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By Deepa Chaudhary of GrantOrb.com

It’s no secret that BC’s non-profit sector is under significant strain. The 2024 State of BC’s Non-Profit Sector report paints a bleak picture of teams feeling “overwhelmed,” “under-funded,” and “stretched to the limit.” Demand for services keeps soaring, while dollars and staff capacity struggle to keep up. Simply put, there’s way too much work and not enough time.

But here’s the exciting part, an incredible opportunity is emerging - Generative AI, a true game-changer for non-profits. You’ve probably heard the buzz, and believe me, the excitement is real. Tasks that once took weeks or months can now be completed in minutes. Generative AI turns every single one of you into an artist, a grant writer, a coder, a designer, a videographer,  basically, and an expert in whatever topic you need. Not only does AI speed things up, but it can also enhance the quality of programs and services by helping non-profits design smarter, more effective initiatives.

For a sector that often operates on tight budgets with stretched-thin staff, AI is the best thing that’s happened in years. It gives non-profits a superpower, the ability to get things done fast, easily, and with less stress. The technology is so intuitive that you don’t need to learn complicated software - just talk to it, and it understands. For the first time ever, machines speak our language instead of us having to learn theirs.

“Generative AI turns every single one of you into an artist, a grant writer, a coder, a designer, a videographer,  basically, and an expert in whatever topic you need”

What Exactly is Generative AI?

Generative AI, or GenAI, is powered by what’s called Large Language Models (LLMs). In the words of Andrej Karpathy, former AI scientist at OpenAI and Tesla, these models are like a “zip file of the Internet.” They’ve absorbed massive amounts of information and learned how to generate new content - text, images, audio, or video  from simple instructions. These models understand various forms of communication from text to pictures to voice. For example, you can drop a video link into a tool like Gemini and ask it to transcribe the content or write a blog post based on what it sees. Pretty powerful, right?

The Generative AI Landscape: Tools That Work for You

Many of these tools are free or low-cost, making them perfect for nonprofits.

Chatbots

You’ve probably used ChatGPT, a chatbot built on LLMs. But there are many others -  Gemini (Google), Claude, Microsoft CoPilot, Grok, DeepSeek, and more. Think of chatbots as an extension of your brain. They can help with anything: editing emails, summarizing documents, brainstorming content ideas, translating materials, and seeking information. Need a summary chart from a budget spreadsheet or a quick infographic from an article? Chatbots can do that too. They’re tireless helpers!

Creating Visuals with AI

Every non-profit needs visuals -  for websites, social media, newsletters, or annual reports. Now, you can create stunning images instantly using AI tools like Midjourney, Imagen3 (inside Gemini), and ChatGPT’s image generator. Just describe what you want, and watch the image evolve as you tweak your description. Need videos? Tools like Veo 2 (Gemini) and Sora (ChatGPT) let you create short, professional-quality videos or animations in minutes, no expensive equipment or editing skills required.

AI Supercharges Nonprofits: Work Smarter, Not Harder

AI isn’t just a trend, it’s a revolutionary tool that lets non-profit professionals get their work done faster and frees up time for what really matters.

• Save Time on Routine Tasks: Draft newsletters, clean data, translate updates, write grant applications, compile statistics, or design event posters,  AI handles these chores quickly, saving mental energy for strategic work.
• Boost Fundraising Power: Grants are the lifeline for many non-profits. With AI tools like GrantOrb, you can go from a simple idea to a complete, expert-level grant proposal in minutes. Suddenly, applying to dozens or even hundreds of grants feels possible, not overwhelming.
• Find and Connect with Donors: Use AI to research potential funders whose priorities match your mission. Practice your “ask” with chatbot audio features to build confidence.
• Create Engaging Content: Need logos, media assets, blog posts, or social media content? AI can whip up ideas and first drafts in seconds.
• Break Language Barriers: Translate your materials instantly into over 50 languages with tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, helping you reach and serve more diverse communities.
• Capture and Analyze Information: Transcribe meetings or interviews, summarize lengthy reports, create charts and visualizations, and craft compelling impact reports all with AI support.
• Make Learning and Sharing Easier: Create podcasts and audio summaries in seconds using tools like NotebookLM and Gemini’s Audio Overview. Turn training manuals, volunteer guides, or policies into accessible formats volunteers and staff can listen to on the go.

AI Helps Fight Burnout

Burnout in non-profits often comes from the mountain of “necessary but not mission” tasks that pile up day after day -  things like drafting newsletters and email updates, cleaning and organizing data, managing bilingual communications, writing long grant applications, compiling program statistics and reports, designing event materials, coordinating logistics etc. These repetitive chores can drain energy and steal time from the meaningful work that truly drives impact. Generative AI speeds up or automates many of these tasks, freeing non-profit staff to focus on strategic thinking, building relationships, and delivering programs that make a difference.

Ultimately, the rise of AI in the non-profit sector signals an exciting shift. We are moving from an era where humans are primarily doing the work to one where we are increasingly supervising the powerful assistance of AI. This allows us to leverage technology to handle the heavy lifting, freeing up our human intellect and compassion for the strategic thinking and relationship-building that truly drives impact in BC communities.

As Tobi Lutke, CEO of Shopify, wisely noted, “Using AI well is a skill that needs to be carefully learned by… using it a lot.” 

The most effective way for BC non-profits to unlock the transformative power of AI is to begin integrating it into their daily workflows. By actively experimenting and building your “AI muscle,” you’ll witness firsthand how ideas improve, tasks get done quickly, and stress levels drop. This newfound efficiency translates directly into more headspace – more time, more energy, and more focus – to dedicate to what truly matters: making a tangible and lasting difference in the vibrant communities across British Columbia.

About the Author:

Deepa Chaudhary is the CEO of GrantOrb.com, the largest AI-powered grant writing platform. With experience in philanthropy at the Salesforce Foundation and as Co-Founder of United Way Mumbai, Deepa brings a unique blend of expertise in both AI and the non-profit world. She is passionate about helping non-profits and community leaders use AI for greater impact. You can connect with her on Linkedin

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By Alina Emery, Volunteer Engagement Coordinator

Ask someone why they volunteer, and you will uncover a deep and vast collection of stories. 

My mother was born and raised in the Dominican Republic. Her upbringing, and the lessons she shared with my siblings and I, centered around respecting the land we are on and the people around us. Holding a growth mindset focused on learning from others, especially our elders, is an important part of our culture and strongly benefits our livelihoods. In a very reciprocal fashion, my elders taught me that they are always learning from me and the other younger people in their lives, and that those interactions deepen their experiences. Learning is a cycle of appreciation and growth towards strengthening our roots as a community. Giving back, helping others, and developing strong relationships and action within our communities, enhances our well-being. Volunteering has always been encouraged as a meaningful way to learn, grow and offer mutual support to the communities that supported us.   

Now, as a second-generation immigrant and settler on the lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples, I strive to live out those values, support those generational cultural messages and values in my work. 

There are many lessons we can learn from, not only our own cultures, but the many diverse perspectives present in our communities.  

I recently attended Future of Good’s 2-day virtual Wellbeing Summit focused on the well-being of the non-profit sector and the people serving in it. Through a session on “What Wellbeing is Missing: Indigenous Peoples and Perspectives” we explored teachings that can be adopted from Indigenous practices, celebrations, and languages and incorporated in the protocols and practices of non-profit organization. These included examples like developing smudging policies, supporting employees to take time off for learning about Indigenous ceremonies or languages, or including action statements as a part of offering a meaningful land acknowledgement.  

The Seventh Generation Principle and the Two-Eyed Seeing Approach stood out to me as I considered ways Indigenous culture and my work with volunteers might intersect. The Seventh-Generation principle holds the perspective that in any decision we make there is importance and value in considering how it will affect the next seven generations. The Two-Eyed Seeing (Etuaptmumk in Mi'kmaw) Approach, developed by Mi’kmaq Elder Albert Marshall, shares the opportunity for integration of both Indigenous and Western ways of knowing, teaching and learning in our lives and in our work.  

In our own cultures, life lessons and relationships, and in both the Two-Eyed Seeing Approach and the Seventh-Generation Principles of the Indigenous peoples, we find messages of the meaning and value of intergenerational and intercultural solutions, and how, when incorporated into our lives and our work, they are opportunities to deepen the impacts. This holds true for volunteerism - for both volunteers and communities they serve.  

As many know, the pandemic shifted the generational dynamic significantly in the volunteer and non-profit sector. More mature volunteers started prioritizing their health and families and stepped back from volunteering. High schools paused volunteerism credits toward graduation to ensure students were safer. Non-profits came to a halt with their programming, decreasing the need for volunteers and, as we know, picking up traction can be challenging. Through this pause isolation and loneliness increased. It’s my belief that volunteering with groups of people from all generations, cultures and beliefs supports our well-being, our happiness, and our sense of belonging in community. We can find opportunities to grow as individuals, to develop relationships that we may not have otherwise with people from a different background or generation than us, who can have transformational impact on our lives, and find meaning purpose through service in community. 

Our organizational model at Vantage Point often partners Knowledge Philanthropist facilitators who have been in the sector for many years with Digital Hosts team members, who are often youth and younger individuals wanting to learn more about the non-profit sector. I have witnessed some beautiful interactions watching long-term facilitators exchange knowledge and tips with our digital hosts around careers, resources and skill enhancement. These intergenerational collaborations can benefit from each other's experiences, working together on a mutual project, is one of the reasons I love what I do.  Volunteer programs that offer a safe and engaging space for volunteers can initiate long-term impacts that benefit generations to come.  

This National Volunteer Week, my hope is that organizations can take the time to think about how volunteerism exists currently in their organization and what "Two-Eyed Seeing Approach” they can take that will improve the well-being of volunteers and serve seven generations into the future. Expanding our approaches to bring learnings from other cultures and communities has a reciprocal effect, not only strengthening organizations but improving the growth and success of volunteers engaged. 

There is much more I could share about the intersectional aspects of volunteerism and the value of creating spaces for intergenerational learning and growth for volunteers. If you’re curious to dive deeper into all things volunteerism with me, please feel free to connect on LinkedIn or at aemery@thevantagepoint.ca   

*“What Wellbeing is Missing: Indigenous Peoples and Perspectives” session was led by Shannon VanRaes (Future of Good), Talitha Tolles (MakeWay), Michael Redhead Champagne, and Alexandra Biron (Deloitte)