A structured, practical programme for non‑technical charity staff, volunteers, and trustees.
Fundraising and grant writing are essential but time‑consuming tasks for small charities. AI can help organisations work smarter—drafting content, analysing funder requirements, generating ideas, and improving clarity—without replacing human judgment or storytelling.
Audience:
Small charities, community groups, mosques, youth organisations, social enterprises, and volunteer‑led initiatives.
Duration:
3 hours (or 3 × 1‑hour sessions)
Learning Outcomes:
Participants will be able to:
Understand how AI supports fundraising and grant writing.
Use AI tools to draft, refine, and structure funding applications.
Apply AI to donor engagement, reporting, and storytelling.
Recognise risks, limitations, and ethical considerations.
Build safe, responsible AI workflows for their organisation.
Three modules build from understanding to practical use to safe adoption.
This module introduces AI in simple terms and connects it to real fundraising challenges.
Key Topics
What AI is and how it works in a charity context
Why AI is useful for small fundraising teams
Types of AI relevant to fundraising: writing assistants, data tools, research tools
Myths and misconceptions (AI cannot replace human storytelling)
How AI is already embedded in fundraising platforms
Charity‑Specific Examples
Drafting a case for support
Summarising a funder’s guidelines
Creating donor thank‑you messages
Analysing past applications to identify strengths and gaps
Translating fundraising materials for multilingual communities
Learning Activities
Icebreaker: “What part of fundraising takes you the most time?”
Group mapping: Identify current fundraising tasks that could be supported by AI.
Demonstration: Show AI summarising a funder’s eligibility criteria.
Take‑Home Actions
Identify one fundraising task to automate or streamline
Explore AI tools for summarising or drafting content
Review existing fundraising materials for improvement opportunities
This module focuses on real, actionable applications that small charities can adopt immediately.
Core Use Cases
Grant Writing: drafting sections, rewriting for clarity, structuring answers
Fundraising Communications: newsletters, donor updates, campaign messages
Research: identifying relevant funders, summarising guidelines, extracting deadlines
Impact Reporting: summarising data, drafting case studies, creating simple visuals
Storytelling: turning raw notes into compelling narratives
Donor Engagement: personalised thank‑you messages, event invitations
Low‑Cost or Free Tools
AI writing assistants
AI summarisation tools
AI design tools for posters, campaigns, and reports
AI spreadsheet helpers for analysing donor data
AI translation tools for multilingual outreach
Learning Activities
Hands‑on exercise: Draft a grant application paragraph using AI.
Scenario workshop: Use AI to rewrite a complex funder requirement into plain English.
Group challenge: Create a donor thank‑you message using AI and refine it manually.
Take‑Home Actions
Choose one AI tool to pilot for the next funding cycle
Create a simple “AI workflow” for grant writing
Identify tasks that must remain human‑led (e.g., safeguarding, financial accuracy)
This module ensures charities adopt AI safely, ethically, and in line with funder expectations.
Core Principles
Transparency: funders should know when AI supports drafting
Privacy: never input personal or sensitive data into AI tools
Accuracy: AI outputs must be checked for errors
Fairness: avoid biased or inappropriate content
Accountability: humans remain responsible for final submissions
Authenticity: AI supports your voice; it does not replace it
Safeguarding: AI must not handle sensitive beneficiary stories without oversight
Charity‑Specific Risks
Sharing confidential data with AI tools
AI generating inaccurate or misleading information
Over‑automation reducing authenticity in donor relationships
Biased outputs affecting how communities are represented
Funders rejecting applications that feel “AI‑generated”
Governance Essentials
Create a simple internal AI policy
Define what AI can and cannot be used for
Keep human oversight for all grant submissions
Document AI‑assisted processes for transparency
Train staff and volunteers on safe usage
Learning Activities
Risk spotting: Identify unsafe uses of AI in fundraising scenarios.
Policy workshop: Draft a simple AI policy for grant writing.
Role‑play: Responding to a funder who asks about AI use.
Take‑Home Actions
Implement a “no sensitive data into AI tools” rule
Add AI safety to volunteer onboarding
Review fundraising workflows for AI risks
A light assessment reinforces learning.
10 multiple‑choice questions
3 short scenario questions
Group reflection on how AI could support their next funding bid
Attend full session
Participate in activities
Complete assessment
This training aims to:
Reduce admin burden on small charities
Improve the quality and clarity of grant applications
Strengthen donor relationships through better communication
Support ethical and safe adoption of AI
Protect vulnerable beneficiaries and sensitive data
Increase funding success rates and organisational sustainability