What Is the Near Future of AI for Nonprofits?

Chapter Leadership Brief 2.7.25

by Matthew Weber
CEO, Development Guild

The world of artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving at an astonishing pace, transforming industries from healthcare to finance—and nonprofits are no exception. As we look ahead, the near future of AI for nonprofits presents exciting opportunities and critical challenges in three key areas: fundraising, executive search, and mission strategy. While we can't predict the full extent of AI’s impact in five years, its trajectory promises to reshape how nonprofits operate in certain areas and achieve their missions.

AI + Fundraising: Breaking Beyond Dunbar’s Number

Fundraising is inherently about relationships. Anthropologist Robin Dunbar theorized that humans can maintain meaningful relationships with about 150 people—a concept known as Dunbar’s Number. Historically, frontline fundraisers have been bound by this limit, typically managing portfolios of 100 to 150 donors. However, AI is poised to redefine these boundaries.

In the near future, fundraisers will be able to maintain exponentially more donor relationships with the help of AI. Tools like ChatGPT or DeepSeek can draft personalized emails, while predictive analytics platforms can identify donors’ interests and suggest the most impactful outreach strategies. AI will take over much of the administrative work of “moves management,” allowing fundraisers to focus on personal connections and high-value conversations.

Notably, some aspects of fundraising may remain "AI-proof." Major gift fundraising, for example, relies heavily on human relationships and trust-building. While AI can automate tasks and analyze data, it cannot replicate the emotional intelligence and personalized touch required to cultivate these deep, trust-based relationships, but AI can act as an indispensable assistant, ensuring fundraisers have the insights and tools they need to excel. With AI, a major gift officer managing 10,000 donor relationships—once unimaginable—may soon become reality. New tools, such as Version2.ai are already showing great promise in cultivating gifts in the $1000 - $10,000 range.

What’s coming further down the road? Relationships with AI are in their infancy. In the future, it’s possible we’ll see AI evolve into trusted partners, complementing human efforts to an extent that today feels unimaginable.

AI + Executive Search: A Smarter Scout for Talent

In the immediate future, AI is enhancing talent acquisition by acting as a sophisticated scout. By analyzing resumes, professional networks, and other data sources, AI can quickly identify traditional prospective candidates as well as "diamonds in the rough"—candidates with unconventional backgrounds who might be an excellent fit for an organization. Much like "Moneyball" strategies in sports, AI focuses on key metrics and patterns that human recruiters might miss, helping nonprofits find talent that aligns with their unique needs.

AI is also helping nonprofits find candidates who aren’t actively job-hunting. By analyzing online activity, skills, and professional achievements, AI can surface passive candidates who may not be on the market but are perfect matches for a role. These tools can expand the talent pool and give nonprofits access to individuals they might never have reached through traditional methods.

Additionally, AI can offer insights into how candidates might add value to an organization. By analyzing team dynamics and historical data, AI can model how new hires could complement the talents of existing staff, helping hiring managers make more informed decisions. This could result in better cohesion, stronger collaboration, and a higher likelihood of long-term retention and success for both the candidate and the organization.

Further down the road, we may see much higher confidence in pairing unconventional talent with organizations, creating an even more creative " Moneyball” approach for nonprofit hiring.

AI + Mission: Unlocking the Power of Collaboration

AI’s potential to transform mission strategy is perhaps its most exciting application for nonprofits. Strategic planning, program design, and impact measurement are all being reshaped by AI’s ability to analyze data at scale and provide actionable insights. However, the true power of AI for nonprofits lies in data collaboratives—organizations pooling their data to create richer, more complete insights.

Nonprofits are uniquely positioned to lead this kind of collaboration. Unlike for-profit organizations, which often guard proprietary data, nonprofits often share the common mission of public good. This openness can be leveraged to build data collaboratives that address some of the world’s most intractable problems.

For example, in healthcare, initiatives like Cardiac Networks United enable hospitals to share data, resulting in better research, diagnosis, and treatment outcomes. Similarly, in the social sciences, collaborative projects like those supported by the United Nations University (UNU) illustrate how data sharing can advance research and policy in areas such as sustainable development and social equity. Nonprofits could replicate these models to address homelessness, climate change, or educational inequities, pooling data to build AI solutions that are truly transformational.

Imagine a future where data-sharing is seamless. Nonprofits could collectively train AI systems to identify patterns and propose solutions that no single organization could uncover on its own. Even individual supporters could play a role by donating not just money but insights—sharing their lived experiences or community challenges to help refine AI’s understanding of complex social issues.

By building data collaboratives, nonprofits can create AI-driven solutions that are deeply informed, scalable, and ethically sound, ensuring that AI serves as a tool for good.

Conclusion: A Future Full of Possibilities

It’s nearly impossible to predict where AI will take nonprofits in the next five years. The last five years have brought the most dramatic advancements in AI we’ve ever seen, from generative AI like ChatGPT to predictive analytics and machine learning systems capable of reshaping industries.

As AI continues to evolve, nonprofits will need to adapt quickly, balancing the promise of efficiency and innovation with the need for ethical oversight and human-centered leadership.

What is clear, however, is that AI is not just a tool—it’s a catalyst for reimagining what’s possible in the nonprofit sector. Fundraisers will manage more relationships than ever, executive searches will become faster and more equitable, and mission strategies will be guided by unprecedented levels of insight. By embracing AI thoughtfully and proactively, nonprofits can unlock new opportunities to amplify their impact and serve their communities better than ever before.