How To Raise: AI Ethics & Governance for Modern Fundraising.

In an era where AI can amplify a nonprofit’s reach or operationalize systemic bias, governance is no longer optional—it is a non-negotiable for leadership. This session moves beyond the “hype” of automation to tackle the critical infrastructure of harm prevention, data privacy, and human accountability. Designed specifically for nonprofit executives and fundraisers, we will explore how to build a “governance-first” AI strategy that protects your community’s data while scaling your fundraising. Learning Objectives 1) Establish a Governance-First Framework: Learn how to implement clear data privacy, consent policies, and human-in-the-loop review processes to prevent “shadow AI” risks within your development team. 2) Mitigate Algorithmic Bias in Fundraising: Identify how existing funding patterns can become cemented into AI outputs and learn practical steps to ensure your AI-powered prospecting and drafting remain equity-centered. 3) Build a Sustainable AI Roadmap: Move from “random experimentation” to a structured fundraising infrastructure that reduces staff burnout without sacrificing organizational authenticity or community voice. 4) Best Practices: Learn the best practices, strategies, tips and tools to maximize your fundraising efforts and secure more resources for your mission by optimizing prospecting, grant writing, donor outreach and engagement and more.