If you work in the nonprofit sector, you already know the story: demand for your services keeps climbing while your budget stays flat or shrinks. Your staff is stretched thin, burnout is real, and there never seems to be enough time or money to do everything that needs doing.

The numbers tell a difficult story.…At the same time, there's a tool that most nonprofits aren't using yet. According to a 2024 report, only 4.8 percent of Canadian nonprofits were using artificial intelligence, and less than one percent of their workers were in technology-related roles.

Change is no longer an event. It is the environment. The most successful nonprofit executives and boards don’t react to change. They build organizations that are built for change. That is the difference between surviving year-to-year and leading for long-term impact.

If you're leading a Canadian nonprofit, you've likely heard the buzz about artificial intelligence. Maybe you've experimented with ChatGPT or attended a webinar, filing it away as "something to explore eventually."

Here's what you need to know: "eventually" has arrived.

The decisions your organization makes about AI in the next 6-18 months will determine whether your nonprofit thrives, struggles, or even survives the decade ahead.

Based on current research and best practices observed across Canadian nonprofits, organizations should prioritize these three foundational areas when beginning their AI journey. Each area must be approached with careful consideration of how technology implementation supports and reinforces organizational mission, vision, and values….

Your website is so much more than an online brochure. It is your main connection point to donors, volunteers, the people you serve, and the unknown potential supporter. The rise of artificial intelligence has rapidly changed how we need to manage our marketing and how people search and engage with organizations. Personally, I am experiencing a growth in clients finding our services through large language models, like ChatGPT.

Canada’s nonprofit sector is made up of 170,000+ organizations and are diverse is size, mandate, and the communities they serve. Less than 5% of Canadian nonprofits use AI ( see DigitalSupercluster.ca), even though most leaders see its potential….KDP Consulting Inc is focused on supporting its clients and individual organizations through a tailored process to embrace AI and scale its use responsibly.

AI adoption is not just about software. It requires a governance shift. Boards and leadership teams must recognize that responsible use of AI is now part of organizational stewardship. That means developing policies, asking tough ethical questions, and ensuring accountability. Without this, nonprofits risk undermining trust—their most valuable asset.