[AI for Nonprofits] Episode 5: Where AI Actually Helps

Your donors are already using AI. Seventy-six percent of them, according to a March 2026 study from BBS & Associates. They know what AI-generated content feels like. Which means the question of whether to use AI in your fundraising isn't really about hiding anything — it's about knowing where it helps and where it quietly erodes the thing donors are actually giving to. In this episode, Jeremy digs into the BBS Donor Confidence Survey findings and what they actually mean for your development program. The results are more nuanced than most people expect. Donors broadly support AI when it makes their charitable dollars go further operationally. They get noticeably more cautious the closer AI gets to the relationship itself — and the data shows they can often tell the difference. Jeremy covers what AI does well in fundraising: prospect research, donor file analysis, content drafting, versioning appeals for different audiences, and annual planning. He gives you specific workflows, not just concepts. And he's clear about where the line is — the one place in major gift fundraising where AI should never be making the decisions, no matter how good it gets at the output. If you've been wondering how to use AI in your development work without losing the relationships that make your fundraising actually work, this episode is the one to start with. Part of the AI for Nonprofits series. Download the free companion workbook at nonprofitfundraising.com/ai.   The Christian Leader's Guide to AI: https://amzn.to/3RvXyoA  BBS & Associates: https://servantheart.com