AI tools are becoming more accessible, affordable and practical for organizations of all sizes. For nonprofits, that creates real opportunity—but also real tension, since every dollar spent on new technology is a dollar that can’t go toward direct service delivery, staffing or other mission-critical needs.
That trade-off makes AI investment a strategic decision, not just a technology choice. Below, members of Forbes Nonprofit Council discuss how nonprofit leaders can weigh the potential value of AI against other pressing priorities and make decisions that support both short-term needs and long-term impact.
1. Measure AI Against Efficiency And Mission Impact
Nonprofits need to evaluate AI the same way they evaluate any investment: Does it improve efficiency or enable greater mission impact? AI is evolving, but there are use cases where it can reduce administrative burden, improve decision making and free staff to spend more time serving people. Perhaps the greater risk is ignoring tools that help us remain sustainable in a rapidly changing world. – Tom Ulbrich, Goodwill Industries of Western New York, Inc.
2. Identify The Constraints AI Could Help Solve
Nonprofit leaders must first consider the operational constraints of time, resources, knowledge and incentives. Next, they must understand how these variables are operating on problem sets and potential solutions. Lastly, they should develop a plan around how AI can release these constraints to drive operational effectiveness and efficiency. If you understand the problem, you’re halfway to the solution. – David Adams, Urban Assembly
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3. Use AI Where It Can Strengthen Service Delivery
AI is a must, as it can dramatically improve the effectiveness of operations. There are tasks that can be very easily done by AI or with the help of AI. That frees up resources for direct service delivery. Ask yourself if direct service delivery can be enhanced by AI. AI is a tool—and a good one—when you evaluate where to use it best and where to use it first. And a lot of AI tools are actually free! – Magdalena Nowicka Mook, ICF (International Coaching Federation)
4. Fund AI Only When It Expands Impact
Nonprofits should fund AI only if it expands impact. At Destination STEM, Inc., we ask, “Does it help us reach more students or free us up for deeper work?” If not, it’s a distraction. When used wisely to automate tasks or improve insights, AI can strengthen, not replace, direct service. It must enhance the mission. – Celeste Warren, Destination STEM, Inc.
5. Consider AI’s Effect On Staff Sustainability
AI investments should be weighed not only against service delivery or staffing but also against their human impact. I’m interested in whether AI reduces hidden overload, improves work design and supports mental well-being—or simply helps people do unsustainable work faster. Technology changes the conditions of work, so prevention and human sustainability should stay part of the conversation. – Kate Roberts, Kate Roberts Consulting, LLC
6. Use AI To Expand Mission Capacity
Nonprofits should evaluate AI based on whether it expands mission capacity while freeing staff to focus on the human impact. The goal isn’t replacing people to cut costs but automating repetitive tasks so teams can focus on creativity, service and strategy. When used wisely, AI can reduce friction, strengthen sustainability and scale impact without sacrificing human connection. – Jaime Fletcher, IslamInSpanish
7. Test AI Against Mission Delivery
Nonprofits should fund AI only when it clearly strengthens mission delivery, not as a trend. The test is simple: Will it save staff time, reduce costs, improve reach or deepen impact without harming trust? If not, direct service and people come first. AI should be a tool for capacity and better outcomes rather than a substitute for human care. – Sattie Persaud, World Heritage Cultural Center (WHCC)
8. Invest In AI Readiness Before Implementation
AI investment is a commitment to professional development at We Are All Human. We prioritize “AI dollars” toward dedicated time for staff training and organizational structure. By investing in our people, we grow with technology rather than rushing without order. This deliberate pace protects long-term service delivery by ensuring staff are empowered, not overwhelmed. – Carolina Guardiola Romo, We Are All Human
9. Evaluate AI’s ROI In Terms Of Staff Time
Nonprofits should invest in AI when it responsibly cuts admin costs, automates repetitive work and improves consistent service delivery without weakening human care. The question isn’t AI versus mission—it’s whether AI frees staff time, reduces errors, expands reach and redirects savings back into people and direct impact. – Yujia Zhu, FASSLING.AI
10. Define The Goal Before Investing In AI
AI is a tool, not a status symbol. Any nonprofit using it must ask why they are using it, what it will achieve, and who on staff has the skills to lead its implementation and management. If you can’t answer those, you aren’t ready for AI. Truth be told, today our dollars are better spent teaching our staff how to be AI proficient than how to replace staff and systems with AI. – Patrick Riccards, Driving Force Institute
11. Treat AI As A Force Multiplier
AI should be viewed as a force multiplier, not a replacement. If implemented well, it can reduce administrative burden and improve decision-making. AI can also streamline reporting, donor engagement or internal workflows, freeing up human capital to go deeper on the mission. As a futurist, I think the risk of not investing is greater. Those who fail to embrace the power of AI will fall behind. – Robert Santana, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast
12. Assess Internal Capacity Before Adopting AI
Before nonprofits invest in AI, they need to ask whether they have the internal capacity to use it well. AI is not a magic fix for overwhelmed teams. Without the time, training and operational readiness to implement it thoughtfully, it can create more inefficiency, not less. The best AI investments strengthen mission delivery by increasing staff capacity and operational effectiveness. – Karen Cochran, Philanthropy Innovators
13. Assess AI By The Time It Can Save
Investing in AI is all about streamlining common tasks, allowing staff to spend more time delivering services. Nonprofits should evaluate the ROI of time saved against being faced with the possibility of serving fewer people due to a lack of staff time and resources. – Kimberly Lewis, Goodwill Industries of East Texas, Inc.
14. Build Governance Into AI Adoption
Having completed the Harvard AI Program, I see success in applying AI with discipline rather than adopting it everywhere. Nonprofits should pair AI use with strong governance—clear policies, ethical guardrails and human oversight—so technology enhances decisions and efficiency without compromising mission or trust. – Byron V. Garrett, Genesys Works-National
15. Use AI To Reduce Waste, Not Trust
AI should not be judged against programs or people but against waste. If AI removes hours of reporting, admin or guesswork, it can return capacity to mission. However, if it replaces judgment, relationships or trust, the cost is too high. The real test is simple: Does this tool create more human connection or less? – Cherian Koshy, Kindsight
16. Measure AI By Outcomes Per Dollar
“Dollar against dollar” is the wrong math. The right math is outcomes per dollar—and AI, when deployed with discipline, raises that number. We run an AI-first nonprofit, and our staff spends more time with participants, not less. Skip the shiny pilots. Invest in tools that compound capacity, automate the rote work and let humans do the human work. – Omer Qureshi, Americans 4 Equality
17. Know Where AI’s Value Levels Off
Understand the price-performance curve. There’s likely a level of AI investment where the returns are worth the outlay, so spend that much but no more. Similarly, your organization probably does need to have a coffee machine in the office—but it probably doesn’t need a $10,000 espresso masterpiece. Coffee and AI are, in this case, bringing a kind of real value—but only to a point. – Jed Brewer, Good Loud Media
