Need a Quick and Cool Idea for Using AI to Improve Your Stewardship?

by Barbara Barron | Posted February 5th, 2025 | Subscribe to this newsletter

The stats are clear: the use of AI in advancement is growing just like it is in other professions and fields. In a recent poll conducted by Twilio and shared by the terrific firm FreeWill (FreeWill.com):

In 2024, 30% of nonprofits believed that the use of AI boosted their fundraising.

Today, so early in 2025, nearly 7 out of 10 fundraisers report they are leaning on AI.

And the prediction is that AI will “progress” in terms of functionality and accuracy (and likely, universal acceptance and use) more every three months in 2025 than it did in all of 2024.

Whew!

Are you using AI in your work? I wrote about some simple and helpful ways in my article. As I cited then, FreeWill’s free tool called “Willy” is simple to use and can save you huge swaths of time drafting appeals, thank you notes, and emails.

Here’s another idea by them offered in a recent webinar I attended. Not original to me. But since I love it, I wanted to share. Don’t we all do that?!

This is for those of you who produce an annual report. If you are like schools I know, you toil over this report. It’s a giant commitment of time and an equally huge collaboration between the advancement, business office, and mar-com.

Hopefully, it’s beautiful and chock full of heartwarming stories and testimonials and an alpha list (not by giving amount, please!) of the generous and loyal people who make your school a philanthropic priority. Their support, in great part, allows your school to deliver on its inspiring mission. Awesome.

And then, out this lovely piece goes into the world and, sadly, is rarely read. We lamented this 20 years ago so moved to electronic publishing. Sure, we saved paper and postage. And some of us could see if the email containing it was opened but that was about it.

Then we went back to printing and mailing it (at least to some) because people clamored that they wanted something to hold in their hands.

Regardless, it is still too often unread!

Moreover, what about those major donors for whom this is a giant opportunity to offer customized stewardship? Personally, I’ve spent hours handwriting little personal notes I attached to the report before mailing to that small group of top donors I wanted to give a little extra love to. But the good people at FreeWill offered a way of using AI to make that a much faster and more customized note.

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Input the major donor names

Here’s how: upload your report into ChatCPT and then ask it to write a quick thank you for each major donor. You tell it the names of the people and the amount of the gift, and which programs they supported. (You do know this piece, right? Because you asked them what they care about and kept track of that important fact. Hope so.) AI will generate a note that thanks them for their gift and then tells them where in the report (the very page number!) they can read more about that program.

Your donors get the nice note, which is an additional thank you, attached to the report. But moreover, they are directed to the places within the report where they can read about the impact of their generosity!

Imagine their reaction. Imagine them sharing that with a friend or family member. That will last.

And it takes only seconds to do. Sure, we need to always, always, review/edit/refine/correct these AI-generated or augmented creations. But think of the impact!

We know that donors are far more likely to give again, and often give more, when we thank them for their gifts (immediately and accurately) but then we tell them what we did with their contribution before we ask them to give again. So simple. But not always what happens.

So here you go! And remember the time you save can be invested in donor relations. Coffee dates or phone calls or other time spent doing what AI will never do as well as you: building deep and trusting relationships. That’s our work.

Thanks for all you’re doing!

Barbara Barron
[email protected]


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BARBARA BARRON is one of the most respected and highly sought-after independent advancement professionals in the country, having worked with dozens of schools in every corner of the United States.

She has raised over $20 million for schools where she served as the Director of Development. Barbara is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and presenter who currently advises dozens of schools in various capacities. She is considered a thought leader in the world of advancement, with her writing widely shared by professionals in development offices worldwide.


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