3 Common Mistakes Nonprofit Leaders Make When Trying AI (and How to Fix Them)

info501hive
Jul 29
3 min read

Avoid these traps to actually save time—and start getting real results with AI in your org.

You've heard the buzz about AI transforming nonprofits. Maybe you've even tried it yourself—logged into ChatGPT with high hopes, only to close the tab ten minutes later feeling like it's all overhyped nonsense.

In my experience? AI isn't the problem. How you're using it is.

Most nonprofit leaders make the same three mistakes when they first try AI tools. The good news? These mistakes are easy to fix once you know what to look for.

❌ Mistake #1: Jumping in without a real use case

Example of the mistake:

You log into ChatGPT and type: "What are some ways to improve nonprofit operations?"

It gives you a vague list: "improve communication," "delegate more," "standardize processes."

Great. Now what?

You close the tab and feel like AI isn't worth the hype.

✅ The Fix:

Start with a real task or bottleneck you're facing. Give the AI specific inputs it can work with - details, constraints, or even internal docs (like anything, be careful sharing sensitive data).

Example of the fix:

"We're onboarding 3 new program coordinators in the next 2 weeks. We don't have formal SOPs for our donor database workflows, and I only have 2 hours to train them when they start. Can you draft a 3-part onboarding plan using email and Tango-style documentation to cover the core workflows? Feel free to ask me any critical questions about our organization and the core expectations of these new program coordinators before you draft the plan"

Or here’s a different approach:

"Here are 3 steps I normally teach someone when onboarding them to our volunteer scheduling platform. Can you turn this into a 1-week onboarding email drip for new hires, with short, clear subject lines and brief, actionable content?"

Now you're not asking AI for an idea - you're asking it to build a solution.

❌ Mistake #2: Treating AI like Google

Example of the mistake:

You ask Chat-GPT or Claude: "How do I run a successful year-end fundraising campaign?"

The answer sounds like a blog post from 2015: "Segment your donors, craft compelling messages, follow up promptly…"

You already knew that. Now you're annoyed.

✅ The Fix:

Instead of asking for tips, give AI a role - "Act as a Director of Development" or "Act as a copywriter at a midsize nonprofit." Then give it a scenario.

And even more, don’t expect AI to get it right the first time. Spend a few minutes reviewing its work, offer feedback and direction, and workshop different solutions.

Example of the fix:

"Act as a Director of Development at a $5M/year nonprofit that relies heavily on individual donors. We raised $120k during last year's year-end campaign, but email click-through rates dropped 40% compared to the year before. Based on this, what changes would you make to the messaging strategy this year?"

That prompt gives AI enough detail to generate specific, actionable ideas that feel tailored to your reality. From there, you can add more details and direction as it produces different ideas and solutions - further tailoring to your specific scenario.

❌ Mistake #3: Expecting perfect output on the first try

Example of the mistake:

You ask for a donor thank-you letter, and the draft comes back sounding robotic. You copy-paste it into a Mailchimp campaign anyway - and your best donor replies with, "Did AI write this?"

Yikes.

✅ The Fix:

Use the first response as a draft. Then talk to AI like you would an intern - give it feedback and ask for revisions.

Example of the fix:

"This draft is too generic. Rewrite it to sound like it's from a nonprofit leader who's deeply grateful and speaks casually but professionally. Keep the tone warm but cut the clichés."

Then follow up with:

"Now personalize it slightly for a donor who gave $5,000 for the third year in a row, and add a one-sentence impact statement about their gift."

AI improves dramatically with each layer of feedback—if you teach it what matters to you.

💡 Bonus Tip: Not every AI tool works the same way. Some excel at crafting compelling emails, while others sound robotic no matter how much you coach them. Our 7 Tools to Save You 20+ Hours Per Week guide breaks down which tools work best for specific nonprofit tasks - so you don't waste time fighting with the wrong platform.