Why Every Major Gifts Fundraiser Should Be Learning AI
AI has become one of the most talked-about developments in fundraising. Yet much of the conversation has focused on whether AI will replace fundraisers.
I don't think that's the right question.
The real question is whether fundraisers who learn to use AI will outperform those who don't.
Fundraising has changed
Across the charity sector, teams have become leaner. Administrative support has reduced, expectations have increased and fundraisers are expected to wear more hats than ever before.
A major gifts fundraiser today might spend their week researching prospects, preparing donor meetings, writing proposals, updating CRM systems, analysing portfolios, producing reports for trustees and, somewhere amongst all of that, building meaningful relationships with donors.
It's little surprise that many feel stretched.
The challenge isn't a lack of commitment. It's a lack of capacity.
AI gives us something we desperately need: TIME
The biggest opportunity isn't writing donor emails.
It's removing the repetitive work that stops fundraisers spending time with donors.
AI can dramatically reduce the time needed to:
- research prospects
- prepare donor briefings
- draft proposals
- summarise meetings
- review portfolios
- analyse fundraising pipelines
- produce reports
None of these activities disappear. They simply become faster.
That gives fundraisers more time to do the work that only humans can do.
The human skills become even more valuable
No AI tool can build trust.
It can't understand the emotion behind a transformational gift.
It can't navigate complex organisational politics.
It can't replace empathy, judgement or ethical decision-making.
As AI becomes more capable, these human skills become even more valuable.
The biggest shift isn't writing—it's thinking
Many people use AI as a better search engine. Others use it as a copywriter.
I've found the greatest value comes from using AI as a thinking partner.
Some of the prompts I use most often ask AI to:
- challenge my assumptions
- identify risks I've overlooked
- critique fundraising strategies
- think like a major donor
- suggest alternative approaches
- highlight weaknesses in proposals
The result isn't that AI makes the decisions. It helps me make better ones.
The future belongs to fundraisers who combine both
Fundraisers who embrace AI won't succeed because they know the most prompts.
They'll succeed because they use technology to remove low-value work, freeing up more time for meaningful conversations, stronger relationships and better strategic thinking.
In a sector facing increasing pressure to achieve more with fewer resources, that's an opportunity we can't afford to ignore.
I've put together practical guides of AI prompts for major gifts fundraisers, based on the ways I use AI in my own work. If you'd find it useful, I'd be delighted to share a copy.