Innovation In Nonprofit Organizations

New research from the Center for Effective Philanthropy on AI use in the social sector reveals a striking paradox: Almost two-thirds of both foundations and nonprofits now use AI in their work—yet both sectors share deep concerns about the technology. The Widespread Use Reality ➡️ 63% of nonprofits and foundations report using AI in their operations Primary uses: internal productivity (78% foundations, 63% nonprofits) and communications (70% foundations, 84% nonprofits) ➡️ 90% of nonprofits and 94% of foundations express interest in expanding AI use The Widespread Concern Problem Top 5 shared concerns across both sectors: ➡️ Data security & privacy (83% foundations, 67% nonprofits) ➡️ Misinformation/inaccurate results (77% foundations, 73% nonprofits) ➡️ Lack of staff expertise (52% foundations, 58% nonprofits) ➡️ Uncertainty about best use (62% foundations, 56% nonprofits) ➡️ Bias in AI algorithms (53% foundations, 50% nonprofits) The Critical Gap ➡️ 87% of foundation staff have limited understanding of grantees' AI technical capacity ➡️ 83% of nonprofits report their funders haven't engaged them in AI conversations ➡️ 90% of foundations provide NO AI implementation support to grantees AI adoption is racing ahead while concerns about security, accuracy, expertise, and equity remain largely unaddressed—creating an urgent need for thoughtful, collaborative approaches to responsible AI development in the social sector. However, despite concerns, there is not enough investment in appropriate capacity building for nonprofits to use AI both well and ethically. Capacity building should not just be about the technical skills, but also the skills and strategies for human-centered, ethical adoption in practice. Also, skills alone don't create impact, it has to be linked to strategy. Report: https://lnkd.in/gxEZCfr2

Ten predictions for nonprofit success in 2025 The nonprofit sector is evolving quickly, and the organizations that adapt will lead the way. Here’s what I see shaping the future of nonprofit work next year: 1. A deeper dive into policy and advocacy. Nonprofits that stay silent on policy issues will find themselves falling behind. Advocacy will become a core part of staying relevant as regulations shift and social challenges intensify. 2. Building real community. The most successful organizations will focus on creating authentic, engaged communities that feel connected to the mission and involved in the work. 3. Strategic use of AI. 🤖 AI is becoming an important tool for everything from streamlining operations to improving storytelling. And, organizations will (finally!) create clear policies to guide its ethical use. 4. Addressing the impacts of distorted reality. Misinformation, deep fakes, and other distortions are already shaping public perceptions. Nonprofits will need to consider how these forces affect their donors, teams, and the people they serve. 5. Strengthening stakeholder relationships. 👏 Strong relationships with board members, donors, volunteers, and partners will be the foundation for resilience and long-term success. 6. Choosing collaboration over competition. The nonprofits that thrive will be the ones partnering with others to create meaningful solutions to big challenges. 7. Rethinking donor engagement. Organizations will move away from a heavy reliance on social media and look for more personal, ethical ways to bring donors and other stakeholders into their work as true partners. 8. Finding their unique point of view. 📣 Nonprofits will stand out by honing and clearly communicating their perspective on the issues they tackle. A strong, distinct voice will be essential for building trust and recognition. 9. Rethinking internal alignment. Leaders will prioritize ensuring that teams, systems, and strategies are all pulling in the same direction. Misalignment will no longer be sustainable. 10. Launching new activities strategically. The days of off-the-cuff initiatives will be over. Nonprofits will focus on planning new programs, campaigns, and partnerships with a clear purpose and long-term vision. 💡 What do you think? What would you add or change?

15 hours saved per week = 50% more people helped. This is why we build AI. Over the past year, we've watched legal nonprofits equipped with CoCounsel save up to 15 hours per week and increase their capacity to serve clients by as much as 50%. But the real story isn't in the numbers - it's in the impact: ✅ Veterans Legal Institute preparing motions in minutes instead of hours, keeping hundreds of veterans housed ✅ The Innocence Center cutting petition preparation time by 50%, potentially freeing innocent people from prison years earlier ✅ Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino serving 50% more urgent calls for legal advice on critical cases such as domestic violence This program shows how AI can address one of society's most pressing challenges: the justice gap affecting 90% of civil legal needs in the US. When Pablo Ramirez from Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino says "AI allows us to cut through hours of paperwork and focus on what truly matters — standing with a survivor in court," that's the future of professional work we're building toward. This is just the beginning. Excited to continue expanding access to justice through responsible AI innovation. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gyKS7XTG #AI #LegalTech #Justice #Innovation #ProfessionalWork #CoCounsel

Access to justice organizations present unique opportunities for technology companies. Some thoughts on effectively engaging with this impactful sector: 1. Prioritize affordability: Develop flexible pricing models, including sliding scales based on organizational size or client volume. Consider offering pro bono licenses to qualifying nonprofits. 2. Streamline intake processes: Demonstrate how your case management system can reduce initial client screening time by 50% or how your chatbot can triage inquiries, freeing up staff for complex cases. 3. Emphasize data privacy: Highlight robust anonymization features and compliance with domestic violence shelter confidentiality requirements. Detail your approach to handling sensitive immigration status information. 4. Design for accessibility: Create interfaces optimized for users with limited digital literacy. Ensure compatibility with screen readers and offer multilingual support for common languages in underserved communities. 5. Form community partnerships: Collaborate with bar associations and law schools to gather insights on unmet legal needs. This informs product development and builds credibility with potential clients. 6. Develop social impact metrics: Invest in analytics that quantify your technology's effect on case outcomes, time saved, or number of additional clients served. This data supports grant applications and impact reporting. 7. Address specific legal domains: Tailor solutions for high-need areas like eviction defense, debt collection, or public benefits appeals. Offer modules that incorporate relevant local laws and court procedures. 8. Facilitate knowledge sharing: Implement features that allow easy creation and distribution of know-your-rights materials or pro se resources, amplifying the reach of limited legal staff. The stakes in this market extend far beyond profit margins. By developing tools that expand access to justice, tech companies have the potential to reduce inequality, prevent homelessness, protect domestic violence survivors, and strengthen the very fabric of civil society. Those who successfully navigate the unique challenges of this sector won't just capture market share – they'll play a pivotal role in fulfilling the promise of equal justice under law. #legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

Time to reshape Philanthropy with AI? Here’s the three things we need first. Spoiler: Despite what some may say, AI is no silver bullet. It’s not going to solve all our problems. We still need humanitarian aid and real people behind it – just as we need direct financial commitments. The role of AI comes down to multiplying our capabilities. The fact is, AI is already hard at work for many organizations – like The White Helmets, ACAPS, and the World Institute on Disability. Companies like Google have sponsored our AI for Changemakers program that connects over 110 mission-driven organizations worldwide with pro bono tech expertise. Within a year we matched over 100 AI pro bono projects and the number is growing. There are more similar initiatives, but we all know that’s just a drop in the bucket. The real challenge is this: How can we make AI as accessible and safe for nonprofits as it is for every other sector? The next decade will determine whether AI helps democratize access to resources – or deepens existing divides. I recently wrote an op-ed for The AI Journal (thank you for the opp Tom Allen) pointing out that in order to unlock AI’s full potential in philanthropy, three things must happen: - First, nonprofits must help shape AI solutions so the tools align with their missions – not the other way around. - Second, AI must be made accessible: through open-source models, lower cost barriers, and by embedding AI literacy into nonprofit leadership – just like fundraising or program strategy. - Third, tech companies need to move beyond traditional CSR. By supporting nonprofit AI adoption, they not only drive social impact– they help build more ethical, globally relevant AI. AI won’t replace philanthropy. But used wisely, it can supercharge it. The real question is: will we make the right choices now to ensure this technology benefits those who need it most? -- Please repost and help this message get out there. If you'd like to know more about our nonprofit, please follow Tech To The Rescue #ai #techforgood

How philanthropy can better support frontline leaders and environmental movements [At Climate Week, I joined a Global Greengrants Fund-led discussion with grassroots leaders that offered a sharp view of how philanthropy meets—and sometimes misses—the realities of frontline work.] Philanthropy is purportedly rooted in a ‘love of humanity’, yet its operating systems are often transactional. “Philanthropy” encompasses everything from small family foundations to major multilateral donors, but common norms—short grant cycles, risk aversion, and a preference for quantifiable results—shape behavior even among those seeking to work differently. For many frontline conservation and climate justice groups, traditional approaches to giving can feel misaligned with the realities they face. Too often, donors equate success with what can be counted: hectares protected, tons of carbon sequestered, beneficiaries reached. Yet much of the real progress happens outside those metrics. A woman leader challenging taboos in her community, villagers reviving their language, or waste pickers forming cooperatives after exchange visits—these are not “soft” outcomes but signs of resilience. The challenge is not measurement itself but learning to value change that resists easy quantification. A more adaptive ethos would treat grants as relationships rather than contracts, underwriting learning, pivots, and even failure. One youth climate organizer described a $2,000 grant in West Africa that initially flopped. A decade later, the same group had won a national award for emissions-reduction work in the same municipality—an outcome enabled by funders who stayed the course after the first donor’s support ended. Protecting those who protect nature requires investing in people’s well-being and staying power, not only their deliverables. Flexibility, though, is most effective when paired with transparency and mutual trust. Money alone rarely shifts power; the governance of money does. Community leaders seldom sit on foundation boards or advisory groups, yet their participation can recalibrate priorities and improve accountability. Some restoration programs overlook the less visible work of community organizing, even though such engagement is vital to long-term success. Real lives are not lived in thematic silos, yet philanthropy often rewards narrow proposals. All of this unfolds amid growing strain—forest loss, shrinking civic space, and a mental-health crisis within conservation. Short-term funding and job insecurity amplify stress; predictable support allows people to plan, rest, and sustain their commitment. Systemic challenges like climate change demand long-term patience and humility. Philanthropy will not fix global inequities, but it can practice disciplined optimism: funding for resilience, not just results. The path forward lies in trust-based support, shared governance, and the resolve to apply well-known principles with consistency and care.

Every time I support organizations in their digital transformation path, I see the same pattern repeating. The problem is rarely about the tools. It is more often about the strategy—or the lack of it. The biggest challenges are not technological. “Lack of change management strategy,” “driving adoption,” and “culture mindset” are at the top of the list. Even “complex software” or “IT skills gaps” only become real obstacles when there is no clear vision guiding the transition. It confirms something I have been thinking for years: transformation starts from people, not from platforms. The success of digital initiatives depends on aligning leadership, mindset, and long-term planning. Without that alignment, even the best tools won't deliver impact. Let’s stop treating digital transformation like a tech upgrade and start treating it like the cultural shift it really is. #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #ChangeManagement #BusinessStrategy #Innovation #Culture #Mindset

AI is only as powerful as the problems it solves. For nonprofits, one of the most fundamental challenges is knowing how much to ask for, and when. Ask too high, and you risk discouraging a gift. Ask too low, and you leave potential impact on the table. That’s why we’ve taken Intelligent Ask Amounts to the next level for GoFundMe Pro partners. Grounded in deep user research and powered by GoFundMe’s AI models, this improved version gives nonprofits the ability to dynamically optimize campaigns for what matters most: one-time revenue, conversions, recurring gifts, or a balanced mix. The ask amounts adapt in real time to donor behavior and campaign goals—helping nonprofits drive more sustainable giving. The best part? These improvements are to a product that has already delivered results. For example: the National Civil Rights Museum used Intelligent Ask Amounts during key giving moments and saw a 62% increase in average gift size on December 31st year-over-year, along with other strong gains. (I’ll link the case study with more details in the comments!) What makes me proud isn’t just the AI, it’s the teamwork behind it. Three product pods, Applied Science, Research, CX, Legal, Marketing, Comms and more all came together to turn a complex fundraising challenge into a solution that’s both powerful and practical. Because at the end of the day, innovation is only meaningful when it helps nonprofits raise more with less friction—so they can focus on their mission. 👉 Learn more here: https://gfme.co/47CvtSc 

Welcome to the Future of Fundraising. In today’s philanthropic landscape donors expect to feel seen, valued and connected to the causes they support. The traditional approach to donor engagement—reliant on managed gift officer portfolios—has long struggled to extend the personal relationship-driven experience to the majority of donors. Relational fundraising is the key to donor retention, re-engagement and increased giving. It provides donors with meaningful interactions that foster loyalty and inspire greater generosity. This week, I shared a recent Chronicle article (https://lnkd.in/ezeZdWEB) with my team, emphasizing the importance of bringing relational fundraising to more donors. The article’s author, Allison Fine, President of Every.org says, “The ‘relational’ part means pivoting away from the default habits of one-size-fits-all appeals with its corresponding low response rates. Being ‘relational’ means being in conversation with your donors and treating every donor as an individual with their own unique strengths, gifts, social networks and, of course, financial capital to contribute. The ‘at scale’ part requires the smart, strategic use of technology, including AI, to segment and customize communications and appeals to potential and current donors..” Executing a relational fundraising strategy for the 95% of donors who aren’t in managed portfolios has been impossible until now. Autonomous Fundraising, powered by VEOs, revolutionizes how institutions connect with donors in personalized, authentic ways. The results speak for themselves: · 30% of donors who gave through the VEO increased giving from last year—demonstrating that deeper engagement leads to greater generosity. · VEOs recapture lapsed donors up to 3x faster than traditional approaches, proving the power of timely, personalized outreach. · Nearly 500 re-engaged donors who didn't give last fiscal year have contributed with the VEO. · Almost 4,000 positive engagements show donors appreciate and respond to meaningful relational interactions. · A 54% retention rate (with more than 3 months left in the fiscal year for most orgs) demonstrates the power of relational fundraising at scale. · Major milestone: exceeding last years’ portfolio performance achieved by multiple orgs. Autonomous Fundraising allows organizations to move beyond the limitations of traditional gift officer portfolios. It expands relational fundraising to more donors to give them the personalized attention they deserve. As the sector continues to evolve, those embracing Autonomous Fundraising will be the ones who build deeper donor relationships, drive greater impact, and secure a sustainable future for their organizations. The future of fundraising is about using tech to bring donors closer than ever before. The shift to Autonomous Fundraising isn’t just an innovation; it’s a necessity to thrive in the modern philanthropic landscape.