Stephen Mally Charities, Charity, NFP, Non-profit, Nonprofit, Nonprofit Management

Ethical Considerations for Charities Using ChatGPT in Fundraising

AI tools like ChatGPT are helping charities innovate and scale their fundraising efforts like never before. From drafting donor appeals to brainstorming campaign themes and building social media content calendars, artificial intelligence is proving to be a powerful ally for fundraisers. But with this power comes responsibility. As charities embrace AI-driven tools, they must also confront important ethical considerations. How do we ensure transparency, equity, accuracy, and trust when AI is involved in donor engagement?

Here are the key ethical considerations every charity should weigh before and during their use of ChatGPT in fundraising.

1. Protecting Donor Privacy

First and foremost, donor data must be treated with utmost care. While ChatGPT can generate compelling messages, it should never be fed real donor information—names, giving history, addresses, or personal details.

Best Practice:
Never input confidential donor data into ChatGPT or similar platforms. These tools do not guarantee data privacy or storage security, and doing so may violate data protection laws (e.g., Australia’s Privacy Act or GDPR).

2. Ensuring Transparency with Supporters

If you’re using AI-generated content in donor communications, ask yourself: Would your supporters expect this to be written by a human? While it’s not always necessary to disclose AI involvement, misleading donors by pretending automated messages are personal can erode trust.

Best Practice:
Use AI for first drafts or frameworks, but always personalise, review, and approve content manually. Authenticity is key in donor relationships.

3. Avoiding Bias and Discrimination

AI models like ChatGPT are trained on vast internet data sets—and that data may contain social, cultural, or racial biases. Without careful editing, AI-generated content could unintentionally reinforce stereotypes or exclude certain communities.

Best Practice:
Review AI outputs through an inclusion and equity lens. Ensure your fundraising messages are respectful, inclusive, and representative of the communities you serve.

4. Upholding Accuracy and Truthfulness

Fundraising relies on credibility. If AI content is used to describe your impact, statistics, or outcomes, double-check every claim. AI sometimes generates information that sounds authoritative but is inaccurate or fabricated.

Best Practice:
Always fact-check AI content, especially when referencing financial figures, program impact, or historical context. Don’t rely on ChatGPT to generate original data or specific organisational history.

5. Avoiding Overreliance

While AI can accelerate tasks, charities should guard against overreliance on automated content. Fundraising is built on empathy, listening, and human connection. AI can’t replace that—it can only support it.

Best Practice:
Use ChatGPT to boost efficiency, not replace human intuition. Balance AI-generated drafts with the authentic voice of your organisation.

6. Addressing Internal Transparency and Training

Staff should be equipped with clear guidelines on how and when to use ChatGPT. Without guidance, there’s a risk of inconsistency, poor-quality outputs, or privacy breaches.

Best Practice:
Develop an internal policy on AI use, including acceptable use cases, data input restrictions, ethical boundaries, and review processes.

7. Considering Accessibility and Equity

Not all organisations—or all donors—have the same comfort with or access to AI. Ensure your fundraising practices do not widen the digital divide or unintentionally alienate parts of your supporter base.

Best Practice:
Offer multiple channels for engagement and ensure human touchpoints remain central to your stewardship strategy.

The Bottom Line: Use AI Responsibly, with Human Values and Ethical Considerations in Mind

ChatGPT and similar platforms offer exciting opportunities for charity fundraisers. But fundraising is built on trust—and ethical use of AI is critical to maintaining that trust with your donors, your communities, and your teams.

At its best, AI can help charities raise more money, reach more people, and save precious time. But only when paying attention to ethical considerations and guided by clear values, strong policies, and a commitment to responsible innovation.