Most common AI use cases in nonprofit organizations

There are thousands of tasks where AI can help us. It’s impossible to list here all the possible use cases for a nonprofit organization and even less give specific recommendations for each of them. But the list below should give you a few good ideas that you can start exploring. It includes the categories where AI is more useful nowadays and some specific use cases as examples.

*️⃣ Pro tip

We have created a big database with all the relevant AI uses for nonprofits (+50 different use cases). It’s not just a list of generic ideas, it includes +300 specific examples of using AI for common nonprofit tasks, +50 recommended AI tools and +200 useful tips to get the best results & minimize risks for each task. This database is part of our “AI for nonprofits” Course (which includes many other useful guides, templates, etc.)

1. Strategy & Brainstorming

AI can assist nonprofits in planning, idea generation, and decision-making.

Developing New Campaign Ideas

• Suggest creative fundraising strategies based on past data.
• Generate new program initiatives aligned with organizational goals.
• Help brainstorm social impact projects.

AI-Assisted SWOT Analysis

• Identify organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Suggest strategies to mitigate risks and leverage strengths.
• Identify emerging social needs and opportunities.

Optimizing Resource Allocation

• Recommend how to allocate staff, time, and budget effectively.
• Prioritize tasks based on impact and urgency.
• Model the potential impact of different program interventions.

2. Data Analysis 

AI can help nonprofits make sense of large amounts of data and automate repetitive tasks.

Analyze Donor & Fundraising Data

• Predict which contacts are most likely to give.
• Identify lapsed donors and suggest engagement strategies.
• Optimize donation requests with AI-generated recommendations.
• Predict future donation trends based on historical data.

Automate Survey & Feedback Analysis

• Analyze the text of open-ended survey responses to identify common themes and concerns.
• Use sentiment analysis to gauge public opinion about the organization or its cause.
• Identify key themes from supporter testimonials.
• Extract actionable insights from volunteer feedback.

Predictive Modeling

• Predict which donors are most likely to give again.
• Predict which clients are at risk of dropping out of a program.
• Forecast future demand for services.
• Predict the success rate of different fundraising strategies.

Anomaly Detection

• Detect fraudulent donations or transactions.
• Identify unusual spikes in demand for services, which could indicate a community crisis.
• Flag data entry errors or inconsistencies.
• Monitor website traffic for unusual or suspicious activity.

3. Research & text analysis

AI models (especially LLMs) are excellent at finding and summarizing information online,

Find & summarize Information

• Summarize long reports of new tendencies on a topic.
• Research for new grants and opportunities.
• Find information to respond to questions from staff or clients.
• Find information about possible donors or partners.

Extract data from unstructured documents (PDFs, scans, etc.) 

• Extract key data from grant applications.
• Process invoices and receipts for accounting purposes.
• Digitize and analyze handwritten notes or surveys.
• Extract information from client intake forms.

Policy & Legal Document Analysis

• Scan legal documents for key insights.
• Help ensure compliance with nonprofit regulations.
• Automate contract review and highlights risks.

Track Social Issues & Sentiment Analysis

• Track news coverage of nonprofit-related topics.
• Help tailor advocacy messaging based on public perception.
• Analyze social media trends to refine campaign strategies.

4. Content Creation

AI can help nonprofits create and repurpose content quickly, improving engagement and outreach.

Generate Blog Posts, Newsletters, and Reports

• Draft donor impact reports based on data insights.
• Create newsletters with AI-assisted storytelling.
• Proofread all written materials for clarity, grammar, and tone.

Create Presentations and Slides

• Generate compelling donor pitch decks.
• Automate design with AI-powered tools like Canva.
• Create talking points for presentations.

Generate Social Media Posts & Graphics

• Convert long-form content into social media snippets.
• Suggest captions and hashtags for nonprofit campaigns.
• Write scripts for videos, podcasts, and presentations.

Write Fundraising & Grant Proposals

• Draft grant proposals or refine application wording.
• Generate personalized donor appeal letters.
• Suggest ways to structure funding proposals.

Develop texts & ideas for HR

• Create job descriptions and volunteer opportunity postings.
• Develop internal policies and procedures.
• Summarize research reports, meeting minutes, and long documents.

Personalize Communications

• Personalize thank-you notes to donors based on their giving history.
• Segment email lists and send targeted messages to different groups of supporters.
• Customize website content based on visitor location or interests 
• Personalize communication with volunteers based on their skills and interests.

A/B Testing and Optimization

• Optimize donation pages to increase conversion rates.
• Test different subject lines for fundraising emails.
• Find the most effective messaging for social media campaigns.
• Experiment with different website layouts to improve user experience.

5. Multimedia Creation

AI tools can generate engaging multimedia content for fundraising, advocacy, and education.

Create & Edit Videos

• Turn text-based reports into engaging fundraising videos.
• Generate awareness campaign videos from existing content.
• Use AI avatars for multilingual video messages.
• Automatically create event highlight reels.

Generate Voiceovers & Podcasts

• Narrate stories of impact for donor engagement.
• Convert blog content into podcast episodes.
• Enhance accessibility by providing audio versions of key materials.
• Automate voiceovers for explainer videos.

Image and Design Generation

• Create visuals for social campaigns and annual reports.
• Generate infographics for program outcomes.
• Automate branding and flyer designs.
• Generate memes and infographics for advocacy campaigns.

6. Translation & Accessibility 

AI enables nonprofits to reach wider audiences and improve accessibility.

Translate Content & Documents

• Translate donor materials into multiple languages.
• Make volunteer onboarding accessible in different regions.
• Localize advocacy materials for international campaigns.
• Provide real-time translation during live events.

Improve Accessibility

• Convert text into speech for visually impaired audiences.
• Auto-generate subtitles for nonprofit video content.
• Offer AI-powered sign language translation.
• Generate alternative text for images for visually impaired users.

7. Event Planning & Management

AI tools can assist with event logistics, scheduling, and audience engagement.

Automate Event Registration & Management

• AI-powered chatbots handling attendee registrations.
• Suggest optimal event timing based on audience engagement data.
• Automate email reminders for event participants.

Enhance Virtual & Hybrid Events

• Generate live captions for webinars and virtual conferences.
• Provide real-time language translation for diverse audiences.
• Suggest engagement strategies for virtual fundraising events.

Predict Event Attendance & Optimize Engagement

• Predict how many people will attend based on past data.
• Suggest personalized event reminders for different attendee groups.
• Help design targeted event marketing strategies.

8. Automation

AI streamlines repetitive tasks, saving time and increasing efficiency.

Automating Data Entry & Processing

• Extract and organize information from forms, emails, and reports.
• Schedule meetings and send automated reminders.
• Generate reports on key performance indicators (KPIs).

Workflow Automation & Task Management

• Assign tasks and track project progress.
• Optimize the volunteer onboarding process.
• Streamline the grant application process.
• Improve the efficiency of client intake procedures.

Recommendation Systems

• Recommend relevant volunteer opportunities to potential volunteers.
• Suggest related content to website visitors.
• Recommend programs or services to clients based on their needs.
• Personalize fundraising appeals based on donor interests.

9. Chatbots & AI Assistants

AI-powered assistants can provide instant support to staff, volunteers, and donors.

Create AI Chatbots for Donor & Volunteer Questions

• Automate responses to frequently asked questions.
• Provide 24/7 donor support via AI chatbots.
• Assist volunteers with scheduling and sign-up processes.
• Help guide website visitors to the right resources.

Automate Internal Staff Support

• Answer HR and policy-related questions.
• Assist staff in document searches and information retrieval.
• Help automate onboarding of new employees or volunteers.
• Provide scheduling support for meetings and events.

10. Coding & Web Design

AI can assist nonprofits in developing and maintaining digital tools.

App & Website Development

• Generate mobile apps, website templates or layout suggestions.
• Provide design improvements and accessibility recommendations.

Debugging & Code Optimization

• Suggest fixes for website issues and coding errors.
• Pptimize code for performance and security.

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