AI is transforming how nonprofits run campaigns, reports to donors, and collaborate with boards. Small teams often manage fundraising, content creation, social media, and data analysis —all while protecting resources for their mission.
With limited budgets and high expectations, long-term goals can get lost in daily demands. This leads to burnout, fewer opportunities to connect with donors, and slowed progress toward mission goals. Boards are also asking for faster, clearer reporting and actionable insights.
In the past, AI assistants, predictive models, and automation platforms felt too expensive or technically complex for small and mid-sized nonprofits. But today, AI tools for nonprofits make it simple to automate follow-ups, draft materials, and summarize reports without major investments in software or training.
Still, according to a 2025 NCF Foundation survey, only 14% of nonprofits use AI effectively. The organizations seeing the most success start small, set clear objectives, and train their teams to use AI responsibly so it supports—not replaces—human decision-making.
Table of Contents
Why AI Matters for Nonprofits
AI is no longer just for large corporations or tech companies — it’s now a practical, affordable resource for nonprofits of all sizes. By automating repetitive work, analyzing large data sets, and improving communication workflows, AI enables staff and board members to focus more of their time on high-impact, mission-driven work.
Three Types of AI Most Relevant to Nonprofits
Generative AI
Generative AI creates original content from a text prompt. For nonprofits, this can mean drafting donor letters, meeting agendas, press releases, social media captions, or board materials in a fraction of the usual time.
Predictive Models
Predictive AI analyzes historical data to forecast future trends. Nonprofits can use it to predict donor giving patterns, volunteer retention rates, or program participation—helping leaders make more strategic decisions.
Automation
Automation tools handle repetitive, rule-based tasks such as syncing calendars, sending follow-up emails, organizing meeting materials, or assigning action items — freeing staff to focus on strategic planning and relationship building.
Key AI Use Cases in the Nonprofit Sector
1. Content Creation & Communication
Nonprofits often struggle to create consistent, high-quality content on a limited time and budget. AI can accelerate production of newsletters, blog posts, donor updates, and social media campaigns while maintaining professional quality.
Top AI Nonprofit Tools for Content Creation
- ChatGPT & Canva Magic Write – Quickly generate campaign messages, donor-ready copy, and event invitations.
- Jasper.ai & Copy.ai – Draft blog articles, marketing copy, and social posts for teams without in-house marketing expertise.
- GrammarlyGo – Ensures communications are polished, clear, and on brand before publishing.
Benefits for Nonprofit Communications
- Faster production – Meet tight deadlines without sacrificing quality.
- Stronger targeting – AI can create detailed audience personas from donor and supporter data to guide outreach.
- Data protection – Many platforms now offer nonprofit-specific safeguards to protect sensitive supporter information.
2. Fundraising & Donor Intelligence
AI is helping fundraising teams understand their donor base at a deeper level by identifying patterns in giving behavior and engagement.
Top AI Nonprofit Tools for Fundraising
- Salesforce NPSP with Einstein AI – Predicts donor behavior and suggests tailored next steps.
- Virtuous – Automates donor segmentation and customized outreach.
- Blackbaud Predictive Analytics – Identifies high-potential donors for major gifts.
- DonorSearch & ProspectView Online 2 – Build detailed donor profiles and generate outreach scripts from wealth and giving data.
Impact on Fundraising Strategy
With these tools, nonprofits can prioritize outreach to donors most likely to give, improve retention through personalized engagement, and forecast campaign results more accurately. Automating prospect research also frees staff to focus on cultivating stronger donor relationships.
3. Board Engagement & Decision Support
Board members often face overwhelming packets of information and limited meeting time to process it all. AI helps by summarizing complex materials, organizing agendas, and tracking follow-ups.
Boardable AI Features for Boards
- Available Now (Requires Boardable Video)
- AI Meeting Assistant – Generates meeting summaries, key takeaways, and action items after Boardable Video meetings.
- AI transcripts and summaries in Boardable Video – Optional AI-generated transcripts and condensed recaps to simplify documentation and improve accessibility.
- On the Roadmap (Targeting Fall 2025)
- Meeting Engagement Dashboard – Provides administrators with real-time insights into attendee engagement and preparation levels before meetings begin. Track key metrics like RSVP responses, document interactions, and user activity patterns to ensure more productive, well-prepared discussions. This proactive visibility helps organizations maximize meeting effectiveness by understanding participant readiness at a glance.
- In Exploration
- Boardable Consultant – An AI chatbot concept for on-demand best-practice guidance
Benefits for Board Collaboration
By reducing administrative load, AI enables board members to focus on meaningful, high-impact discussions that align with the organization’s mission.
4. Data Analysis for Strategy
Data analysis can be time-consuming, but AI makes it faster and more accessible. From survey results to program performance metrics, AI tools can highlight trends, identify opportunities, and detect risks early.
Top AI Tools for Data Analysis
- Microsoft Copilot, Tableau AI, Google Analytics – Create interactive dashboards that turn raw data into actionable insights.
- Microsoft Azure ML & IBM Watson Analytics – Identify correlations, predict future outcomes, and model different scenarios.
Strategic Advantages
These tools allow nonprofits to adapt quickly to changing needs, forecast program demand, and make data-backed decisions without requiring a dedicated data analyst.
How to Adopt AI Thoughtfully
AI adoption works best when it’s intentional and collaborative. The goal is to support staff and board members — not to replace them.
Steps for Responsible AI Adoption
- Start Small – Select one or two tools for a clear, specific use case.
- Involve the Board Early – Ensure leadership understands the value and limitations of AI.
- Set Ethical Guidelines – Address data privacy, informed consent, and transparency.
- Train the Team – Provide hands-on guidance to build confidence and trust.
- Review and Refine – Monitor results, gather feedback, and adjust before scaling up.
By starting with small, manageable projects and keeping human oversight central, nonprofits can adopt AI in ways that enhance — rather than disrupt — their work.
Impact on Governance & Mission Alignment
Nonprofit boards face the challenge of making strategic, mission-driven decisions with limited time and resources. Between-meeting gaps can cause reduced engagement and missed opportunities. AI can close these gaps by delivering timely insights, summarizing key discussions, and automating routine follow-ups.
The result: less time on administration, more time for strategic discussion, transparency, and advancing the mission.
Next Steps for Nonprofits
AI for nonprofits is no longer out of reach — it’s accessible, affordable, and designed with the sector’s unique needs in mind.
Where to Begin
- Automate follow-ups and meeting summaries in Boardable Video to save time.
- Use AI to streamline agenda creation and action tracking.
- Explore governance tools like Boardable AI to keep boards informed and engaged.
AI won’t replace the relationships or judgment that power your mission — it clears the path for them. If you’re using Boardable Video, you can turn on AI summaries and action items today to save hours and keep everyone aligned.
Book a demo to learn more about the AI options that Boardable provides to nonprofits.
