The world has been in an AI boom for some time now, and it feels like everyone in the philanthropic field is talking about AI. AI is a process in which large amounts of data are fed through machine learning algorithms to produce results.
Recently, chatbots such as ChatGPT have made this process more accessible and “no code required”. These bots allow you to command and interact with AI in a conversational fashion.
In March 2023, OpenAI released API access to a cheaper and faster version of ChatGPT for developers to build other tools. This has led to a boom in new AI tools, including some designed specifically for the philanthropic field.
Charities and organizations serving the third sector are already experimenting with AI. It is used as part of the process of applying for funds, developing fundraising efforts, and communicating with donors.
Fund application
Fundraising application management is cited as one of the biggest pain points in the field. Evolve3’s Diane Hall supports small charities using AI to make fundraising bids more manageable.
Hall’s process used ChatGPT and several copy checking tools to speed up the grant application process. Here are the steps:
- Gather philanthropic information for relevant projects
- Tell ChatGPT to rewrite the information in the format requested by the funder
- Check for plagiarism using tools like QueText
- Run results through AI checking tools such as CopyLeaks
- Edit copy for tone and accuracy to reduce plagiarism and AI scores to acceptable levels
Part 5 must be completed by a human. AI is not sophisticated enough to do everything by itself. Best used as an initial draft or redraft tool.
Mr Hall said: “ChatGPT is a game changer in my opinion. [small charities]…which allows companies to be a little more strategic, be more productive, and streamline what they are doing so they can better compete for the money out there. ”
Ian McLintock of The Charity Excellence Framework has taken this process a step further by integrating his “TechBunnies” (chatbots on the site) with Tengin and an AI machine learning model called Chat GPT.
When you type “fundraiser” into the Tech Bunnies chat bot, it asks you a series of questions to get you the information you need to apply for funding. We then bring that information into ChatGPT and have them create a first draft for you to review and send.
The site also uses AI for its “Ask me anything” feature, with more planned in the works with the launch of McClintock’s AI strategy. He sees AI as a means to “level the playing field between large and small charities.”
call for fundraising
At Crohns and Colitis UK, the public funding team has tested the use of AI tools at various stages of the appeal making process.
They realized that copywriting takes a lot of time and resources. AI won’t do everything for you, but Tim Toduhunter, head of public funding, said AI could “remove a good chunk of the tedium of admins and copywriting.” I found
The primary tool Todhunter’s team uses is the “new Bing”, which integrates Microsoft’s Bing search engine with ChatGPT. The team has used the tool at various stages of the appeal writing process, including research, drafting appeals, editing appeals, creating appeals-related content such as blogs, and writing thank-you letters.
Like Hall, Todhunter doesn’t believe AI can manage the entire appeals process, but “AI can make everyone’s job better and easier. It takes away a lot of the tedious work of admins and copywriting.”
There are always new appeals and copywriting tools for fundraising teams to test, including those specifically designed for the philanthropic space, such as FundraiseCopy and non-profit operating systems.
Communication with donors
Kirstin Finch-Gneem describes Dog’s Trust, which is head of high-value fundraising operations, as “in the early stages of the AI journey.”
Gneem personally uses AI tools in two main ways. Brainstorming ideas and creating first drafts in various formats. Her favorite tools she uses for these tasks include copywriting her chat her bot ChatGPT and her AI image generator DallE-2 (both by her Open AI).
Mr Gnhem said: “As an example, the Dogs Trust call center is on track to reach 3 million calls in August 2023. This is a huge milestone and I would like to inform our closest donors that I will be away from the meeting. I didn’t have time.” Draft an email to send to the fundraiser.
“Instead, write a prompt in ChatGPT asking for a draft email, send it to the fundraiser with some simple modifications, customize it as needed, add a top and tail, and pass it on to the donor. I did, and I look like a hero!”
