Hi Reader,

Year-end brings so much pressure, doesn't it?

With Giving Tuesday right around the corner, you're filling up your prospects inboxes, managing year-end appeals, and more than likely running on grit and caffeine.

So not to worry. Today’s email is more of a reflection.

I've been thinking more about AI lately. Not just the hype or the next big thing, but what it actually means for how nonprofits work, how we communicate with donors, and how we lead our teams.

And to be honest? It’s going to take a while to figure it out.

I don't have a mapped-out AI strategy. Or the perfect tech stack. I'm not even sure what "my lane" looks like yet.

But I know I'm ready to start experimenting. And more than that, I want to do it with you with more curiosity and better intention, not anxiety.

–

All this thinking led me to remember a cartoon I grew up watching staring Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. Definitely a Looney Tunes extraordinaire.

If you've never seen it, the Coyote is relentless. Continuously scheming, often ordering some new contraption like rocket shoes, giant slingshots, or flying suits from a fictitious company, Acme Corp, all in pursuit of the Road Runner, who’s always zipping by saying "beep beep".

The punchline? The Coyote never wins. Not because he doesn't try, but because he chases harder, not smarter.

Lately, I've realized we all have a little Coyote in us, especially when it comes to AI. Every week, a new tool drops, promising to "revolutionize" our workflow, "10x" our output, or "automate everything."

It's always tempting. It's shiny. And it's everywhere. But the way I see it? It's another Acme product with a slick label and a short fuse.

Because here's the truth: the tools don't do the work. We do! We also create the clarity that's needed for it to work.

Here's what I'm trying.

I'm going to pick a lane. Currently for my work, I'm leaning into Google's Gemini to analyze data in Google Sheets for reports. I'm not chasing every tool, only the ones that solve a specific challenge I often run into.

I'm testing before I trust. Demos look great, but real use cases tell the truth. Last week, I tried a GPT that seemed perfect in the walkthrough. Then I used it to draft an appeal. It gave me generic corporate jargon that would've made our donors cringe. Lesson learned: always test with your real work, not their sample content.

I'm training my instincts. I've started giving the same prompt in two ways. One quick, one more specific to see a different output. The difference so far is enormous. AI is not a vending machine. It's a collaborator. You get back what you put in.

And I'm attempting to learn without losing my mind. This space moves fast, but I don't have to sprint. Heck, just this week I read how an AI guru I follow can’t even keep up! I follow a few voices I trust. I skim one article a week. Right now, that's enough. Confidence will come from perspective, not panic.

AI isn't magic.

But if you use it with intent, it's leverage.

Because here's what I've learned: the best way to use AI isn't to chase every shiny tool. It's about picking one problem and letting AI help you solve it consistently.

For me? That problem is often helping fundraisers improve their donation pages without needing a data engineering degree or a full-time marketing team.

So here's what I'm building: LandingLab. A simple tool that uses AI to run one conversion experiment on your donation page each month.

No overwhelming dashboards. No endless A/B tests you'll never finish. I'll share one focused experiment and a simple report that tells you what worked, and what didn’t. And the steps to improve the next iteration.

If you want to experiment with AI in a way that's actually useful for fundraising, click here to get early BETA access when I launch LandingLab.

You’ve got this!

Link 💜

Ever concerned about AI privacy and security? Sabrina Romanov shares how to lock down ChatGPT and turn off model training, add multi-factor authentication, and clean up apps you’ve connected along the way. Always consider security in our AI choices.

Have you ever considered sending fun stickers to your volunteers and donors? Check out JukeBox Print for their latest in stickers, business cards, and postcards you can design for your next fundraising campaign.