Will AI mean ‘all in’ for nonprofits?
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Many nonprofit organizations and small businesses are standing on the threshold in an Artificial Intellegince (AI) doorway that will provide challenge, concern, and a sense of uncertainty looming. Given other sector issues, one would think we have enough to keep busy. However, the actions we take regarding AI usage in the coming year can either reinforce the concern or establish a path to the future. It’s time to determine your response and move forward with resolve.
Unfortunately, the AI precipice and debate come at a time when we are “officially” emerging from the pandemic, faced with economic challenges, and dealing with a wave of leadership transfer in organizations. That’s only the tip of the iceberg.
In one of the workshops I present, we talk about “Building a Castle” to survive the impending waves. We discuss waves that range from increased competition in the sector, to decreasing trust, and donor expectations. However, AI wave we address, can radically change the way nonprofits operate and interact with their supporters. Therefore, we challenge organizations to plan their approach when it comes to the usage of AI tools available in the sector.
The nonprofit sector has been here before. Major changes environmentally and economically have heightened the need to adapt issues at the forefront and helped the sector evolve. We saw in those instances that the organizations that had the ability to open themselves to new expectations and quickly adapt fared the best. We’re not talking about rushing to the “bleeding edge” of technology, rather not closing the door on its potential for your organization.
AI will change the landscape in which we operate. Some positions will be eliminated, and others will be created. The availability of AI driven tools will help eliminate some of the key challenges in operational and financial areas for nonprofits. It will change the way we prospect, collect donations, and acknowledge those gifts. It will help personalize the donor experience and provide insight into the propensity of donors to make major or planned gifts. That’s only scratching the surface.
So, what do you need to consider as you address your organization’s approach to this latest technology? Several words come to mind, and they all fit within the AI acronym.
Aware: If you haven’t already, raise your awareness of the current and potential future offerings that are AI based. Educate yourself and start to educate your board on the changing landscape. Read and learn more about the tools and challenges with AI.
Inquire: Ask questions. Find out who is using these tools. Who are the best providers? Seek the information you need to feel more comfortable with the technology. Ask likely partners to become involved and consider forming an exploratory task force.
Adapt: Don’t be stuck. Don’t rest on the laurels of your organization. Be ready to change and utilize the AI technology as it becomes available. Adapt your current way of doing business to a more efficient and effective way if it should exist.
Insight: Gain better insight into your organization. Gather feedback, assess your situation, make comparisons to others in similar lanes. Provide a line of sight for your board and staff to understand the need for change.
Adopt: Be prepared to adopt whatever AI technologies will provide the most benefits to your organization. Find a way to manage the financial barriers that may exist, because your investment is likely to provide a significant payback, especially if you are ahead of the curve. Yes, it may be “too early”, but you can’t run the risk of being “too late” in addressing your assimilation.
Ingenuity: Find “your way” of implementing and rolling out the usage of AI technology. Be creative in the transition, original, and authentic. Offset the perceived lack of the human element with surprising interactions and personal touches. Allow the technology to work for you instead of against.
In summary, like everything in life, AI has both a positive and a negative side. In the nonprofit sector, where emotional appeals are commonplace, and the human touch is often present in our service delivery, we can view AI as the antithesis of our efforts. However, we need to recognize that in the end, its ability to streamline and build efficiencies may result in a more professional and caring organization.
David J. Fry is Founder/CEO of Effective Advancement Strategies in Greensburg and author of Build a Nonprofit Castle. He consults with businesses and nonprofits throughout Indiana. He may be contacted at strategies@etczone.com.