Nonprofit Nation with Julia Campbell
Episode: AI Prompts That Help Nonprofits Do More With Less
Guest: Faigy Gilder, Nonprofit Digital Marketing Strategist
Date: September 3, 2025
Episode Overview
Host Julia Campbell sits down with Faigy Gilder to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) can empower nonprofits—especially those with limited resources—to work smarter, not harder. The episode explores practical, ethical, and strategic uses of AI for marketing, fundraising, donor research, content creation, and more. Faigy shares actionable prompts and frameworks that help overwhelmed nonprofit professionals save time and amplify their impact.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Faigy Gilder’s Background and Approach to AI (02:28–06:30)
- Faigy has been in the nonprofit sector for over 15 years, starting out in AmeriCorps. Her love for digital tools grew when she was handed nonprofit social media in the early days:
“They just kind of handed me their social. Because that's what you did back then, right?” (03:52, Faigy)
- She specializes in teaching AI workflows that acknowledge nonprofit professionals’ time constraints.
- Julia and Faigy both see their role as filtering trends and tools for clients so they can focus on mission-critical work.
Why AI Is Especially Relevant for Small Nonprofits (05:36–07:26)
- Most small nonprofits have staff members who “are stretched thin and doing a lot of different jobs” (05:24, Faigy).
- AI and automation allow professionals to “do more with less,” freeing up bandwidth for relationship-building and strategic work.
- Faigy’s philosophy is to learn the tech nonprofits don’t have time to research and bring it back to them in practical ways.
Overcoming AI Hesitation: Start Small & Personal (07:27–09:30)
- Acknowledge hesitation—it's normal and healthy.
- Faigy recommends familiarizing yourself with AI through everyday tasks (travel planning, packing lists, meal planning):
“I've used it to build my packing lists, ask AI to find what I missed... Just using it helps you get familiar with like what it can do” (07:27, Faigy)
- Julia shares a story about using ChatGPT for air fryer instructions as a relatable entry point.
Donor Persona Creation and Audience Research with AI (09:35–13:52)
- Faigy’s favorite use case: AI-assisted donor/audience Persona development.
- Use AI note-takers (like Fathom, Fireflies) to transcribe donor conversations.
- Store all transcripts centrally (e.g., Google Drive), then upload them to tools like Google’s NotebookLM.
- Ask AI to detect patterns: supporters’ hopes, fears, motivations.
“Given all these conversations, what can you tell me about my donor's hopes, fears, aspirations, goals, values?” (11:20, Faigy)
- Supplement with “deep research” in AI tools about key donor demographics.
- Synthesize findings and have AI generate easy-to-share Persona profiles for marketing, fundraising, and board presentations.
- Julia highlights AI as a “brainstorming partner” to help inform, not replace, human-centered relationship-building.
AI for Grantwriting, Fundraising, and Content Repurposing (15:13–18:03, 31:57–32:33)
- Use AI as a “co-pilot” to analyze successful grant proposals and extract winning elements.
- Upload strong applications and prompt AI to find common strengths.
- Outline new applications, format them for different funders, or re-use successful language.
- AI eliminates “blank page” stress, enabling professionals to focus their time and energy where it counts.
- For annual appeals, block grantwriting, or email campaigns, have AI summarize, outline, or repurpose previous content for different channels:
“AI is really good at repurposing your content. Say, these are the channels we have. Here's what I need.” (31:57, Faigy)
Strong Prompt Writing: Practical Framework (18:04–21:29)
- Faigy’s tips for effective prompts:
- Assign AI a “role”: “You are a grantwriter / copywriter / audience researcher.”
- Clarify YOUR role and what you need.
- Provide context—attach documentation (brand guides, slide decks, etc.).
- Specify the output format (bullets, tables, summaries).
- Instruct AI to ask clarifying questions or explain reasoning:
“Tell it to ask you questions if it needs more information... you want to ask it for reasoning and to share its reasoning... Think step by step.” (19:48, Faigy)
Ethical Considerations for Nonprofits Using AI (23:53–26:35)
- Prioritize privacy: Use paid versions to exclude your data from model training, anonymize sensitive details.
“If you're a doctor, don't start uploading patient charts, like anonymize things. Use a little common sense.” (23:53, Faigy)
- Respect likeness and content ownership. Creating AI avatars or deepfake videos poses ethical dilemmas.
“I don't want videos of me that are not me. I don't want comments that sound like me but aren't me. And I think it's important to keep your own compass even, even with AI.” (26:35, Faigy)
- Align all tech use with your nonprofit’s mission, values, and personal comfort level.
Staying Current Without Overwhelm (27:39–29:24)
- Don’t try to track every new tool—just use one major AI platform (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity).
- Avoid “aftermarket” bundle tools; they often have shorter memory/context windows and can be overkill.
- The best way to stay sharp: keep using AI routinely, even for small or personal tasks.
“Just using it every once in a while, if it's been more than a week, try to use it for something.” (27:57, Faigy)
Getting Started: Favorite AI Tools & Practical Steps (29:44–31:57)
- Faigy likes Claude and ChatGPT for marketing and client work; recommends trying Gemini’s voice mode for natural interaction.
- Start by having AI ask you questions about your goals or organization—the interaction itself builds familiarity.
- Use AI to help define your (or your org’s) brand voice, copy styles, or content themes.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On the real value of AI:
“It's my co-pilot. That's always... I don't think of this at all as a replacement. It's really just to do things on a budget and faster. Because we have to.” (15:13, Faigy)
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On prompt writing:
“You need to tell AI who it is... Start with giving it context for who it is and then say who you are and what you need... Tell it what its goal is. Tell it to ask you questions if it needs more information.” (18:04–19:48, Faigy)
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On ethics & alignment:
“I think it's important to keep your own compass even, even with AI.” (26:35, Faigy)
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On staying sane with tech:
“Just use one of the bigger platforms and just continue to experiment.” (29:24, Faigy)
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On nonprofit priorities:
“At the end of the day, we want to understand our donors, we want to accomplish our mission, we want to connect with our community, we want to build awareness. Like what are our main, main, main goals and how can all of these tools... help us accomplish our goals?” (31:57, Julia)
Practical Resources & Where to Connect
- Faigy’s Website with prompt banks, free AI bots, and resources:
smallorgcomms.com/nation - Faigy on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/faigy (vanity URL: /faigy)
- Practical AI tools mentioned:
- ChatGPT (OpenAI)
- Claude (Anthropic)
- Gemini (Google, especially for voice mode)
- Perplexity (Advanced research)
- Google NotebookLM (Pattern detection in documents)
- Zapier (automation)
- Fireflies, Fathom (AI notetakers)
Key Timestamps for Reference
- Faigy’s intro & background: 02:28–03:52
- Why AI for small nonprofits: 05:19–06:31
- Getting comfortable with AI: 07:27–09:35
- Donor Persona workflows: 09:35–13:52
- Using AI for grants & fundraising: 15:13–17:07
- Faigy’s prompt framework: 18:04–21:29
- Ethics of AI in nonprofit work: 23:53–26:35
- How to stay current (without overwhelm): 27:39–29:24
- Favorite tools/getting started: 29:44–31:57
- Content repurposing tips: 31:57–32:33
- Resources & contact: 33:00–33:53
Tone & Style
The conversation is supportive, relatable, and highly practical, blending humor with genuine empathy for nonprofit professionals working with limited time and resources. Both Julia and Faigy emphasize experimentation, self-trust, and thoughtful, context-driven use of AI.
Summary prepared for listeners seeking practical, actionable ways to leverage AI for nonprofit impact—minus the jargon and hype, but with a focus on values, efficiency, and human connection.