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NonprofitNext Blog

Practical AI tips, real nonprofit stories, and actionable strategies, written by people who’ve done the work.

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Our most popular reads on AI

Square graphic with a navy blue background and a four-level pyramid in orange. From top to bottom, the levels are labeled Mission, Staff, People Served, AI Tool. The orange NonprofitNext logo is in the lower right corner.
Category: Mission

People-First AI: Why the Tool Comes Last

By larry 3 min read

People-First AI is an order of operations. Work through mission, staff, and the people you serve first, and the right tool becomes obvious. Here is the order and why most AI advice runs backwards.

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A white graphic with 3 circular icons. Text at top reads donor communications; 3 tasks AI can help with. You still approve every word. Under that text are 3 icons with labels. Left icon: an envelope with an orange heart in the center with text below, "Thank You." Middle icon; two overlaping documents with text below, "reworded appeal." Right icon; a document outline with three orange bars in a chart. Text below reads, "Impact summary." The logo for NonprofitNext is at the bottom of the image.
Category: Introduction to AI

Donor Communications: Where Most Nonprofits Should Start With AI

7 min read

Donor communication is the safest, highest-value place for a nonprofit to start with AI. Here are three tasks it handles well, the work it should never touch, and the one privacy caution to get right…

An image featuring dozens of resumes flowing toward and over a trash can in an office setting. The top of a desk appears in the lower right corner with a coffee cup showing the NonprofitNext logo in navy blue, orange, and gold.
Category: Mission

Why Nonprofits Should Keep AI Out of Hiring

5 min read

One of the things I have come to appreciate about working in the nonprofit sector is that we get to make choices that other industries often don't. Not just about programs and services, but about…

A woman is in the hallway of an office suite holding papers in her hands that she is reading. White text in large font on the left side of the photo says, "Asking the Right Questions."
Category: Policy

What Should Your Nonprofit AI Use Policy Actually Cover?

5 min read

There is no universal AI policy template that fits every nonprofit. The right policy for a large urban hospital system looks very different from the right policy for a small community organization. What follows is…

A man and woman dressed in business attire are in an office setting shaking hands with one another. The words "Trust, Transparency, and Ethics" are in bold white letters above their hands between them.
Category: Policy

The Risks of AI Use Go Further Than You Think

4 min read

AI tools, particularly large language models behind tools like ChatGPT, consume significant amounts of energy and water. When an organization’s mission is connected to environmental justice, sustainability, or community wellbeing, there is a real question…

A woman sits at a desk using a laptop. Various items including a notebook, pen, and coffee cup are also on the desk. She is in an office setting with large white text on the left that says, "The Gap Between AI Use and Governance."
Category: Policy

Does Your Nonprofit Have an AI Use Policy? Nearly Half Don’t.

3 min read

Nearly half of all nonprofit organizations have no AI governance policy. That number comes from the 2026 Nonprofit AI Adoption Report, a benchmark study of 346 organizations published this past February by Virtuous and Fundraising.AI.…

A graphic showing a photo on the left showing the silhouette of a person reaching to open a door to go outside. On the right, the graphic has a navy blue background with white text that says, "What People-First AI Means For The People You Serve."
Category: Introduction to AI

What “People-First AI” Means For The People You Serve

6 min read

Every nonprofit organization exists because someone, somewhere, needs support that they are struggling to provide for themselves. A family navigating a housing crisis. A young person who needs a mentor. An individual living with a…

A graphic with a navy blue background and white text on the left that says, "What People-First AI Means For Your Staff." On the right, a photo shows a female social worker meeting with a family including a man, woman, and a child.
Category: Introduction to AI

What “People-First AI” Means For Your Staff

4 min read

You didn't take this job because you wanted to spend your afternoons filling out forms. You took it because you wanted to make a difference. Because the work matters. Because the people you serve deserve…

A graphic with a photo on the left showing two people having a conversation. A man with dark hair wearing a light blue shirt and a woman wearing a pale blue blouse with a black sweater. The image fades to a navy blue background with white text that says, What People-First AI Means For Your Leadership Team.
Category: Introduction to AI

What “People-First AI” Means For Your Leadership Team

4 min read

During your board meeting last night, someone asked whether the organization is being responsible about using AI. You recently learned that one of your staff members was using AI to help write clear case notes…