Fundraising Tools & Software     |     2 February 2026

How Nonprofits Can Use AI to Boost Fundraising, Engagement, and Impact

18 practical ways they can use AI to lighten workloads and strengthen supporter relationships

7 minute read

Nonprofits are used to working with limited resources, stretched schedules, and small teams that are worn out. Even the most dedicated staff and volunteers struggle to balance fundraising, communication, events, and administrative work. AI tools can relieve that pressure by helping teams save time, work more efficiently, and deliver more personalized experiences to supporters.

Read on to explore the most useful ways to use AI for nonprofits, with real examples, recommended tools, and easy wins for teams that want to work smarter, not harder.

Disclaimer: AI tools evolve daily. The platforms listed here are common and widely used today, but availability and features may change over time.

Why AI for nonprofits matters

Artificial intelligence (AI) used to feel out of reach for small organizations, reserved for large companies with specialized tech teams. Now, easy-to-use tools make it possible for nonprofits of any size to take advantage of automation, content support, and data insights. Many of these tools are free or inexpensive, and they don’t require advanced skills to start using.

AI doesn’t replace the human elements of mission work. Instead, it frees your team to focus on relationships, creativity, and strategy. These are the areas where nonprofits excel but often lack time.

18 uses for AI tools for nonprofits

Below are 18 practical ways nonprofits can use AI to support daily operations, donor communication, fundraising, marketing, events, and internal workflows. Each idea includes examples, tool suggestions, and tips for implementation.

1. Drafting donor emails and outreach messages

AI writing tools are strong first-draft assistants, helping you complete appeal letters, thank-you notes, monthly newsletters, and stewardship messages in minutes instead of hours. Staff can then refine the draft to match your organization’s voice and mission.

Where this helps most:

• Year-end giving campaigns
• Recurring donor updates
• Volunteer recruitment emails
• Impact summaries after events
  
  

Try: ChatGPT, Gemini, Jasper

2. Personalizing messages for better engagement

Supporters respond better to communication that feels relevant. AI can analyze donor history, event attendance, interests, and past interactions to help you customize messages automatically.

This level of personalization is a core part of how to use AI for nonprofit marketing campaigns, especially when sending targeted appeals.

Try: Mailchimp AI segmentation, HubSpot smart lists, Constant Contact email AI

3. Speeding up grant writing and proposal development

Grant writing often consumes hours of staff time. AI tools can summarize old proposals, organize funder requirements, and help structure narratives that match funder expectations.

What AI can help produce:

• Statement of need
• Organizational history
• Project descriptions
• Logic models
• Outcomes and evaluation sections

Staff still lead accuracy and storytelling, but AI takes care of the heavy lifting.

Try: Notion AI, ChatGPT

4. Identifying donor trends and predicting giving behavior

Many nonprofits struggle to understand which donors are likely to give again. AI-powered CRM features can flag patterns such as:

• Lapsed donors likely to re-engage
• Supporters ready for a higher gift
• Prospects who prefer events over campaigns

This makes fundraising outreach more strategic and less of a guessing game.

Try: Bloomerang Insights, Virtuous CRM, Salesforce Einstein (Nonprofit Cloud)

5. Writing social media content and captions

AI tools can generate ready-to-post captions, video scripts, and content themes for different platforms. This helps organizations stay active online even without a dedicated social media team.

Tip: Provide the AI with context (your mission, tone, and upcoming goals) so the output feels more aligned.

Try: Canva Magic Write, Buffer AI assistant, Adobe Express

6. Generating graphics, flyers, and visual content

Strong visuals help campaigns stand out. AI design tools can create flyers, icons, social graphics, posters, and presentation slides with ease.

Small teams can produce polished materials that look like they came from a professional designer.

Try: Canva’s AI tools, Adobe Express AI, Microsoft Designer

7. Producing impact videos and short clips

AI video creation tools turn written stories into short, engaging videos perfect for social media, events, or donor meetings. Visual storytelling boosts engagement and is more shareable than text alone.

Try: Descript, InVideo, Animoto

8. Improving SEO and website visibility

If donors can’t find your website, they can’t give. AI SEO tools help nonprofits identify search terms supporters use, improve page structure, and diagnose barriers that might hurt search ranking.

Try: Ahrefs, SEMrush, Clearscope, SurferSEO

9. Automating volunteer scheduling and communication

Volunteers are essential but hard to coordinate. AI tools can match volunteers to roles based on skills and availability, send reminders, track hours, and reduce last-minute no-shows.

Try: Rosterfy, Bloomerang Volunteer

10. Drafting event copy, scripts, and programs

Event planning takes a lot of writing:

• Auction descriptions
• Run-of-show documents
• Presenter scripts
• Stage announcements
• Sponsor shoutouts

AI writing assistants can help generate these materials quickly. You can then edit for tone or add organization-specific details.

Try: ChatGPT, Writer.com, Grammarly

11. Forecasting event attendance

AI event tools can analyze registration patterns and past event performance to predict turnout. This helps with decisions like:

• Catering quantities
• Room setup
• Volunteer needs
• Seating layouts

Better predictions prevent waste and reduce last-minute stress.

Try: Google Sheets paired with AI analysis tools

12. Supporting virtual and hybrid events

AI-enabled platforms can help attendees connect by suggesting breakout groups based on interests or browsing behavior. They can also generate transcripts and recap notes for accessibility.

Try: Zoom AI Companion, Microsoft Teams recaps, Hopin AI features

13. Summarizing meetings and organizing action items

AI meeting tools can capture discussion notes, highlight follow-ups, and send summaries automatically. This keeps everyone aligned, even volunteers who couldn’t attend.

Try: Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai, Zoom AI

14. Transcribing interviews and impact stories

If your nonprofit relies on interviews or testimonials, AI can transcribe recordings in minutes. Staff can then edit or repurpose the content into:

• Donor stories
• Blog posts
• Event videos
• Social media snippets

This turns raw conversations into usable assets without time-consuming transcription.

Try: Otter.ai, Descript, AssemblyAI

15. Helping with internal documentation and training

AI can help create training manuals, onboarding checklists, volunteer guides, and policy drafts. These resources keep teams consistent and reduce the time needed to onboard new staff.

Try: Notion AI, Slite AI, Trello power-ups

16. Automating data entry and reducing manual work

AI tools can categorize messages, update CRM records, sync form submissions, and clean data automatically. Many nonprofits report saving several hours each week simply by automating tedious steps.

Try: Zapier, Make.com, Relay.app

17. Screening job applicants and supporting hiring

Hiring is time-consuming. AI recruiting tools can help review applications, scan resumes for required skills, and track communication with candidates. This supports faster, more organized hiring cycles, especially helpful for small HR teams.

Try: Breezy HR, Workable, BambooHR AI screening

18. Creating customized outreach for corporate partners

AI can draft personalized messages and donor requests for potential funders, board prospects, or sponsors on networks like LinkedIn. This makes cold outreach warmer by including references to partnerships, shared interests, or aligned community goals.

Try: ChatGPT custom messaging, LinkedIn AI

Using AI responsibly in your nonprofit

AI can be helpful, but it must be implemented with care. Keep these principles in mind:

Start small

Choose one task, like drafting a newsletter or summarizing a meeting, and expand gradually.

Keep humans involved

Staff should always review AI-generated content for accuracy, tone, and alignment with organizational values.

Watch for bias

AI tools learn from existing data, which can include bias. Regular checks help maintain fairness and inclusion.

Maintain privacy

Avoid pasting sensitive or confidential donor information into external AI tools.

Train your team

Give staff time to learn, experiment, and feel comfortable with the technology.

A practical getting started roadmap

Many nonprofit teams feel excited about AI but aren’t sure where to begin. The good news is that you don’t need a complete technology overhaul to see real benefits. A simple, gradual approach works best and keeps your team from feeling overwhelmed.

The easiest starting point is to choose one pain point that consistently slows you down. This could be writing email drafts, summarizing meetings, creating graphics, or segmenting your mailing list. Once you identify a task that drains time or energy, pick one AI tool to test for 30 days. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s learning what feels useful and what doesn’t.

Next, create clear guidance for staff who plan to use AI. This might include rules about what content requires human review, what information should not be entered into AI tools, and how staff can share tips with each other. These guidelines help everyone stay on the same page as you explore new tools.

It’s also helpful to build a shared internal resource folder, an “AI library,” where staff can save prompts, best practices, and examples of successful outputs. Over time, this becomes a collective knowledge base your whole team can use.

Finally, schedule a monthly review to look at what’s working. Ask questions like:

• Did the tool save time?
• Was the output accurate?
• Do we need to refine our prompts?
• Should we expand to other tasks?

This small, repeatable process helps your nonprofit adopt AI at a healthy pace without disrupting everyday work.

Common AI pitfalls and how to avoid them

AI can be incredibly helpful, but like any tool, it comes with common missteps. Knowing what to watch for prevents frustration and protects your organization’s reputation.

One of the biggest challenges is leaning too heavily on AI for sensitive outreach, such as personal donor messages or stewardship letters. AI can draft the structure, but staff should fine-tune the final version so it reflects your mission, tone, and values.

Another pitfall is copying AI-generated content without editing. Even when language sounds clear, it may feel generic or slightly off-brand. A quick human review ensures accuracy and authenticity.

Nonprofits should also be aware of usage rights for AI-generated images or media. Some platforms allow full commercial use, while others have restrictions. Always check licensing information before publishing images or graphics.

Finally, avoid sending AI-created grant drafts without careful verification. AI can help organize information and streamline wording, but funders expect accuracy when it comes to data, budgets, and program details. A staff member should confirm every fact and make sure the proposal aligns with funder expectations.

Watching for these pitfalls helps your team use AI effectively without compromising quality or trust.

Bringing it all together for a stronger, more efficient team

AI won’t replace the empathy, creativity, and connection that drive mission work. But it can shoulder the routine tasks that hold your team back. With the right mix of AI tools, your nonprofit can:

• Communicate more consistently
• Personalize supporter experiences
• Improve event success
• Reduce burnout
• Make smarter decisions

If your organization is also looking for better tools to manage auctions, raffles, ticketing, and donor engagement, Silent Auction Pro can help. While there aren’t currently any direct AI features, our platform streamlines event planning so your team can focus on relationships and not logistics. Combine AI tools with Silent Auction Pro’s powerful features, and you’ll be one step closer to more efficient and profitable fundraisers.

Request a free demo to see how Silent Auction Pro can simplify your next event and give your team more time for the work that moves your mission forward.