AI for Nonprofits

Chapter 19Strategic Planning

Based on insights from an interview with Sam Azar.

All too often, nonprofits fail to ask and answer one of the most important yet underused questions in our work: “What does success look like?” Beginning with the end in mind is key to any successful endeavor, including guiding nonprofits toward achieving their mission with clarity and purpose. AI introduces powerful new opportunities to enhance strategic planning, making it more efficient, data-driven, and insightful. This chapter offers tactical, practical tips and tools for nonprofit leaders looking to embrace and unlock those opportunities. By the end of this chapter, you'll be equipped with the knowledge to leverage AI effectively, ensuring your strategic plan is both robust and adaptable to future challenges.

Critical Skills and Competencies

Get Your Feet Wet

Before you can harness the full potential of AI in strategic planning, it's crucial to get comfortable with the technology. Start small by experimenting with basic GenAI tools and applications, especially multipurpose GenAI large language models (LLMs) like Anthropic's Claude (https://www.anthropic.com/claude), Google Gemini (https://deepmind.google/), and OpenAI's ChatGPT (https://chatgpt.com/). This initial phase is about building your confidence and understanding how GenAI works and how it can fit into your processes. Think of it as learning to drive—you need to get behind the wheel and practice before you can navigate complex ...