The beauty of your nonprofit is in how personable, passionate, and community-centered your work is. It’s filled with heart, and makes a positive impact in the lives of those you directly support. Unfortunately, despite how common it’s become, modern AI technology for nonprofits is here to ruin that. 

AI is easy, quick, capacity-boosting, but it comes with a serious cost—one that could destroy your nonprofit’s longevity, land your organization in legal trouble, or even turn away the very people you’re hoping to help. 

Plus, AI contributes to global systems of oppression, and it’s on every ethical nonprofit to divest from that. 

The Dangers and Downfalls of AI Technology for Nonprofits

AI is tempting, like a glittery treasure resting too easily on a trap waiting to be sprung. It offers instantaneous social media posts and emails, from simple text to full graphics. It entices us with customized illustrations, perfect for our next event. 

But all of this so-called efficiency comes at great expense to your organization, our planet, and working-class creatives.

Every time ChatGPT generates just 100 words of text, it’s like pouring a bottle of water out on the ground. AI’s electricity usage has strained power grids, causing direct issues for residents who live near the AI data centers. 

Huge tech conglomerates exploit the environment (and the artists and writers they’ve stolen from) to make a quick billion bucks. This has also cost many people their careers, especially impacting remote workers in the Global South. 

Meanwhile, AI churns out generic, cliché language and uncanny graphics, mashed together from a mezcla of stolen work. It removes the heart from human creativity and pumps out a bland, lackluster, slightly-off-feeling product, often containing factual errors as well. 

When you use generative AI technology for your nonprofit, you’re also sacrificing your IP. Because AI is derivative, there’s no way to “own” the images or writing that you put out. This means someone could directly copy every AI-written post or email your nonprofit has made, and get away with it. 

An Ethical Alternative: CRM Technology

The reason nonprofits have grabbed tight to the AI craze is due to capacity. It’s always a challenge to find time to market, handle donor communications, write newsletters, create graphics, and manage key programs, all on a limited budget. We get it—our entire work here at Taking Routes is about capacity expansion. 

But what if we told you there’s a type of technology far better than AI for nonprofits? It’s called a “CRM” (Customer Relations Management). 

You’ve likely heard of it: Salesforce, DonorBox, DonorPerfect. But, its context is usually limited to donor data management alone. 

Yet, when used to its full potential, it offers a beautiful option that goes far beyond your donors. A properly configured CRM can automatically streamline member onboarding, increase monthly donors, guide your community through online programs, follow up after events, pitch workshops, and so much more. 

Yes, a human needs to build it. But once set up, it runs for the lifetime of your organization with little-to-no maintenance—and totally free of the ethical and environmental costs of AI technology. 

Why CRMs are more Effective than AI Technology for Nonprofits

CRMs are a controlled type of customized: Because a human builds the setup, it works exactly as your nonprofit needs it to. Do you need to onboard members in a very specific way? Do you need multilingual communications, or have specific accessibility considerations? A CRM can be configured to handle all of this, through built-in integrations. 

Human-made emails are also more impactful. With a CRM, you’re not struggling through an AI-built slog of text, trying to double check there’s no misinformation or insensitive language. Instead, these emails are written by a skilled copywriter (like us!), who knows how to properly capture the tone and heart of your organization. Then, they’ll automatically send at the ideal time depending on what you’re aiming for. This can be donations, event sign-ups, volunteers, or something else entirely! This not only persuades donors to give more generously, but it also ensures your nonprofit remains consistent in its messaging (which is key for organizational longevity!). 

CRMs also work 24/7: Does a member request to join your program at 2am? Does a donor give for the first time on the weekend? A CRM can reach these people immediately, without fail—like the most diligent staff member you could never have. Because of its extensive capacity support, it also helps prevent staff burnout and reduces organizational challenges when a team member is out sick or vacationing! 

How a CRM can Transform Operations, Unlike AI Technology

AI can write a post, make a graphic, or possibly configure a (probably glitchy) workflow. But a CRM can solidly support long term operations, handling all the menial and repetitive tasks you and your team are tired of doing every day. 

It can also expand operations without any additional capacity strain, like creating an onboarding workflow or supportive program followup series. A CRM can welcome new email contacts, convincing them to become a donor or volunteer at a far higher rate than leaving them to wait weeks for their first newsletter. 

Usually, our done-for-you CRM projects only take a few hours of staff time, just for email edits, a brand meeting, and supportive training. We do everything for you, from tech setup to email copywriting (with no generative AI anywhere in the process!). 

This, combined with our return on investment guarantee, means your nonprofit is sure to increase capacity and revenue with absolutely no risk. We believe in helping nonprofits expand through ethical forms of technology—something AI will never be able to offer. 

Let’s brainstorm what technology will best benefit your nonprofit, and make a plan to increase capacity without generative AI. Talk with us here!