Using AI responsibly can elevate efficiency and impact, strengthen donor trust, and protect the people and communities you serve – but only with the right guardrails in place.
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Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the nonprofit sector. Whether it’s used to curate content or analyze fundraising data, AI can significantly streamline your workload and free up more time for mission-focused work.
Even so, studies show that only 24% of nonprofits have an AI policy in place. However your nonprofit staff plans to use AI, having a solid AI framework is crucial to protect your organization’s reputation, maintain compliance, and protect sensitive information.
Below, I’ll explain how to use AI ethically as a nonprofit, with a practical framework and free AI policy template to get you started.
Responsible AI refers to the ethical and safe development and execution of AI systems.
For nonprofit leaders, this ensures that the AI platforms you leverage are trustworthy and used to support your overall mission while safeguarding the sensitive information of all involved – especially your donors.
The principles of responsible AI usage include:
Now that I’ve explained the concept of responsible AI and its guiding principles, I’ll explain why it’s important to put precautions in place before using it.
The trust and generosity of your donors, volunteers, and others in your community are fundamental to the success of your mission.
AI can create more room for productivity and innovation, but only when everyone knows how to use it safely. Clear guardrails make that possible while protecting sensitive data and the donor relationships you’ve worked so hard to build.
AI use often starts small, like a fundraiser drafting a donor email or your finance manager summarizing a lengthy report. But without clear guidelines, even everyday uses can expose your organization to risks such as:
Having a clear AI policy can support your team to use AI tools confidently and protect donor information and relationships.
Use the guidelines below to adopt AI responsibly across your organization.
Before creating an AI policy for your nonprofit, you need to understand how AI is already being used across your organization.
Share a simple survey with staff and volunteers to gather the feedback needed to shape your AI policy. Ask questions like:
Once you have an understanding of how AI is already being used in your organization, identify where your team may need guidance.
Pro tip: Use a risk levels table to facilitate your planning. Here’s an example:
| AI Use | Risk Level | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Brainstorming email subject lines | Low | Usually acceptable with review |
| Drafting a fundraising appeal using general campaign details | Medium | Must carefully review |
| Uploading donor lists, payment information, or private notes | High | Avoid unless using an approved, secure tool |
| Using AI to make final decisions about services, recruiting, or donor priority | High | Requires strict oversight or should be prohibited |
As a nonprofit, you have access to a plethora of confidential information.
Safeguarding the information of your donors and organization is essential for responsible AI usage and maintaining your credibility.
As a rule, your team shouldn’t enter the following information into unapproved AI tools:
If you’re uncertain about whether certain information is safe to share with AI tools, here’s a helpful rule:
If the relevant information would not be included in a public document, it shouldn’t be shared with an unapproved AI platform.
Consider these additional steps to protect sensitive information:
As I advised before, use AI to drive productivity and efficiency, not replace human expertise.
Allocate specific responsibilities to team members to maintain responsible AI practices.
However your organization uses – or plans to use – AI, make sure any content generated by AI is reviewed to maintain your brand’s tone of voice, consistency, and overall accuracy. AI-generated content should also align with your mission and comply with any legal or ethical standards.
AI is infamous for spouting inaccuracies with confidence, so always treat AI-generated content as a first draft and hold humans responsible for the finished product.
Having a formal AI policy in place sets clear expectations and gives your staff the confidence to leverage it efficiently.
You don’t need a lengthy or excessive policy to start out. The most important thing is that it clearly communicates and establishes consistent principles everyone can follow.
Download the helpful AI policy template below to get started – then adapt it accordingly to align with your organization’s needs.
AI can help streamline your nonprofit operations and strengthen your fundraising, but it must always be used with care. A clear AI usage policy gives your team the structure to use these tools confidently and responsibly.
From there, it’s about choosing tools that support your fundraising work. Donorbox is committed to building features that help you do just that.
For example, Donorbox’s Jay·AI is a virtual, 24/7 fundraising assistant available to Pro and Premium users, and included with Donorbox CRM (coming soon). With a quick prompt, Jay helps you sort and pull donation and donor information, generate insightful reports, and write compelling fundraising copy.
Ready to start fundraising smarter? Sign up for Donorbox today.
Jamy-Lee has over 7 years of experience in copywriting and content marketing. With experience teaching in underserved communities and volunteering for animal rescue organizations, she has a first-hand understanding of the challenges faced by mission-driven organizations. She now uses her passion for writing to share practical insights that help nonprofits fulfill their missions.
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