Mission-centered organizations such as nonprofits and charities face constant pressure to do more with less. These essential organizations are called upon to address growing community needs with lean teams, tight budgets and limited resources. When it comes to their IT, many nonprofits focus on security and policy—rightfully so—but miss the opportunity to further leverage technology to make their work easier and less complicated.
In the nonprofit sector, AI (artificial intelligence) is emerging as a vital tool to help lean organizations work smarter, not harder. But not all AI tools are created equal. AI tools aimed at the consumer market can be helpful, but they’re not designed for organizational control, compliance or secure data handling, which can compromise sensitive donor and client information. At the same time, enterprise AI solutions such as Microsoft Copilot can integrate into an organization’s existing Microsoft environment, reducing risk and enhancing the tools your team already uses every day.
At ATB Technologies, we work closely with nonprofits on IT solutions that are secure, efficient and responsive, so you can spend more time focusing on what matters—serving your mission. Here’s a look at how a secure AI solution such as Copilot can be leveraged to address three common pain points every nonprofit faces.
Donor Management and Data Sprawl
Many nonprofits struggle with disconnected systems: donor databases, spreadsheets, email marketing platforms, accounting software, etc. When information is spread across different platforms, reporting can become time-consuming and inconsistent. Using Copilot within Microsoft 365, nonprofits can spend more time building relationships instead of compiling data. Copilot enables nonprofits to quickly:
- Summarize donor engagement history;
- Generate reports across spreadsheets;
- Draft personalized donor communications based on CRM data; and
- Identify trends in giving without manually compiling data.
Onboarding New Employees
Nonprofits often experience turnover or rely on grant-funded positions, which can lead to frequent onboarding. Valuable time is spent answering repetitive questions or conducting routine tasks. With Copilot embedded into SharePoint and Teams, managers can reclaim their valuable time and create a system where institutional knowledge becomes searchable and accessible. This type of integration can:
- Create onboarding guides tailored to each role;
- Summarize human resources policies and procedures;
- Provide quick answers from internal documentation; and
- Draft training materials and checklists.
Grant Writing and Reporting
Grants are the lifeblood of many nonprofits. As such, grant deadlines are constant and reporting requirements can be extensive. Pulling program data, summarizing impact, and drafting narratives takes hours, sometimes days. AI can save your team time and frustration when completing these critical tasks. Although AI writing and reporting still requires oversight and final edits by your team, it can certainly help lighten the load. Using AI, your team can:
- Brainstorm and/or draft first versions of grant proposals;
- Summarize program outcomes from internal reports;
- Create executive-ready impact summaries; and
- Compile board-ready reporting documents.
At ATB Technologies, nonprofits are close to our hearts. We’re proud to help nonprofits make a difference in our community with dependable support and strategic IT expertise. If you’re a nonprofit that needs help putting your IT to work for you, reach out today for a free consultation at atb-tech.com/contact-us.
About ATB Technologies
ATB Technologies is an award-winning managed service provider (MSP) that helps businesses solve technology problems and navigate which solutions best support their business strategy and goals. Our IT experts help companies maximize their business IT while offering an exceptional level of customer service. We’re ready to help and provide IT support that never lets you down. ATB has been twice recognized by Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. Find out more at atb-tech.com.