Let’s Talk About Artificial Intelligence & Nonprofits

What is Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial Intelligence or AI is the development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, etc.

There’s been a lot of buzz about Artificial Intelligence (AI) lately with the release of ChatGPT, an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI. In its broadest sense, AI is any machine or application that simulates human intelligence. AI can be used to process  language or analyze data. 

While the topic of AI may elicit images from a thriller movie where a computer-turned-human takes over the world… Artificial Intelligence programs can be leveraged as powerful tools for good. And that’s what we want to talk about today!

As busy nonprofit or church leaders, how could AI help you save time and grow your organization? Could AI help you with fundraising, content creation, or grant writing?  To help you answer this question, we did some research to kick-start your exploration of AI. 

Potential Uses of AI in the Nonprofit World

There are several ways AI can potentially help nonprofits improve their funding strategy. Here are some potential ways you could use AI in your organization: 

1. Automated writing: AI writing tools can create content to use in fundraising letters, grant writing, newsletters, and other donor communications.
2. Image and video creation: AI can create original visual content including infographics, videos, and images. 
3. Personalized fundraising: AI can analyze donor data and create personalized fundraising campaigns tailored to each donor’s giving history and interests. 
4. Donor behavior analysis: AI can analyze donor behavior and identify patterns in giving, allowing nonprofits and churches to better understand how their donors give. 
5. Translation: AI-powered translation tools can help translate content into multiple languages quickly and accurately.

Benefits & Limitations of AI

Benefits:

• Increased efficiency: AI can quickly create easy-to-understand text and illustrations.
• Overcoming writer’s block: AI-powered content can be used as a first draft for written projects.
• Multilingual content creation: AI can empower diversity by allowing easy translation of content into multiple languages. 
• Improved consistency: AI-powered content can help maintain consistency in tone, style, and brand voice across different pieces of content.
• Improved Data Analytics: AI can analyze and come to conclusions very quickly on a broad range of data.

Limitations 

• Lack of authenticity: Content generated by AI may lack the human touch and authenticity that resonates with audiences. It’s important not to rely on AI alone to create content that will make your stakeholders feel connected and valued. 
• Risk of plagiarism: AI is limited in its ability to rephrase content sufficiently enough to avoid plagiarism concerns. If you ask AI to “rewrite” a section of pasted content, make sure to review and edit the results as needed. 
• Credibility concerns: AI models are only as good as the data they are trained on. If the data they are trained on is inaccurate or biased, the AI’s outputs will reflect that inaccuracy or bias. 

AI Platforms You Could Try Today

For those who are interested in learning more about AI that could help your organization, we have researched a few popular platforms. (Note: these are just a few of the many options on the market. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but rather to provide you with a starting point for your own research.)

Fundwriter.ai: Fundwriter AI is focused on producing written content. The platform provides fundraising-specific templates and writing aid to help you construct letters, email campaigns, annual reports, and grant proposals faster. The AI tracks your writing prompts and adapts to your personal style the more you use it. 

Donor Search: Donor Search is one of the most popular AI tools for nonprofits. The platform analyzes your current donor base and potential new donors to help you construct targeted fundraising campaigns. 

Jasper: While not nonprofit-specific, Jasper is one of the top AIs for content creation, including both written content and illustrations. The platform includes a Chrome extension that allows users to easily write drafts in other word processors. 

ChatGPT: ChatGPT is widely considered the most advanced AI on the market right now, and the basic version is (for now at least) free to use! ChatGPT can provide starter drafts for all kinds of written content, and can serve as a research-starter tool. 

Try typing the following prompts into the chat bar to get a feel for how the AI works:

• “Share tips for writing a good fundraising letter.”
• Share contextual information about the project for which you need funding and the tone and approximate length of the letter, and then type, “Use this information to create a fundraising letter draft.” 
• “Where can I find information about how to complete a Form 990 for my organization?”