NONPROFIT INSIGHTS
Here you’ll find highlights from Paul Durban’s “Mission Forward” and “Nonprofit AI Navigator” LinkedIn newsletters. These articles share nonprofit-specific tips and insights covering artificial intelligence, strategy, operations, growth, and the real challenges behind them.
Your job description already tells you how to use AI.
Most nonprofits struggle with where to start—but the answer is already there. Break down the work people are actually doing, and AI use becomes obvious, practical, and immediately useful.
You don’t need better tools—you need better starting points.
AI adoption doesn’t begin with new software. It starts with understanding what’s not working and pointing the tool at real problems instead of hypothetical ones.
Your data doesn’t matter if you can’t tell the story.
Numbers alone don’t move people. The real impact comes from turning patterns into narratives that help others understand what’s actually happening and why it matters.
Winning the grant might be the wrong move.
Chasing funding can pull organizations away from mission, capacity, and long-term sustainability. Not every opportunity is worth the cost.
Saving money can cost you more than you think.
Cutting costs often looks responsible—but when it leads to burnout, inefficiency, or missed opportunities, the long-term impact can outweigh the short-term savings. The real question isn’t “Is this cheaper?”—it’s “What is this costing us over time?”
If people misunderstand you, that becomes your reality.
You don’t get to control how your organization is perceived—but that perception still drives decisions. Funding, partnerships, and trust are shaped by what people believe, not just what’s true.
I watched a Simon Sinek clip this past week where he describes what happens to organizations as they mature. He said, “The biggest challenge companies have is their own success because you stop playing offense, and you start playing defense.”
Nonprofit leadership can be oddly isolating for how relational the work is.
Your job puts you in contact with staff, board members, community partners, and funders constantly. And still, when a hard decision lands on your desk, you’re often working through it mostly alone.
Someone in your community typed a question into ChatGPT last week. Maybe it was “Where can I find free legal help?” or “What nonprofits help with affordable housing near me?” or “I need mental health services for my teenager.”
ChatGPT answered. So did Copilot. So did Gemini.
Your nonprofit may or may not have been mentioned. And the description may or may not have been accurate.
Somewhere in a parallel universe…
The Nonnies Deliver Another Memorable Evening – Annual celebration honors the sector’s unsung moments, unread memos, and one volunteer who has been here since before the current parking lot existed.
You shared your new fundraising campaign idea with ChatGPT and asked if the strategy was sound. It gave you an enthusiastic yes. The AI even walked through your logic, confirmed your instincts, and suggested a few next steps. So you moved forward.
You shared your new fundraising campaign idea with ChatGPT and asked if the strategy was sound. It gave you an enthusiastic yes. The AI even walked through your logic, confirmed your instincts, and suggested a few next steps. So you moved forward.
Honestly, the AI probably would have said the same thing no matter what you showed it.