134. Writing Donor Messages with AI, Not by AI
About this episode
Let’s be honest: how many times in the past few months have you heard someone say, “AI is going to change fundraising forever”?
Maybe you’ve felt that tension yourself. On one hand, you want to use AI to lighten your workload. On the other hand, you worry that it will make your donor communication sound robotic or impersonal. I get it. Many of the fundraisers I coach right now feel caught between efficiency and authenticity.
In a year like twenty‑twenty‑six, when donor expectations are high, teams are lean, and messages have to cut through the noise, it’s no wonder people are asking: Is there a way to use AI that still sounds like me?
The answer is yes. And it starts with remembering this: AI can’t replace your voice. But it can help amplify it.
Where AI helps most
In my experience, AI shines in a few key areas of donor communication. It’s not about outsourcing your gratitude or heart. It’s about using the tool as a behind‑the‑scenes assistant.
1. Drafting faster when time is tight.
If you’re staring at a blank screen trying to write a follow‑up or thank‑you, AI can give you a quick first draft. Think of it as your brainstorming partner. You still decide what stays and what goes.
2. Clarifying tone and readability.
Sometimes messages sound too formal or too stiff. AI can help you find plain, conversational language that feels more like a chat over coffee than a press release.
3. Adapting messages for different channels.
You can ask AI to shorten a long letter into a short text or email summary so your voice stays consistent everywhere.
AI can help free up mental space, so you can spend more time building genuine connections with donors, not formatting the same email for the tenth time.
But here’s the caution…
Your donors give because they trust you. They know your warmth, your integrity, your way of making them feel seen. That’s something AI will never replicate because it doesn’t understand emotion or empathy.
So instead of thinking “What can AI write for me?” start asking “Where can AI help me write more efficiently while keeping my voice intact?”
How to teach AI to sound like you
One approach I’ve seen work well is to train AI using your own writing style. It’s surprisingly simple.
Gather your best messages.
Pull three to five donor communications that feel authentically you: thank‑you letters, event recaps, or proposals that donors responded well to.
Find your voice themes.
Look for patterns. Do you sound warm and conversational? Do you start with gratitude before data? Do you use short sentences? These are clues to your brand voice.
Write down 3–4 voice guidelines.
Things like: “Sound friendly and professional.” “Write with gratitude first.” “Keep it plain, human, and kind.”
Add those notes into every AI prompt you write.
For example: “Write this donor thank‑you in a warm, authentic tone that feels personal and conversational. Keep it under 150 words.”
Over time, the more examples you feed in, the more AI starts to sound like you and your organization.
When to keep it fully human
There are moments when no technology belongs in the room.
Messages that include personal donor data or stories. Never put personal or sensitive details—like names, gift amounts, or life events—into an AI system. Keep that information private and write those communications yourself.
Notes that require deep empathy, such as bereavement letters or sensitive updates.
Big proposals or stewardship reports where trust and nuance matter most.
AI can help outline, summarize, or test phrasing, but your final message should always come from you. Empathy and discernment are still human work.
A quick story from the field
One development director I coach was drowning in thank‑you letters. She started using AI for early drafts and immediately noticed how stiff they sounded. So, she added one small note to her prompts: “Make this sound personal, friendly, and conversational, like I’m writing to an old friend.”
The shift was magical. Her messages suddenly felt warm and authentic again. Donors even commented that her emails “felt extra personal.” She didn’t delegate her gratitude to AI, she used AI to help express it faster and more consistently.
Try this next week
If you’re ready to experiment but don’t know where to start, here’s a simple 30‑minute workflow I teach teams.
Pick one recurring message, like your monthly donor thank‑you or post‑event follow‑up.
Copy your last version and paste it into an AI tool. Ask the tool to “make this warmer and more conversational while keeping my tone and gratitude.”
Read it out loud. If it doesn’t sound like you, go back and refine the prompt until it does.
Compare how long it took versus writing from scratch.
That small test gives you immediate insight into how AI can help, without putting real donor data at risk.
Where to draw your guardrails
To make AI a safe and sustainable part of your team’s process, create a few shared rules, such as:
Don’t ever include donor names, giving history, or personal stories in AI tools.
Always have a human read and approve AI‑assisted drafts.
Keep sensitive topics fully human.
When your team knows the boundaries, everyone feels more confident experimenting. It keeps your communication consistent and protects donor trust.
Listen to the full conversation
If this topic resonates, I talk much more about it on this week’s Intentional Fundraiser Podcast episode, “Writing Donor Messages with AI, Not by AI.”
I walk through real prompts you can try, how to train AI on your tone, and where to draw the line between efficiency and authenticity.
Listen to the episode above.
Let’s stay connected
How are you feeling about using AI in your donor communication?
Connect with me on LinkedIn and share what’s working for you and where you’re still hesitant.
Remember: your donors aren’t giving to your tools. They’re giving to your vision, your voice, your relationship. AI can take some of the busywork off your plate, but you bring the heart.
Keep showing up with your authentic voice. That’s what donors respond to, and that’s what grows major gifts for the long haul.
“Be curious. Experiment carefully. Set boundaries. And remember, you’re not writing by AI, you’re writing with AI.”
Tammy Zonker, Major Gift Expert, Keynote Speaker, Author
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