03 — Resources

Build Your Own Nonprofit AI Assistant

A step-by-step guide to building a custom AI assistant for your nonprofit — tailored to grant writing, donor outreach, volunteer coordination, or whatever your team actually does. Two paths: one for paid ChatGPT users, one for free users.

"Think of it as your assistant — you wouldn't take your assistant's work and submit it as your own. You tweak it to meet your standards."

A — For paid ChatGPT users

Create a Custom GPT.

Custom GPTs let you build a reusable assistant trained on your nonprofit's tone, examples, and instructions. Requires a paid ChatGPT plan.

1. Open the GPT builder In ChatGPT, click Explore GPTs, then Create a GPT.
2. Give it an identity Name it (e.g., "HopeWorks Fundraising Assistant"). Add a description: "This AI assistant helps write grant proposals and donor outreach emails for nonprofit fundraising."
3. Define its behavior Answer the guided questions about its purpose and tone. Add specific instructions like: "Always include a strong call to action in donor messages." Upload example documents that reflect your nonprofit's tone, style, and key messaging — that's how it learns your voice.
4. Enable optional features Allow web browsing if you need up-to-date information. Enable file uploads if you want it to process documents.
5. Test and refine Ask it a real question: "Write a grant proposal summary for our food security program." Adjust settings if needed.
6. Save and share Your GPT is ready. Keep it private or share it with your team.
B — For free ChatGPT users

Use a custom instruction prompt.

No paid plan? You can still train ChatGPT to act as a nonprofit assistant by leading every conversation with a custom instruction. Paste this in as your first message.

You are a nonprofit AI assistant for [Your Nonprofit Name]. Your role is to help with [fundraising, donor engagement, volunteer coordination, etc.].

Use a professional, engaging tone. Provide clear, structured responses. Always include a call to action in donor emails. Format grant proposal suggestions with bullet points and key funding details. When responding about volunteers, emphasize motivation and appreciation.

Then test with a real task — draft a donor outreach email, summarize a grant proposal, or generate volunteer recruitment ideas. If the answer isn't quite right, refine your instructions ("Make the email more urgent" or "Include statistics on food insecurity"). Save the prompts that work into a personal library.

C — Prompts to start with

Six tasks worth automating first.

Grant writing

Write a compelling grant proposal summary for our [Program Name], focusing on impact and funding needs.

Donor outreach

Draft a heartfelt email to past donors, thanking them for their support and encouraging them to contribute to our upcoming fundraiser.

Volunteer recruitment

Create a social media post encouraging community members to volunteer for our next event. Highlight the impact of their support.

Fundraising ideas

Generate 5 creative fundraising event ideas for a small nonprofit focused on community health.

Press releases

Write a press release announcing a major donation from [Donor Name] to support [Program Name].

Board agendas

Draft a structured agenda for our next nonprofit board meeting, focusing on fundraising goals and program impact.
D — Tools worth knowing

The nonprofit AI starter stack.

ChatGPT

Drafting social posts, brainstorming fundraising events, summarizing documents, grant writing, donor communications, updating handbooks. Nonprofit pricing available — typically 20% off paid plans.

NotebookLM

Upload up to 50 source documents (annual reports, program data, research) and ask questions across all of them. Built-in podcast generator turns the source material into an audio briefing. Best for synthesizing program research and prepping for board reporting.

Canva for Nonprofits

Free for verified nonprofits. AI-assisted design for social, print, and presentations.

Microsoft Copilot for Nonprofits

Available at discounted nonprofit pricing. Useful if your nonprofit already runs on Microsoft 365.

E — Watch out for

Common pitfalls — and how to avoid them.

Pair this with the AI Policy Starter Kit to put the right guardrails around your nonprofit AI use.

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