3 Free AI Tools Every Nonprofit Needs to Supercharge Fundraising and Efficiency

In today’s fast-evolving nonprofit world, staying ahead means embracing technology and fresh fundraising ideas. With donor habits shifting and funding landscapes changing, leaders need tools to streamline operations and diversify revenue. Free AI tools and creative strategies—like shopping fundraisers—are the secret weapons every nonprofit should wield.

In this post, we’ll uncover three free AI tools your nonprofit needs now, plus a bonus tool that turns everyday shopping into effortless fundraising for your cause.

The State of Nonprofit Fundraising in 2025

Before we dive into the tools, let’s set the scene. Nonprofit fundraising is facing big shifts:

• Shifting Funding Sources: Foundation giving rose 7.2% and corporate donations climbed 5.1% in 2023, yet individual donor participation hit a record low of 49.5% of U.S. adults (2024 Giving USA Report).
• Economic Pressures: Inflation has tightened wallets, with 62% of Americans citing financial strain as a barrier to giving (Nonprofit Quarterly, 2024).
• Generational Divide: Gen Z is all-in on causes—93% plan to donate (DoSomething.org, 2023)—but their median disposable income is just $1,200 annually, compared to $8,000 for Boomers (Statista, 2024).

Key takeaway: Nonprofits must diversify income and boost efficiency to thrive. That’s where AI and shopping fundraisers come in.

Tool #1: ChatGPT & Grok – Your Content Creation Powerhouses

Compelling content fuels successful fundraising. Tools like ChatGPT (from OpenAI) and Grok (from xAI) churn out grant proposals, social posts, and donor emails in minutes.

How Nonprofits Can Use Them

• Research and Insights: Pull real-time stats and trends to power campaigns.
• Content Generation: Draft blogs, appeals, or event invites with ease.
• SEO Optimization: Rank higher with keywords like “nonprofit fundraiser” or “shopping fundraiser.”

Real-World Win

4 Paws 4 Life used ChatGPT to craft an SEO-optimized blog for their “White Whiskers Fund.” With fresh stats sourced instantly, they slashed creation time from 3 hours to 20 minutes—boosting online donations by 15%.

Tool #2: Make.com – Automation Made Easy

Nonprofits drown in repetitive tasks: updating donor lists, posting updates, sending thank-yous. Make.com automates these by connecting your apps—like Google Sheets or Slack—for free.

What It Can Do

• Donor Management: Auto-sync event sign-ups to your CRM.
• Social Media: Schedule posts from a spreadsheet.
• Gratitude at Scale: Send personalized thank-you emails post-donation.

Impact Snapshot

Per a 2023 TechSoup study, nonprofits using automation saved 12 staff hours weekly—time better spent on donor outreach or planning a shopping fundraiser.

Tool #3: Automa – Your Data Collection Sidekick

Researching sponsors or filling grant forms takes hours. Automa, a free browser extension, scrapes web data and auto-fills forms, cutting the grunt work.

Use Cases

• Sponsorship Outreach: Compile local business lists in minutes.
• Trend Tracking: Extract donor stats from reports.
• Grant Efficiency: Auto-populate repetitive application fields.

Efficiency Boost

One nonprofit slashed grant research time by 40% with Automa, freeing staff for strategy (Nonprofit Tech Review, 2024).

Bonus Tool: ShopRaise – Turn Shopping Into Fundraising

AI streamlines operations, but ShopRaise unlocks passive revenue. It turns supporters’ everyday purchases—online or via gift cards—into donations, at no extra cost.

How It Works

• Scale: Shop at 2,500+ retailers (Amazon, Target) and 300+ gift card brands.
• Impact: A cut of each purchase supports your nonprofit.
• Ease: Supporters get regular prices and rewards—your cause just wins too.
• Transparency: Track funds with real-time dashboards.

Why It’s Essential

Shopping fundraisers diversify income effortlessly. In 2023, passive giving programs like ShopRaise raised $1.2 billion for U.S. nonprofits (National Retail Federation). Supporters shop as usual, and your nonprofit earns with every transaction.

Why This Combo Wins

Pairing AI tools with a shopping fundraiser delivers:

• ✅ Efficiency: Save 12+ hours weekly (TechSoup, 2023).
• ✅ Engagement: Boost response rates by 25% with AI content (HubSpot, 2024).
• ✅ Revenue: Add 10-15% to annual funds via passive streams (Fundraising Journal, 2023).

In a world where 61% of nonprofits miss fundraising goals (Chronicle of Philanthropy, 2024), this toolkit is your edge.

Ready to Transform Your Nonprofit?

Explore the tools:
ChatGPT | Grok | Make.com | Automa

Launch your shopping fundraiser:
Sign Up for ShopRaise

With these free resources, your nonprofit can work smarter, engage better, and fundraise year-round—starting today.

Last updated: March 03, 2025