really be sending it out?
And that's a valid concern.
(12:55):
Authenticity is at the heart ofwhat we do in fundraising.
Donors trust us because theybelieve in our mission and the
people behind it.
So the idea of handing over thereins to AI can feel a bit
off-brand.
Right, it can raise fears thatthe messages we're sending out
might lack that human touch, thesincerity and the connection
that are so critical to thosedonor relationships.
(13:18):
But here's the thing, when youreally start to break it down,
the idea of using AI to draftcontent isn't all that different
from what many nonprofits havebeen doing for decades.
So let me explain.
Think about the CEO's message inyour newsletter.
How many times is that actuallywritten by the CEO?
If you've been in this fieldfor a while, you know the answer
(13:41):
Not very often.
Most of the time, thatheartfelt message is drafted by
someone in the communicationsteam.
Maybe it gets a quick tweak ora signature from the CEO, but
the heavy lifting is done by aspecialist who knows how to
craft that message or takefundraising appeals.
How often does the author ofthose letters, the person whose
(14:02):
name is printed at the bottom,actually sit down and write them
?
In many cases, those appealsare created by a team of people
who know how to weave acompelling narrative and speak
directly to the donor's heart.
This isn't about cutting corners.
It's about tapping intoexpertise.
We rely on professionals whounderstand storytelling, donor
(14:23):
psychology and strategicmessaging to get the job done.
The end result isn't any lessauthentic.
It's just the product ofcollaboration.
But let's bring this back to AI.
If we're comfortableghostwriting for our leadership
or crafting appeals on behalf ofothers, why should it be any
different when AI plays a rolein that process?
(14:43):
The key is that, just like withhuman ghostwriters, there's
still a final step review andapproval by the credited author
or organization.
That approval process iscritical.
It's where we, as fundraisers,ensure that the content reflects
the voice, the values and themission of our organization.
(15:04):
Whether a piece is written by acommunications professional or
generated with the help of AI,it needs to pass through those
same filters.
Is it aligned with ourmessaging?
Does it convey the emotion andurgency we're aiming for?
Would the credited author ororganization feel proud to stand
behind it?
In this way, ai becomes less ofa mysterious force and more
(15:26):
like any other tool we use tosupport our work.
The key is transparency andaccountability.
The organization's leaders,whether that's the CEO,
executive director or thefundraising team, still have the
final say in what goes out intothe world.
And here's the bottom line.
Authenticity doesn't come fromwho physically wrote the words.
(15:46):
It comes from the intentionbehind them and the care we take
in ensuring they align with ourmission and our values.
If AI helps us get there fasteror more efficiently, great, but
the responsibility for what wesend out always rests with us.
Let's talk about the power ofhuman creativity and how it
(16:07):
serves the foundation foreverything AI can do, and I want
to talk a little bit about thisconcept of hero content.
So let's be clear it's notabout superheroes swooping in to
save the day.
Hero content is the primarystory or the narrative that an
organization crafts.
It's the deep, well-thought-outpiece that captures the full
(16:29):
scope of a story, complete withits emotional arc, key details
and transformative impact.
Think of it as the cornerstoneof your communication strategy.
It could be a blog post thattells the story of a family
whose lives were transformed byyour programs, or maybe it's a
case study about a major projectthat brought incredible results
(16:49):
to the community.
Whatever it is, this herocontent is where the magic
starts.
It's the comprehensive,human-driven narrative that sets
the tone for everything else.
And why should humans take thelead in creating hero content?
Simple Stories aren't just acollection of facts.
They are an art form.
(17:10):
They require nuance, emotionand connection.
As much as AI has advanced,those qualities still come most
naturally from people who arepassionate about the mission and
deeply understand the audience.
But once that hero content iscreated, ai can step in to help
with what comes next, turningthat primary story into
(17:32):
derivative content.
And here's where it gets reallyexciting.
Let's say you've written a blogpost that dives deep into a
donor's journey, why they gavethe impact of their gift and the
lives that were changed as aresult.
That story has so muchpotential beyond the blog itself
.
With AI, you can repurpose thatcontent into all kinds of
(17:52):
formats.
For example, ai can condensethe blog post into a shorter
piece for your print newsletter.
It can generate highlightsummaries for your digital
newsletter, including acall-to-action link that brings
readers back to the full storyon your website.
Ai can also help draft a seriesof social media posts that
tease key elements of the story,driving traffic and engagement.
(18:17):
And what about fundraisingletters?
Ai can take that same narrativeand reframe it into a donor
appeal, keeping the core of thestory while adapting it to the
specific tone and structure thatworks best for an appeal.
The beauty of this process isthat it creates consistency in
your messaging.
By starting with onewell-crafted piece, you ensure
(18:38):
that every derivative versionreflects the same values, tone
and core message.
Your audience sees a cohesivestory across all of your
channels, which reinforces yourbrand and your mission.
This approach is alsoincredibly efficient.
Instead of starting fromscratch for each platform or
format, you're building onsomething you've already created
(18:59):
.
Ai can handle much of the heavylifting, freeing up your team
to focus on strategy, donorrelationships and other
high-impact activities.
But let me emphasize one thingthis does not mean you're
handing over full control to AI.
It's still essential to havehuman oversight at every stage
in the process.
You're not just looking forgrammatical errors.
(19:22):
You're ensuring that each piecestays true to your mission,
resonates with your audience andaligns with your goals.
So here's the takeaway allright, humans bring the heart,
the vision and the creativity tocraft that hero content.
Ai helps us scale that vision,turning a single story into a
(19:43):
multi-channel campaign that'sconsistent, efficient and
impactful.
It's a partnership that playsto the strengths of both.
And let's dig into the ethics ofusing AI in non-profit
communications, a topic thatfeels more important than ever
as AI becomes a bigger part ofour work.
Technology.
It's evolving fast and while itbrings incredible opportunities
(20:06):
, it also comes with deepresponsibilities.
How we choose to use AI caneither strengthen our
relationships with donors or, ifwe're not careful, damage the
trust we've worked so hard tobuild.
I want to first talk about masscommunications things like
newsletters, blog posts andappeals.
Personally, I'm comfortablewith AI playing a significant
(20:28):
role here, as long as there'shuman oversight.
With the tools and techniqueswe've discussed, ai can help us
create polished, professionalcontent that saves time and
resources.
But and this is a big key pieceno piece of AI-generated
content should go out without acareful human review, and that's
(20:50):
not just about catching typos.
It's about ensuring that themessaging aligns with your
organization's voice, values,goals and that the story is true
.
This balance letting AI do theheavy lifting while humans guide
and approve can be a realgame-changer.
It allows your team to focus onstrategy and relationship
building while still deliveringhigh quality content.
(21:14):
But let's also shift gears totalk about AI chatbots.
These have become increasinglypopular on for-profit websites,
and for good reason.
Chatbots can handle FAQsquickly and efficiently, things
like what's your mailing addressor how do I make a purchase.
They're especially helpful fororganizations that don't have
the capacity to answer everyinquiry in real time.
(21:36):
But here's where we need to becautious.
Chatbots should complementhuman interactions and not
replace them.
If a visitor's question becomesmore nuanced or emotionally
sensitive, like asking for helpaccessing services or wanting to
share a personal story, thereshould always be a clear pathway
to a human connection, and thisbrings us to an absolutely
(21:59):
non-negotiable pointtransparency.
Anytime someone interacts withAI, especially in a one-on-one
context, they should knowthey're talking to a chatbot or
an AI agent.
There's nothing wrong withusing AIs in these scenarios,
but honesty is critical.
If people find out after thefact that they've been engaging
(22:21):
with AI, it can feel like abreach of trust, and let's
address a more controversialapplication reach of trust.
And let's address a morecontroversial application AI
making sales or fundraisingcalls.
On one hand, ai agents have beenshown to have high success
rates in closing sales and thatcan be tempting to test it out
on securing donations, but onthe other hand, this raises
(22:42):
serious ethical questions whenit comes to donor relations.
Coercion even unintentionalcoercion is a huge red flag.
Donors give because they feelconnected to your mission and
values, not because they werecleverly persuaded by an
algorithm.
The risk with AI making thesecalls is that it could cross
ethical lines, pushing people togive in ways that feel
(23:04):
transactional or manipulative.
To me, this is where we need todraw a hard line.
Ai might be able to assist withdonor data and outreach
strategies, but when it comes tobuilding personal relationships
, that work is best left tohumans.
So how do we approach AI useethically?
Start by embracing it where itenhances relationships rather
(23:26):
than replacing them.
Mass communications, greatChatbots for FAQs Absolutely,
but when it comes to anythingthat could feel manipulative or
coercive, it's time for us tohit pause.
It's also helpful to haveorganizational principles around
AI use.
This could be as simple as achecklist you run through before
(23:47):
implementing any new AI tool.
Does this align with ourmission?
Are we being transparent?
Could this damage trust withour stakeholders?
If the answers raise any redflags, it's worth re-evaluating.
And don't forget, if you'reever unsure, there are resources
you can turn to, like the AFP'sEthical Code of Conduct and the
(24:09):
Donor Bill of Rights.
These frameworks can help guideyou when you're navigating new
territory with AI.
At the end of the day, ai is atool.
It's up to us to use it in waysthat uphold the integrity of
our work and strengthen therelationships that drive our
mission forward.
Well, we've covered a lot ofground today ambitious
fundraisers.
Let's take a moment to recapand tie everything together.
(24:32):
Over the past few years, we'veseen a remarkable shift in how
we think about AI in fundraising.
It started with skepticism andfear, concerns about job loss,
losing the human touch and therole of fundraisers in an
AI-driven world.
But as the technology hasadvanced and as we've learned
how to work with it, thoseinitial doubts have given way to
(24:54):
cautious optimism and for somegenuine excitement.
We've explored how AI can serveas a thought partner, helping
with brainstorming, drafting andediting.
We've seen how the evolution ofAI models and smarter prompting
, especially with tools likecustom GPTs has made our outputs
more aligned with ourorganizational values and voice,
(25:15):
and we've talked about thepower of human-crafted hero
content as the foundation forconsistent, impactful
communications.
With AI stepping in to scalethat work efficiently and
effectively.
But at every turn, we've comeback to one essential theme
ethical integration.
Whether it's using AI for masscommunications, deploying
(25:38):
chatbots for FAQs, or decidingwhere AI shouldn't play a role,
the key is being thoughtful,transparent and grounded in
trust.
Ai is an incredibly powerfultool, but how we use it and
where we draw the line is whatwill determine its impact on our
work and our relationships withdonors.
(26:00):
So here's my encouragement toyou Don't be afraid to explore
AI, experiment, learn and seewhere it can make your work more
efficient, creative andimpactful, but do it
thoughtfully, make sure italigns with your organization's
values, and don't hesitate tohit pause if something doesn't
feel right.
And now I want to hear from youhow are you using AI in your
(26:23):
fundraising work?
What challenges orbreakthroughs have you
experienced?
Let's keep this conversationgoing, reach out, share your
stories and let's learn from oneanother.
If you found today's episodehelpful, don't forget to hit
that subscribe button so younever miss an episode of let's
Talk Fundraising Subscribingensures that every time we
release a new conversationpacked with insights, strategies
(26:46):
and practical tips, it landsright in your feed, ready to
inspire your work, and iftoday's discussion sparked new
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could take a moment to leave areview.
Your feedback not only helps usimprove and keep delivering
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(27:08):
Whether it's a quick rating ora few sentences about what stood
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Keep up the amazing work you doevery day.
Hey there, hi, and welcome back.
Ambitious fundraisers.
I am so glad you're here.
Today.
We're diving into a topic thathas sparked some of the most
interesting debates and excitingbreakthroughs in our field over
the past couple of years AI andfundraising.
When ChatGPT first launched justtwo years ago, it seemed like
everyone in the nonprofit worldhad an opinion.
(00:26):
Some were intrigued by itspossibilities, but, let's be
real, many were downrightskeptical or even fearful.
Would AI take our jobs?
Would it replace the humantouch that makes donor
relationships so special?
And what about the role of thefundraiser?
Was that at risk ofdisappearing altogether?
Those were big questions and,if I'm honest, some of them felt
(00:48):
unsettling.
Back then, ai had its fairshare of problems, especially
when it came to writing qualityand tone.
The outputs often missed themark, feeling clunky or
off-brand, which only deepenedthe concerns about whether AI
could ever have a place innonprofit communications.
But fast forward to today andwow what a difference two years
(01:11):
can make.
Not only has the technologyimproved, but so has the way we
interact with it.
By using tools like custom GPTsand developing better prompts,
many of us have figured out howto harness AI as a tool that
enhances our work, rather thanreplacing it.
This evolution has brought upnew opportunities and new
(01:31):
ethical considerations.
It's not just about whether AIcan help us write a killer
fundraising appeal or a polishedblog post.
It's also about how we use itresponsibly.
How do we integrate AI in waysthat strengthen relationships
with donors and stay true to ourvalues as nonprofits?
That's what we're diving intotoday, from the early fears to
(01:54):
the exciting possibilities we'reseeing now.
We'll explore how sentimentsabout AI and fundraising have
shifted and what that means forthe future of our work.
So grab your coffee or yournotebook, because we're about to
dig into a conversation that'sequal parts practical and
thought-provoking.
So let's get into it and let'stalk fundraising.
(02:17):
All right, let's rewind theclock to those early days of AI
and fundraising, back whenChatGPT first landed in the
spotlight, which was only twoyears ago.
Do you remember the buzz?
It was like something out of asci-fi movie exciting for some,
but downright nerve-wracking formany others.
A lot of nonprofitcommunication professionals felt
(02:40):
like their jobs were on theline and, honestly, I get it.
Felt like their jobs were onthe line and, honestly, I get it
.
When you hear about a tool thatcan write emails, social media
posts, even donor appeals.
It's natural to wonder wheredoes that leave me?
This wasn't just a tool thatcould help Some, worried, it
might replace them entirely.
And then there was this otherfear, one that ran deeper the
(03:02):
worry that AI would strip awaythe heart of what we do.
Fundraising is all aboutconnection.
It's about conversations,relationships, trust.
How do you build that with apiece of software?
Could donors tell if a thankyou email or an appeal came from
a computer instead of a person?
Would that even matter to them?
(03:22):
These were questions that keptpeople up at night.
Beyond that, there was anotherlooming question If AI could do
some of the work, where did thatleave the fundraiser in the
bigger picture?
Was our role becoming obsolete?
Was the human element, thecreativity, the empathy, the
storytelling about to get phasedout in favor of automation?
(03:43):
Now let's add to the mix theactual performance of AI in
those early days, and let's justsay it wasn't polished.
Sure, jet Cheap, bt couldstring words together and it was
impressive for the time, butwhen it came to crafting nuanced
, mission-driven messages thattruly reflected a non-profit's
(04:04):
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 andthe messaging felt hollow.
It wasn't just about writingpoorly.
It was about not being able tocapture what made your
organization's story special,and when you're asking someone
(04:24):
to invest their time, theirenergy or their money into a
cause, that's not something wecan afford to miss.
Another big hurdle was alignment.
Nonprofits have such uniqueways of communicating right.
Every word we put out thereneeds to reflect our values, our
mission and our voice.
Early, ai tools struggled toalign with that.
(04:44):
It felt like trying to teach arobot to speak a language it
didn't really understand, andsometimes it felt like the robot
wasn't even listening.
So if you were hesitant backthen, you weren't alone.
Many fundraisers decided itjust wasn't worth the risk or
the frustration.
The stakes were too high andthe technology wasn't there yet.
But here's the thing thosechallenges were the starting
(05:08):
point, not the end story, andpeople are saying the worst AI
you'll ever use is the AI oftoday, 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 tochange.
(05:29):
One of the biggest aha momentscame when people started using
AI for brainstorming and ideageneration.
You know how it goes.
Sometimes, no matter howcreative you are, you hit a wall
.
You're staring at a blank pageand you're trying to come up
with a fresh angle for your nextcampaign, and nothing's
clicking.
This is where AI really startedto shine.
(05:50):
Fundraisers began to see it as asounding board, a tool to
bounce ideas off of.
You could ask it what are somecreative ways to frame a
year-end giving campaign?
Or maybe what are someoverlooked benefits of our
programs that we haven'thighlighted yet?
And while the ideas weren'talways perfect, they often
sparked new directions orhighlighted gaps you might not
(06:12):
have seen otherwise.
For example, let's say you'replanning a gala.
You ask AI to suggest uniquethemes and it spits out
something that, on the surface,feels a little offbeat, like a
future of philanthropy themefocused on technology and
innovation.
At first you might think that'snot us, but then you realize
wait, this actually ties in withour mission to equip the next
(06:34):
generation of leaders.
Suddenly, you've got a freshidea that's perfectly aligned
with your goals.
Then there's drafting.
If you've ever spent hoursagonizing over the first draft
of an appeal letter, you knowhow time-consuming it can be.
Ai changed the game here.
Instead of starting fromscratch, you could give AI a
(06:54):
prompt, something like write adonor appeal letter for a
shelter that provides meals forthe homeless.
In minutes you'd have a draftthat might not be perfect, but
it gives you a solid foundationto build on.
And here's the magic Becauseyou're not stuck in first draft
territory.
You can focus your energy ontweaking, refining and infusing
(07:16):
the piece with that emotionalresonance that connects with
donors.
It's like having a reallyspeedy assistant who does the
heavy lifting, so you can spendmore time on the creative,
relationship-driven aspects ofyour work.
And let's not forget aboutediting.
Ai isn't just good for drafting, it's also an excellent editor.
Maybe you've written a blogpost or a case study and you
(07:38):
need a second set of eyes toclean it up.
Ai can help polish the language, catch grammatical errors or
even suggest ways to make yourmessage more clear or concise.
For instance, imagine you'rewriting a newsletter about a
recent program success.
You upload the text into an AItool and ask it to make this
more compelling.
(07:58):
In seconds, it highlights whereyour tone could be stronger or
suggest ways to tighten thenarrative.
Does it replace a human editor?
No, but it's like having anextra layer of quality control,
and that's a huge win whenyou're juggling the million
deadlines all of us innonprofits are.
The key takeaway here is that AIisn't just a tool.
(08:19):
It's a collaborator.
It doesn't replace thecreativity and the empathy that
fundraisers bring to the table,but it enhances what we can do.
It gives us the space to thinkbigger, act faster and stay
focused on what really mattersbuilding relationships and
making that impact.
Okay, okay, okay, let's shiftgears and talk about how far AI
(08:44):
has come in just two years.
It's honestly kind ofmind-blowing to think about the
advancements we've seen sincetools like ChatGPT first hit the
scene in November of 2022.
When it launched, we weredealing with a tool that was
exciting.
Well, let's face it, prettyrough around the edges.
Now the capabilities have grownexponentially, and it's not
(09:06):
just the technology that'simproved, it's how we have
learned to work with it.
First, let's talk about theimprovements in AI itself.
Early AI tools were impressivefor their time, but they had
serious limitations.
The language models oftenmissed the nuances that make
nonprofit communicationseffective, things like emotional
(09:27):
resonance, mission-drivenlanguage and aligning with an
organization's specific voice.
Fast forward just 24 months andtoday's AI is not just better
at understanding language, it'sbetter at understanding context,
for example.
Newer models are much moreadept at interpreting complex
(09:47):
prompts and producing outputsthat are coherent, relevant and
creative.
They've been trained on largerdata sets, so their grasp of
language and storytelling hasbecome sharper, and that's been
a game changer for fundraisers,who need tools that can meet
their standards of quality andauthenticity.
But here's the thing Even asthe models themselves got better
(10:10):
, we had to get better too atprompting.
If you've used AI, you know thatthe output is only as good as
the input.
Early on, we'd type insomething like write a
fundraising appeal and get backa generic, cookie-cutter letter
that didn't feel remotelyconnected to our cause.
Now we know better.
(10:30):
The key to unlocking AI'spotential is crafting detailed,
specific prompts.
Instead of write a fundraisingappeal today, we might say
something like write a heartfeltdonor appeal for an
organization that provides mealsto the homeless, focusing on
the impact of a $50 donation andincluding a personal story
(10:51):
about a family who benefited.
Hear the difference.
And here's where it gets evenmore exciting.
Tools like custom GPTs havetaken this to the next level.
With a custom GPT, you're notjust giving better prompts,
you're actually training the AIto understand your
organization's history, itsvalues, services, tone and style
(11:12):
.
Think of it as building aspecialized version of the AI
that knows your organizationinside and out.
Let's say your nonprofit has aunique way of talking about its
mission.
Maybe you emphasize empowermentover charity or collaboration
over competition?
A custom GPT can learn thatlanguage and produce content
(11:33):
that feels like it came straightfrom your team.
The result Outputs that are farmore aligned with your voice
and require way less rewritingthan those generated by a
generic AI model, and this hasled to a huge shift in
confidence when it comes toAI-generated content.
Two years ago, a lot of us werehesitant to let AI-created
(11:53):
pieces see the light of day.
Today, with the right tools andtechniques, many fundraisers
are comfortable using AI toproduce mass communications like
newsletters, blog posts andcampaign updates, provided
there's still human oversightand approval, of course.
That growing trust has made AIfeel less like a gamble and more
(12:14):
like a strategic advantage.
It's not that AI is going toreplace fundraisers, but
fundraisers who use AI are goingto replace fundraisers who
don't.
It's not about blindly lettingthe technology take over.
It's about using itthoughtfully to save time, to
increase efficiency and toelevate the quality of what
(12:34):
we're putting out into the world.
Let's talk about one of the bigelephants in the room when it
comes to AI, and that'sauthorship.
This is where things can get alittle personal for some folks.
Even with all the advancementswe've talked about, there's
still a lingering question If itwasn't written by us, should we
really be sending it out?
And that's a valid concern.
(12:55):
Authenticity is at the heart ofwhat we do in fundraising.
Donors trust us because theybelieve in our mission and the
people behind it.
So the idea of handing over thereins to AI can feel a bit
off-brand.
Right, it can raise fears thatthe messages we're sending out
might lack that human touch, thesincerity and the connection
that are so critical to thosedonor relationships.
(13:18):
But here's the thing, when youreally start to break it down,
the idea of using AI to draftcontent isn't all that different
from what many nonprofits havebeen doing for decades.
So let me explain.
Think about the CEO's message inyour newsletter.
How many times is that actuallywritten by the CEO?
If you've been in this fieldfor a while, you know the answer
(13:41):
Not very often.
Most of the time, thatheartfelt message is drafted by
someone in the communicationsteam.
Maybe it gets a quick tweak ora signature from the CEO, but
the heavy lifting is done by aspecialist who knows how to
craft that message or takefundraising appeals.
How often does the author ofthose letters, the person whose
(14:02):
name is printed at the bottom,actually sit down and write them
?
In many cases, those appealsare created by a team of people
who know how to weave acompelling narrative and speak
directly to the donor's heart.
This isn't about cutting corners.
It's about tapping intoexpertise.
We rely on professionals whounderstand storytelling, donor
(14:23):
psychology and strategicmessaging to get the job done.
The end result isn't any lessauthentic.
It's just the product ofcollaboration.
But let's bring this back to AI.
If we're comfortableghostwriting for our leadership
or crafting appeals on behalf ofothers, why should it be any
different when AI plays a rolein that process?
(14:43):
The key is that, just like withhuman ghostwriters, there's
still a final step review andapproval by the credited author
or organization.
That approval process iscritical.
It's where we, as fundraisers,ensure that the content reflects
the voice, the values and themission of our organization.
(15:04):
Whether a piece is written by acommunications professional or
generated with the help of AI,it needs to pass through those
same filters.
Is it aligned with ourmessaging?
Does it convey the emotion andurgency we're aiming for?
Would the credited author ororganization feel proud to stand
behind it?
In this way, ai becomes less ofa mysterious force and more
(15:26):
like any other tool we use tosupport our work.
The key is transparency andaccountability.
The organization's leaders,whether that's the CEO,
executive director or thefundraising team, still have the
final say in what goes out intothe world.
And here's the bottom line.
Authenticity doesn't come fromwho physically wrote the words.
(15:46):
It comes from the intentionbehind them and the care we take
in ensuring they align with ourmission and our values.
If AI helps us get there fasteror more efficiently, great, but
the responsibility for what wesend out always rests with us.
Let's talk about the power ofhuman creativity and how it
(16:07):
serves the foundation foreverything AI can do, and I want
to talk a little bit about thisconcept of hero content.
So let's be clear it's notabout superheroes swooping in to
save the day.
Hero content is the primarystory or the narrative that an
organization crafts.
It's the deep, well-thought-outpiece that captures the full
(16:29):
scope of a story, complete withits emotional arc, key details
and transformative impact.
Think of it as the cornerstoneof your communication strategy.
It could be a blog post thattells the story of a family
whose lives were transformed byyour programs, or maybe it's a
case study about a major projectthat brought incredible results
(16:49):
to the community.
Whatever it is, this herocontent is where the magic
starts.
It's the comprehensive,human-driven narrative that sets
the tone for everything else.
And why should humans take thelead in creating hero content?
Simple Stories aren't just acollection of facts.
They are an art form.
(17:10):
They require nuance, emotionand connection.
As much as AI has advanced,those qualities still come most
naturally from people who arepassionate about the mission and
deeply understand the audience.
But once that hero content iscreated, ai can step in to help
with what comes next, turningthat primary story into
(17:32):
derivative content.
And here's where it gets reallyexciting.
Let's say you've written a blogpost that dives deep into a
donor's journey, why they gavethe impact of their gift and the
lives that were changed as aresult.
That story has so muchpotential beyond the blog itself
.
With AI, you can repurpose thatcontent into all kinds of
(17:52):
formats.
For example, ai can condensethe blog post into a shorter
piece for your print newsletter.
It can generate highlightsummaries for your digital
newsletter, including acall-to-action link that brings
readers back to the full storyon your website.
Ai can also help draft a seriesof social media posts that
tease key elements of the story,driving traffic and engagement.
(18:17):
And what about fundraisingletters?
Ai can take that same narrativeand reframe it into a donor
appeal, keeping the core of thestory while adapting it to the
specific tone and structure thatworks best for an appeal.
The beauty of this process isthat it creates consistency in
your messaging.
By starting with onewell-crafted piece, you ensure
(18:38):
that every derivative versionreflects the same values, tone
and core message.
Your audience sees a cohesivestory across all of your
channels, which reinforces yourbrand and your mission.
This approach is alsoincredibly efficient.
Instead of starting fromscratch for each platform or
format, you're building onsomething you've already created
(18:59):
.
Ai can handle much of the heavylifting, freeing up your team
to focus on strategy, donorrelationships and other
high-impact activities.
But let me emphasize one thingthis does not mean you're
handing over full control to AI.
It's still essential to havehuman oversight at every stage
in the process.
You're not just looking forgrammatical errors.
(19:22):
You're ensuring that each piecestays true to your mission,
resonates with your audience andaligns with your goals.
So here's the takeaway allright, humans bring the heart,
the vision and the creativity tocraft that hero content.
Ai helps us scale that vision,turning a single story into a
(19:43):
multi-channel campaign that'sconsistent, efficient and
impactful.
It's a partnership that playsto the strengths of both.
And let's dig into the ethics ofusing AI in non-profit
communications, a topic thatfeels more important than ever
as AI becomes a bigger part ofour work.
Technology.
It's evolving fast and while itbrings incredible opportunities
(20:06):
, it also comes with deepresponsibilities.
How we choose to use AI caneither strengthen our
relationships with donors or, ifwe're not careful, damage the
trust we've worked so hard tobuild.
I want to first talk about masscommunications things like
newsletters, blog posts andappeals.
Personally, I'm comfortablewith AI playing a significant
(20:28):
role here, as long as there'shuman oversight.
With the tools and techniqueswe've discussed, ai can help us
create polished, professionalcontent that saves time and
resources.
But and this is a big key pieceno piece of AI-generated
content should go out without acareful human review, and that's
(20:50):
not just about catching typos.
It's about ensuring that themessaging aligns with your
organization's voice, values,goals and that the story is true
.
This balance letting AI do theheavy lifting while humans guide
and approve can be a realgame-changer.
It allows your team to focus onstrategy and relationship
building while still deliveringhigh quality content.
(21:14):
But let's also shift gears totalk about AI chatbots.
These have become increasinglypopular on for-profit websites,
and for good reason.
Chatbots can handle FAQsquickly and efficiently, things
like what's your mailing addressor how do I make a purchase.
They're especially helpful fororganizations that don't have
the capacity to answer everyinquiry in real time.
(21:36):
But here's where we need to becautious.
Chatbots should complementhuman interactions and not
replace them.
If a visitor's question becomesmore nuanced or emotionally
sensitive, like asking for helpaccessing services or wanting to
share a personal story, thereshould always be a clear pathway
to a human connection, and thisbrings us to an absolutely
(21:59):
non-negotiable pointtransparency.
Anytime someone interacts withAI, especially in a one-on-one
context, they should knowthey're talking to a chatbot or
an AI agent.
There's nothing wrong withusing AIs in these scenarios,
but honesty is critical.
If people find out after thefact that they've been engaging
(22:21):
with AI, it can feel like abreach of trust, and let's
address a more controversialapplication reach of trust.
And let's address a morecontroversial application AI
making sales or fundraisingcalls.
On one hand, ai agents have beenshown to have high success
rates in closing sales and thatcan be tempting to test it out
on securing donations, but onthe other hand, this raises
(22:42):
serious ethical questions whenit comes to donor relations.
Coercion even unintentionalcoercion is a huge red flag.
Donors give because they feelconnected to your mission and
values, not because they werecleverly persuaded by an
algorithm.
The risk with AI making thesecalls is that it could cross
ethical lines, pushing people togive in ways that feel
(23:04):
transactional or manipulative.
To me, this is where we need todraw a hard line.
Ai might be able to assist withdonor data and outreach
strategies, but when it comes tobuilding personal relationships
, that work is best left tohumans.
So how do we approach AI useethically?
Start by embracing it where itenhances relationships rather
(23:26):
than replacing them.
Mass communications, greatChatbots for FAQs Absolutely,
but when it comes to anythingthat could feel manipulative or
coercive, it's time for us tohit pause.
It's also helpful to haveorganizational principles around
AI use.
This could be as simple as achecklist you run through before
(23:47):
implementing any new AI tool.
Does this align with ourmission?
Are we being transparent?
Could this damage trust withour stakeholders?
If the answers raise any redflags, it's worth re-evaluating.
And don't forget, if you'reever unsure, there are resources
you can turn to, like the AFP'sEthical Code of Conduct and the
(24:09):
Donor Bill of Rights.
These frameworks can help guideyou when you're navigating new
territory with AI.
At the end of the day, ai is atool.
It's up to us to use it in waysthat uphold the integrity of
our work and strengthen therelationships that drive our
mission forward.
Well, we've covered a lot ofground today ambitious
fundraisers.
Let's take a moment to recapand tie everything together.
(24:32):
Over the past few years, we'veseen a remarkable shift in how
we think about AI in fundraising.
It started with skepticism andfear, concerns about job loss,
losing the human touch and therole of fundraisers in an
AI-driven world.
But as the technology hasadvanced and as we've learned
how to work with it, thoseinitial doubts have given way to
(24:54):
cautious optimism and for somegenuine excitement.
We've explored how AI can serveas a thought partner, helping
with brainstorming, drafting andediting.
We've seen how the evolution ofAI models and smarter prompting
, especially with tools likecustom GPTs has made our outputs
more aligned with ourorganizational values and voice,
(25:15):
and we've talked about thepower of human-crafted hero
content as the foundation forconsistent, impactful
communications.
With AI stepping in to scalethat work efficiently and
effectively.
But at every turn, we've comeback to one essential theme
ethical integration.
Whether it's using AI for masscommunications, deploying
(25:38):
chatbots for FAQs, or decidingwhere AI shouldn't play a role,
the key is being thoughtful,transparent and grounded in
trust.
Ai is an incredibly powerfultool, but how we use it and
where we draw the line is whatwill determine its impact on our
work and our relationships withdonors.
(26:00):
So here's my encouragement toyou Don't be afraid to explore
AI, experiment, learn and seewhere it can make your work more
efficient, creative andimpactful, but do it
thoughtfully, make sure italigns with your organization's
values, and don't hesitate tohit pause if something doesn't
feel right.
And now I want to hear from youhow are you using AI in your
(26:23):
fundraising work?
What challenges orbreakthroughs have you
experienced?
Let's keep this conversationgoing, reach out, share your
stories and let's learn from oneanother.
If you found today's episodehelpful, don't forget to hit
that subscribe button so younever miss an episode of let's
Talk Fundraising Subscribingensures that every time we
release a new conversationpacked with insights, strategies
(26:46):
and practical tips, it landsright in your feed, ready to
inspire your work, and iftoday's discussion sparked new
ideas or gave you a freshperspective, I'd love it if you
could take a moment to leave areview.
Your feedback not only helps usimprove and keep delivering
content that resonates with you,but it also helps other
fundraisers like you discoverthe podcast.
(27:08):
Whether it's a quick rating ora few sentences about what stood
out to you, it means the worldto me, and it makes a huge
difference in spreading the word.
Keep up the amazing work you doevery day.
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