What Fundraisers and Nonprofit Professionals Should Know About AI in 2025

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the pace of AI innovation in the nonprofit sector, you’re not alone, but you also shouldn’t sit this one out. The 2025 Status of Fundraising in the AI Era report from Blackbaud is a must-read for fundraisers navigating this moment of disruption and opportunity. With over 550 social impact professionals surveyed, the report shows a sector split not by mission, but by digital maturity. Organizations that have built a culture around smart tech use are not just more efficient; they’re seeing stronger donor engagement and better revenue outcomes.

Key takeaway? Eighty-two percent of respondents are already using AI in some capacity—primarily for content creation and administrative streamlining—but only 14% have an organizational policy in place to guide that use. That disconnect is striking. It signals both how rapidly tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Claude are being adopted, and how unprepared many teams feel to use them responsibly and effectively.

At Operational Kindness, we believe nonprofit professionals deserve more than tech hype. They deserve tools that work, guidance they can trust, and the time to do what they do best: build relationships and drive change. If you’re not sure how to start using AI, or how to create a culture of thoughtful adoption, you’re exactly who we built this for.

The Opportunity: Tech Overload, Low Confidence

According to the report:

1. 60% of nonprofits say they need training to use technology to its fullest potential.

2. Only 26% say they have the technical expertise to use AI effectively.

3. 82% are already using AI—mostly without policies, training, or strategy.

This signals a huge readiness gap.

Where Operational Kindness Tools Come In

Our Ultimate AI for Nonprofit Fundraising Desk Reference is tailor-made for these pain points, and the free policy and prompt guide is also a great place to start to ensure:

✅ Training Without Overwhelm

The AI for Nonprofit Fundraising Desk Reference meets you where you are—with plain-language examples and no jargon. For orgs feeling the pressure to “do something with AI” but unsure how to start, this is a low-risk, high-value entry point.

✅ Build Digital Confidence Across Roles

Many nonprofits are struggling to upskill without budget. The desk reference is priced accessibly and usable by fundraisers, comms staff, and program leads alike, exactly the kind of cross-functional support the report says is missing.

✅ Turn Curiosity into Strategy

The report notes that most organizations use AI casually (e.g., for writing content), but don’t have a coherent approach. The desk reference helps teams move from “playing with AI” to building a thoughtful, ethical, and repeatable use process—exactly what Blackbaud says they need.

✅ Bridge the Policy Gap

Since only 14% of organizations have an AI policy in place, our free AI prompt, overview, and draft policy template can act as the first step toward formalizing your strategy—helping you and your team to use AI safely, ethically, and effectively.

Ready to bring clarity, confidence, and ethical use to your team’s AI journey?

Download the AI Nonprofit Fundraising Desk Reference today!

Link to Blackbaud Report