Created By: Terry CangelosiJuly 17, 2024 As we’ve worked with our nonprofit partners on using and integrating responsible AI into their organizations, data security and privacy with AI is a constant concern. Training AI on your data can maximize its impact on your organization, and yet the more data you train AI on, the more scrutiny will be required to minimize risks. We’ve shared in the past the importance of an AI Usage Policy, AI Governance, and Disclosure of AI Usage, and a consideration within each of these is data. So, how can you ensure that your organization’s data is secure while using AI, and what can be done to mitigate the risks? Every organization has different policies, practices, and requirements when it comes to handling their private data. Different regulatory obligations such as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) may apply, depending on the organization’s mission. No two organizations will have the exact same needs, but every organization can benefit from taking steps to protect their data when it comes to AI. Below outlines three potential considerations for organizations to help keep their data safe. While not exhaustive or definitive, we hope to provide some guidance and inspiration for any organization to get started in securing their data. Understand How Data is Being Used While some may be used to accepting the Terms & Conditions “popups” without reading them, there is good reason to pause for a beat before following that same practice with AI tools. It is important to understand how the data entered into AI tools is being used. This means reading and reviewing the terms and conditions, privacy policies, and data agreements of the AI providers. Some of the questions that the Terms & Conditions can answer are: How will the AI provider store, process, and transfer your data? How will the AI provider use your data for their own purposes? Will they share, sell, or disclose your data to third parties? Will they use your data to improve their AI models or services? Do you have the ability to toggle that off? How long will the AI provider retain your data? Will they delete it after a certain period or upon your request? Understanding how data is used by the AI provider will help an organization assess the risks and benefits of using those AI tools or services. In some cases, it is possible to adjust available settings to limit data training, usage, and storage (here’s how in ChatGPT), but those settings do not mitigate all risks. Just as you may trust Microsoft or Google to protect your data in their email platforms, you are trusting AI companies to protect your data in their platforms as well – it’s up to you to evaluate the risk for each app. Adhere to Internal Policies Despite AI tools offering new ways to use and distribute data, many organizations have data policies already in place. It is important to review those existing data policies to understand how and when specific data can be used. These should also be updated regularly to fill identified gaps and keep up with the changing AI landscape and data environment. Some of the policies that may include data considerations and practices include the data security policy, the data governance framework, and the data classification policy in addition to references to data in the AI usage policy and AI disclosure. Organizations that have these policies in place are better able to ensure their data is safe and secure, even as they integrate AI into their systems. If you read the above and don’t have any of these in place, the Centre for Information Policy Leadership recently published a robust white paper that outlines the importance and roadmaps the creation of a holistic data strategy. Anonymize Data When all else fails – if data policies are non-existent and the tools’ terms & conditions fall short of mitigating concern – don’t enter sensitive information into AI tools. With strong prompts, it is easy to get strong results using generative AI without putting organizational data at risk. One can do this in 3 steps: identify sensitive information, replace sensitive information with anonymous data, then review and double-check before submitting. Some good practices include: Substitute Names or Placeholders: Replace real names with pseudonyms or generic terms. Generalize Specific Details: Replace specific details with more general information. Aggregate Data: Instead of discussing individual donations, use aggregated data. Be Aware of Small Data Sets: Even when the data appears anonymous, make sure that using logic won’t reveal who or what it refers to. Remove Contextual Information: Work with a spreadsheet that only has the numbers you need to analyze, with no labels or other textual information. Keep each set of data in a separate chart. Even if you have a clear data security policy, and you have accepted the risk of using the tool, it is a best ethical practice to only input the necessary data into the AI tool to achieve the results you need. Data anonymization helps support that practice. Anonymizing data can help protect the privacy and rights of data subjects, and reduce the risk of data leaks, misuse, or reuse. Ensuring Data Security and Trust in AI Usage Keeping data safe while using AI is not only a matter of security, but also a matter of responsibility, accountability, and trust. As with all things surrounding sensitive company and personal data, it is advisable to consult with legal and IT experts before implementing AI solutions or policies. Nonprofit organizations are responsible for maintaining the trust of those they serve, and by keeping their data secure, they can enhance their reputation while advancing their mission, vision, values, and goals. When your staff is confident that they are using AI tools in an approved and secure manner, they can focus on maximizing the benefits of AI in their workflows. At Orr Group, we’re enthusiastic about the future of AI and hope to share that enthusiasm with our nonprofit partners. We are ready to assist your organization in brainstorming ways to seamlessly and safely integrate AI into your fundraising and other operational efforts. Contact us to learn how we can help elevate your organization to new heights. Contact Us Terry Cangelosi is a Senior Director and Head of Operations at Orr Group. Terry brings 10+ years of nonprofit operations experience to ensure the most efficient operations in Orr Group’s workflows, technology, and infrastructure. Terry is a member of Orr Group’s AI Taskforce.
How Nonprofits Can Use AI and Automation to Reclaim Time and Realize ROI AI Published Date 2025 How Nonprofits Can Use AI and Automation to Reclaim Time and Realize ROI When workflows are automated with AI, nonprofits can reinvest their time into more strategic and ROI-focused tasks. Explore real-life use cases of AI and automation to improve your effectiveness.
AI for Nonprofits: 10 Tools and Best Practices to Know Published Date 2025 AI for Nonprofits: 10 Tools and Best Practices to Know Created by: CJ Orr May 19, 2025 In today’s technologically driven world, artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed various industries, including fundraising for nonprofit organizations. AI tools have proven to be significant game-changers, enhancing efficiency, creativity, and personalization in donor engagement. To capitalize on these opportunities, over 60% of nonprofits have started embracing AI in their operations. However, despite these high adoption rates, 92% of nonprofits feel unprepared for AI implementation. To prepare your team to fully leverage AI, let’s understand the landscape and discuss the benefits and challenges of using popular AI-powered tools in nonprofit work. Overview of AI for Nonprofits Leveraging AI: Best Practices for Nonprofits Top AI Tools for Nonprofits Overview of AI for Nonprofits What is AI? AI is any technology that can perform intricate tasks and mimic human intelligence. While AI has become a hot topic in recent years, it’s been around for a while, performing simpler duties like sorting emails or scheduling appointments. However, recent advancements in AI have allowed machines to better understand language, process more complex tasks, and generate original content. In the nonprofit world, organizations typically use AI to enhance and streamline: Prospecting and fundraising by analyzing existing donor data for trends, and identifying new prospects with high potential to give Donor communication by analyzing donors based on shared characteristics and tailoring outreach to them for increased engagement Grant writing by quickly reading applications and generating drafts responses, based on previous applications and organizational materials Human resources by automating interview scheduling, onboarding, training, performance management, and more Graphic design by creating visually appealing infographics or mockups Administrative functions by automating repetitive tasks like data entry, timekeeping, and record maintenance Data insights and reporting by analyzing large datasets to forecast trends and enable better decision-making Types of AI Tools for Nonprofits The library of AI tools is vast and ever-growing. While each organization may have its own needs and goals that AI can support, below are several common types of AI tools you may encounter: Generative AI: consists of machines that create new content based on user prompts and training data. Nonprofit applications: Content creation for grant proposals, social media posts, and impact reports. Large Language Models (LLMs): systems designed to understand and generate human language by learning from vast datasets. LLMs are a subset of generative AI focused primarily on creating and understanding text. Nonprofit applications: Automatically answering routine questions via chatbots or summarizing content. Predictive AI uses statistical models and machine learning to identify patterns in large datasets to forecast future outcomes. Nonprofit applications: Prospecting for fundraising and future financial growth. Advantages and Challenges of Using AI Advantages Increased efficiency. With AI handling mundane tasks, nonprofits can focus on more pressing mission-critical work. Easy data reporting. Humans are more prone to making errors when reporting on and analyzing data. AI can easily—and accurately—report on important data. Better decision-making. AI can provide context and information that allows nonprofits to make more informed choices faster. Scalability. Advanced AI solutions can easily adapt to a growing nonprofit’s needs, enabling organizations to handle increased workloads without overburdening staff. Proactive growth. Most nonprofits have adopted AI, and it’s only getting more prevalent. Your nonprofit should leverage similar technology to keep up with others in the field. Challenges Data privacy/security. Nonprofits must confirm that their chosen solution complies with relevant data privacy laws, like GDPR and CCPA, to keep supporter data safe and maintain their trust. Research which regulations apply to your constituents based on their location, and ensure that AI usage is transparently communicated when necessary. Requires human oversight. AI can make mistakes in researching and synthesizing information, so nonprofit teams need to actively maintain their solutions (more on that later). Initial and ongoing costs. Like any other software solution, AI solutions have costs associated with them, both financial and in time to implement and onboard staff. Ethical concerns. AI can reinforce biases based on the datasets it's trained on. There are also concerns about Generative AI solutions trained on user data, which can plagiarize information from other sources. Loss of human touch. Nonprofit outreach relies on forging deep personal connections with supporters. While AI can emulate human thought, it lacks the emotional depth needed to reinforce relationships, so it still requires staff to ensure the final product aligns with an organization’s values. Leveraging AI: Best Practices for Nonprofits Establish parameters for AI privacy and ethics. Your entire team should be aligned on ethical best practices while using AI. Adopt an AI usage policy and supporting AI governance infrastructure to ensure you’re fulfilling promises to stakeholders and protecting their sensitive information. Identify areas for AI application. While AI has many different uses, your nonprofit doesn’t have to rely on it for everything. To start, identify a few pressing areas where AI could help your operations, like content creation, data analysis, or task automation. Work with an expert to implement AI effectively. The stakes are high when implementing AI, so it’s worth consulting with a professional to cover all of your bases. Double-check AI’s work. While AI can generate human-like text, it’s not flawless. You must review and edit the generated content to ensure it aligns with your organization’s voice, mission, and fundraising goals. Properly train your team. AI can present a learning curve for teams, especially those less technologically advanced. Align everyone with comprehensive AI training and educational resources. Don’t completely replace human interaction with AI. As previously mentioned, AI can’t perfectly emulate your connections with supporters. Use AI to brainstorm ideas for communication (like an outline) and fill in the details yourself. Choosing the right AI systems, developing policies, and training your team are essential, but they take time and expert knowledge to get right. By working with a professional team like Orr Group, you can get up and running with new insights and ideal tools by your side. Top AI Tools for Nonprofits General Use/LLM: ChatGPT Use: ChatGPT is an advanced language model that has significantly influenced the nonprofit sector’s fundraising strategies. It utilizes machine learning algorithms to generate human-like text based on the input it receives. Best features: Live web search, DALL-E image generation, and access to a growing dataset. Cost: Limited free tier $20 Plus tier $200 Pro tier $25/user Team tier Pro-tip: Eligible nonprofits can receive a 20% discount on ChatGPT Team and a 50% discount on ChatGPT Enterprise through OpenAI for Nonprofits. AI Chatbot: Cody Use: Cody is a chatbot that uses organizational content to answer HR-related queries for employees based on defined knowledge sources. Best features: Easy user interface, customizable knowledge base, task automation, and specific features for IT support, business consulting, marketing, HR, and more. Cost: $29/month for the Basic tier, $249/month for the Advanced tier Writing: Grammarly Use: Grammarly is a browser extension that enhances grammar and generates written content. Best features: Tone suggestions, auto-completion of writing, and extensive user-supplemented knowledge base. Cost: Free tier, $12/month, $15/month Prospecting: Apollo Use: Apollo is a sourcing tool that collects contact information for prospective supporters. Best features: Automated outreach, meeting scheduler, and CRM enrichment tools. Cost: Free-$119/month Grantwriting: Grantable Use: Grantable is an LLM that automates aspects of the grantwriting and submission processes. Best features: Ability to train the system from writing samples, reference user-uploaded materials from a library, and include educational resources. Cost: Free-$89/month Graphic Design: Gamma Use: Gamma is a graphic design platform that facilitates the creation of presentations, documents, webpages, infographics, and more. Best features: AI-generated designs, customization options, and user-friendly interface. Cost: Free-$15/seat/month Administrative: Zapier Use: Zapier automates repetitive administrative tasks while connecting various apps and services. Best features: Configurable workflows, app integrations, and a large integration ecosystem. Cost: Free-$69/month Data Management: Microsoft Power BI Use: Microsoft Power BI is a Microsoft add-on tool that allows users to create reports, visualize data, and share insights. Can be combined with Microsoft Copilot 365 for AI data insights. Best features: User-friendly integrations with Microsoft Suite, interactive dashboards, and customizable reports. Cost: Free-$10/user/month Meeting Management: Zoom AI Companion Use: Zoom AI Companion simplifies meeting management by automatically completing tasks during the meeting. Best features: Real-time meeting transcriptions, agenda generation, and ability to assign next actions with a meeting summary. Cost: Free with paid Zoom account Now that you have a solid understanding of AI in the nonprofit world, it’s time to create and execute your own strategy! Developing policies, training your team, and staying updated on the newest best practices can be draining—but it doesn’t have to be. Having an expert team by your side allows you to play around with these tools, test them out, and see what works for you without compromising mission-critical activities. We suggest working with a team with a business-oriented mindset, embedded partnership approach, and AI-specific expertise, like Orr Group. Our well-rounded nonprofit experience and hands-on strategy can help your nonprofit become more comfortable with AI and develop a sustainable use policy in the long term. That way, you can adapt to the rapidly-changing world of AI with ease!
How to Drive Transformation with Strategic AI Implementation AI Published Date 2025 How to Drive Transformation with Strategic AI Implementation Learn how to strategize around effective AI implementation at your organization to responsibly address problems and create lasting results.