Key AI Tools for Charity Marketing and PR

At our recent Charity Recruit boardroom session, we welcomed Camille Oster, Chief Operating Officer at MVPR, to lead a timely discussion on the key AI tools for charity marketing and PR. 

With charities under pressure to achieve more with less, the session offered a fresh perspective on how AI can help level the playing field.

The promise and the reality of AI

Camille opened with a clear-eyed introduction to AI, demystifying how large language models like ChatGPT and Claude actually work. She was quick to stress that AI should not be seen as a replacement for human judgment but rather a tool to extend capacity.

“AI is essentially a database. They are not that smart, they are not that human, but they have access to a lot more information at a speed that is impossible for us humans to reach,”

she explained.

To make this point more tangible, she used what she called the Chef Analogy. AI, she suggested, is like a chef who can work with all the ingredients in the world. It can cook up a meal quickly, but the quality depends entirely on the recipe you provide. A vague recipe will lead to a bland dish, while clear instructions and carefully chosen ingredients can result in something memorable. For charities, this means that the way you guide AI directly affects the quality of what you get back.

AI tools for Charity PR and Marketing

Camille also shared some of the most accessible tools for charities:

• ChatGPT – versatile for drafting and refining content
• Claude – strong at processing large amounts of text
• Gemini – helpful for integrated tasks across platforms
• Gamma – turns text into presentation decks
• Fireflies – automates transcription and meeting notes

She highlighted that while free versions can be a useful starting point, paid plans often bring stronger features such as better context retention and security. Even modest investments, she suggested, can quickly pay for themselves in saved staff hours.

The art of prompting

Building on the Chef Analogy, Camille spoke about the art of prompting, stressing that the way you ask AI to complete a task is just as important as the tool itself.

“The more detailed, the better,”

Camille advised. Whether drafting a fundraising appeal, creating a social media calendar, or preparing reports, she encouraged charities to provide AI with context: who the audience is, what tone is required, and what outcome is expected. Much like giving a chef clear instructions, the more specific the request, the better the result.

Real-world applications

What made the session particularly engaging was Camille’s use of real-world scenarios that charities are already embracing:

• Social media planning: A youth charity used AI to design a month-long campaign for Mental Health Awareness Week. By feeding in their past posts, target audience details, and desired outcomes, they generated a tailored calendar that aligned with fundraising goals.
• Donor communication: A small health non-profit used AI to analyse supporter data and draft personalised thank-you messages after events. The approach not only saved staff time but also improved donor retention rates.
• Volunteer coordination: An environmental charity employed AI transcription tools during board meetings, producing accurate notes and action points. This simple shift meant fewer missed follow-ups and clearer accountability across the team.
• Content creation: A heritage organisation tapped into AI-powered design tools to create accessible leaflets and presentation decks, reducing their reliance on external designers.

These stories underscored Camille’s message that AI is not reserved for large institutions with big budgets. Even small and mid-sized charities can see tangible benefits by starting with simple, low-cost tools.

Key-takeaways

The boardroom session made one thing clear: AI is not a luxury for charities, it is an opportunity to work smarter. Whether it is creating campaign content, streamlining operations, or strengthening supporter relationships, AI can free up valuable time and resources. For organisations facing limited budgets and rising demands, this shift could be game-changing.