Fundraising.AI is a fully independent collaborative that exists to understand and promote the development and use of Responsible AI for nonprofit fundraising, and is a testament to our collective desire to promote and protect charitable giving.

GivingTuesday is the fiscal sponsor of Fundraising.AI. While Fundraising.AI is not an independent 501(c)3, our collaboration with GivingTuesday enables us to effectively pursue our mission of promoting Beneficial and Responsible AI in the nonprofit sector.

As of June 2024, through an agreement between GivingTuesday and Mallory Erickson Coaching LLC, MEC is responsible for managing the budget and fulfilling the overall programmatic initiatives related to Fundraising.AI.

Fundraising.AI supports efforts to instill Responsible AI practices for the fundraising profession in three main ways: 

First, through education, by disseminating knowledge through open-source discovery and distribution to help educate the profession. 

Second, through advocacy and research partnerships that prioritize both qualitative and quantitative analysis on the use of advanced technologies and big data to support sustainable practices in philanthropic giving.

Third, as a convener, Fundraising.AI serves as a conduit to bring nonprofit and for-profit leaders and philanthropists together to explore best practices and new technologies, share philosophies, learn from use-case scenarios, demonstrate subject area leadership and expertise, support best practices of Beneficial Responsible AI applications, and support building a thriving charitable giving sector. 

The Fundraising sector represents a trillion dollar industry, built extensively on trust.  Building a Responsible AI Framework for fundraising that protects and prioritizes trust is the single greatest imperative facing the modern nonprofit. Irresponsible adoption of AI erodes trust and has the potential to accelerate the decline in charitable giving. Unlike other Responsible AI groups, Fundraising.AI specifically seeks to empower nonprofit fundraisers and organizations to access best practices that promote and prioritize their donors’ trust while maximizing their internal resources. 

The Responsible AI framework is intended to be a living document (as opposed to a one-time commitment) that is capable of evolving as quickly as AI technology itself. The clear and comprehensive structure of the Framework helps organizations that fundraise to be able to continually assess and improve deployment of Responsible AI technologies. The Framework is designed to be specific enough for stakeholders to be able to make commitments or pledges to act in ways that promote Responsible AI.

The Framework is not legally binding. Signatories are endorsing the spirit of the Framework to the best of their ability and knowledge.

To remain relevant with advances in technology, the Framework will be reviewed and updated quarterly by the Fundraising.AI Advisory Council.

The Fundraising.AI Advisory Council is a volunteer group of 30+ subject matter experts and practitioners who volunteer as stewards of the Framework on a quarterly basis to review and edit the Framework to ensure alignment with current trends in technological development. 

Irresponsible use of AI will have consequences that reach across international borders. In recognition of this reality, Fundraising.AI is an international effort enlisting membership and support from around the world. We work with partners like Resource Alliance to disseminate information and learning to a global audience.

Decisions impacting edits or changes to the Framework must be proposed and provided to all current Fundraising.AI Advisory Council members for review, and will take effect upon a documented two-thirds majority vote of the current Council members. 

At Fundraising.AI, we encourage organizations to treat AI as a distributed responsibility rather than an IT issue. The Framework is intended to serve as a guide for organizations seeking ways to integrate Responsible AI practices throughout their operations, similar to how they might utilize internal policies regarding ethics, privacy, security, and so on.

Fundraising.AI is overseen by the Advisory Council, which consists of AI and nonprofit industry experts, who provide counsel on emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities in the responsible use of AI in fundraising. The Advisory Council is the primary body responsible for maintaining and promoting the Framework for Responsible AI toward Fundraising. 

Decisions within Fundraising.AI are made through a consensus-based process by the Advisory Council, which ensures that members have the opportunity to provide input and contribute to the organization’s direction.

Yes! Individuals are highly encouraged to endorse the Framework and can be powerful practitioners and proponents of Responsible AI. You can endorse the Framework here. 

Yes! Organizations of all kinds, especially those that engage with fundraising directly or indirectly are strongly encouraged to endorse and implement the Framework. You can endorse the Framework here. 

We believe that Responsible AI is everyone’s Responsibility. As such, the Framework for Responsible AI for Fundraising is open-source and intended to be interpreted differently at different organizations. By intention, we do not ask individuals or entities to “sign” the framework, but instead “endorse” the spirit of the Framework. With this in mind, endorsers may share that they have adopted the Framework. In the future, it’s likely that Fundraising.AI will have a formal accreditation process that endorsers will receive appropriate recognition for having completed necessary requirements.

Upon signing the Framework, your personal data will be securely retained and exclusively used by Fundraising.AI. Personal data will not be used or distributed by any of the Fundraising.AI Council Members, their associated businesses, or any external parties. Your data is solely for the internal operations of Fundraising.AI and will never be utilized beyond this scope. Please feel free to review our privacy policy anytime at https://fundraising.ai/privacy-policy/. 

Start by joining the conversation on LinkedIn here and engaging with the Framework and other content to learn about AI technology and the importance of its Beneficial and Responsible use. 

Consider endorsing the Framework as an individual and, if you’re in a position to advocate for wider adoption with an organization that should practice Responsible AI, explore ways to bring more people to the movement. 

Attend Fundraising.AI events – sign up for the 2024 Summit and stay tuned for other opportunities to get together virtually and in person.

Engage with members of Fundraising.AI to see if there are ways you can contribute your expertise to the effort and look out for roles you may be suited for. You can always reach us at hello@fundraising.ai.