Uploaded March 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, organizations are constantly seeking innovative ways to maximize their fundraising efforts. Artificial intelligence has emerged as a game-changer, revolutionizing the world of fundraising and empowering nonprofits to achieve remarkable results.
In this session, participants will unlock the potential of AI and learn how to leverage its power to supercharge their fundraising campaigns. Through an interactive session and practical demonstrations, you’ll gain the knowledge and skills to utilise AI tools and techniques effectively, amplifying your fundraising impact and optimising your existing resources.
Learning outcomes:
Develop strategies to optimize professional performance and productivity by harnessing efficient techniques that are both highly effective and cost-effective
Learn how to leverage free and low-cost tools and resources to streamline workflow, increase engagement, and create strong connections
Cultivate a mindset of excellence in all endeavours by adopting actionable insights and practical tips that can be immediately implemented to achieve outstanding results
Presenter:
Josh Hirsch, MS
Senior Strategist, Soukup Strategic Solution
Faculty/Digital Marketing Manager, The Fund Raising School at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Josh has worked in the nonprofit sector since 2006 with a focus on educational philanthropy for both public charter and independent private schools. He has an extensive background in social media, digital communications, and marketing along with experience in grant research and writing, individual giving, special event planning, stewardship, and cultivation of donors.
Josh is a pioneering educator in the realm of artificial intelligence for nonprofits, having contributed to the development of a specialized curriculum at The Fund Raising School to empower nonprofit organizations with AI competencies. As a respected voice in this emerging field, he is frequently invited to speak at conferences and workshops about the strategic integration of AI in nonprofit initiatives.
He is the Florida Caucus Representative for the Association of Fundraising Professionals First Coast Chapter and Past-President of the Palm Beach County Chapter. Josh is also a member of the AFPeeps, the social media vanguard for the AFP International Conference and other AFP initiatives. He has spoken internationally on digital communications and has had numerous articles published in professional journals.
Josh received a Master of Science in Family, Youth and Community Sciences and a Bachelor of Science in Advertising from the University of Florida. He has a Certificate in Strategic Fundraising and Philanthropy from Bay Path University and is a Certified Social Media Strategist by the National Institute for Social Media.
Principal Chapters + Demo Breakouts
0:00 — Welcome, introductions, and session overview
0:23 — AFP ICON Toronto: why attend + keynote highlights
2:23 — Arizona Statewide AFP Conference (Tucson): dates, venue, sponsors
5:22 — Introducing Josh + why AI matters for fundraisers now
8:13 — Josh’s background + the “nerd” mindset for technology
11:12 — AI is already everywhere: everyday examples fundraisers know
13:33 — Audience word cloud: hopes, fears, and perceptions of AI
17:44 — Practical AI use cases: meeting capture & analysis (Fireflies)
28:24 — AI fundamentals & ethics: terms, privacy, bias, hallucinations
33:04 — Organizational guardrails: AI usage policy & governance
🔹 Live Demo Chapters (Expanded)
39:49 — Prompt engineering basics: personas, patterns, and workflow
45:50 — Demo setup: training ChatGPT as a nonprofit executive persona
50:32 — Demo: drafting a capital campaign press release
54:39 — Demo: tone control (positive vs. forlorn messaging example)
56:46 — Demo: segmented major donor year-end email appeal
1:01:31 — Demo: readability testing & simplifying donor language
1:03:14 — Demo: storytelling experiment (Clark Telescope POV)
1:04:51 — Demo: subject line testing with reasoning table
1:05:32 — Demo: custom GPT “donor panel” scoring & critique
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Jim Anderson Photography, 2024
GoalBusters Consulting, LLC
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, organizations are constantly seeking innovative ways to maximize their fundraising efforts. Artificial intelligence has emerged as a game-changer, revolutionizing the world of fundraising and empowering nonprofits to achieve remarkable results.
In this session, participants will unlock the potential of AI and learn how to leverage its power to supercharge their fundraising campaigns. Through an interactive session and practical demonstrations, you’ll gain the knowledge and skills to utilise AI tools and techniques effectively, amplifying your fundraising impact and optimising your existing resources.
Learning outcomes:
Develop strategies to optimize professional performance and productivity by harnessing efficient techniques that are both highly effective and cost-effective
Learn how to leverage free and low-cost tools and resources to streamline workflow, increase engagement, and create strong connections
Cultivate a mindset of excellence in all endeavours by adopting actionable insights and practical tips that can be immediately implemented to achieve outstanding results
Presenter:
Josh Hirsch, MS
Senior Strategist, Soukup Strategic Solution
Faculty/Digital Marketing Manager, The Fund Raising School at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Josh has worked in the nonprofit sector since 2006 with a focus on educational philanthropy for both public charter and independent private schools. He has an extensive background in social media, digital communications, and marketing along with experience in grant research and writing, individual giving, special event planning, stewardship, and cultivation of donors.
Josh is a pioneering educator in the realm of artificial intelligence for nonprofits, having contributed to the development of a specialized curriculum at The Fund Raising School to empower nonprofit organizations with AI competencies. As a respected voice in this emerging field, he is frequently invited to speak at conferences and workshops about the strategic integration of AI in nonprofit initiatives.
He is the Florida Caucus Representative for the Association of Fundraising Professionals First Coast Chapter and Past-President of the Palm Beach County Chapter. Josh is also a member of the AFPeeps, the social media vanguard for the AFP International Conference and other AFP initiatives. He has spoken internationally on digital communications and has had numerous articles published in professional journals.
Josh received a Master of Science in Family, Youth and Community Sciences and a Bachelor of Science in Advertising from the University of Florida. He has a Certificate in Strategic Fundraising and Philanthropy from Bay Path University and is a Certified Social Media Strategist by the National Institute for Social Media.
Principal Chapters + Demo Breakouts
0:00 — Welcome, introductions, and session overview
0:23 — AFP ICON Toronto: why attend + keynote highlights
2:23 — Arizona Statewide AFP Conference (Tucson): dates, venue, sponsors
5:22 — Introducing Josh + why AI matters for fundraisers now
8:13 — Josh’s background + the “nerd” mindset for technology
11:12 — AI is already everywhere: everyday examples fundraisers know
13:33 — Audience word cloud: hopes, fears, and perceptions of AI
17:44 — Practical AI use cases: meeting capture & analysis (Fireflies)
28:24 — AI fundamentals & ethics: terms, privacy, bias, hallucinations
33:04 — Organizational guardrails: AI usage policy & governance
🔹 Live Demo Chapters (Expanded)
39:49 — Prompt engineering basics: personas, patterns, and workflow
45:50 — Demo setup: training ChatGPT as a nonprofit executive persona
50:32 — Demo: drafting a capital campaign press release
54:39 — Demo: tone control (positive vs. forlorn messaging example)
56:46 — Demo: segmented major donor year-end email appeal
1:01:31 — Demo: readability testing & simplifying donor language
1:03:14 — Demo: storytelling experiment (Clark Telescope POV)
1:04:51 — Demo: subject line testing with reasoning table
1:05:32 — Demo: custom GPT “donor panel” scoring & critique
-----
Jim Anderson Photography, 2024
GoalBusters Consulting, LLC
