ChatGPT is a terrific writing tool that saves time for nonprofits! It can help your team more efficiently complete tasks such as donor thank-you letters, fundraising event announcement emails, and social media content. However, if you’ve ever asked ChatGPT a question, you know that sometimes its output isn’t exactly spot on. The reason for this is in the information you’ve provided, known as a ChatGPT prompt.

When writing a ChatGPT prompt, less is not more—it’s best to provide detailed information. Think of it this way—you don’t just go to a coffee shop and say, “I’d like a coffee.” And then hope for the best. You order that latte with a shot of espresso, extra foam, two sugars, and a pump of caramel like a civilized human being. Bear in mind that creating the right prompt is something of a process, albeit an easy one. That’s because interacting with ChatGPT feels like a conversation. Its output is startlingly articulate!

If you’ve written a blog post and need to promote it on your social platforms, ChatGPT can help. Just be sure to research any hashtag suggestions—chatbots can be wrong! Prompt: “Please write 3 energetic tweets for this article by the Eventgroove brand for an audience of nonprofit professionals and individuals hosting fundraisers. Include relevant hashtags. https://www.eventgroove.com/fundraising-blog/5-community-engagement-strategies-for-nonprofits/ ” The results:

Social networks aren’t just for donation appeals—you want to engage your supporters! Use this ChatGPT prompt when you want to mix things up. Prompt: “Please write 5 interesting and engaging questions to pose on Facebook to my wildlife refuge nonprofit’s supporters. Include statistics and fun facts where possible, and include a question at the end that would inspire conversation.” Its response:

Keeping up with social media is much easier when you’ve got an editorial calendar to follow. In our example, we’ve focused on Instagram, but you can use ChatGPT to create a calendar for all your social networks. The following prompt will help you get started! Prompt: “Please create a content calendar for Instagram for Purrfect Pets cat rescue. The nonprofit focuses on rehoming strays and spay and neuter programs. Please create a two-week calendar for October 14–31. Please note that National Cat Day is Sunday, October 29—some posts should center around that. Please include posts with energetic calls to action to donate to help support our programs or care for our rescues. When asking people to share pictures, ask that they tag @PurrfectPets to be featured in our stories and site! Please include 2–4 strong, relevant hashtags. For the table, please include the day of the week and times to post.” Its response:

If you need a letter to thank fundraising event participants, try a version of this prompt. While ChatGPT’s response isn’t as personal as we’d like it to be, it sure gets the ball rolling!

Prompt:

“Write a heartfelt, authentic letter to participants in my walk-a-thon benefitting breast cancer research. It should begin, Dear x. Do not start with “I wanted to take a moment”. Instead, start with something that makes the reader feel important. Please include a fill in the blank where the letter mentions the amount they raised through pledges for the fundraiser. Please mention that the funds raised are going to help local recipients with covering missed wages while in treatment.”

Its response:

Your fundraising page should inspire visitors to take action (like donate or buy raffle tickets) while also informing them about your organization. ChatGPT can give you a push in the right direction! Use the following prompt to guide your own. Prompt: “Please write engaging copy promoting my raffle fundraiser benefitting Community Cares, a nonprofit supporting underserved kids in the community with after-school enrichment programs such as mentoring, tutoring, sports and dance classes. We also provide meals to those that need them. Funds raised will go directly to helping these kids and families get the support they need to thrive. The fundraiser is a raffle. The first prize is Taylor Swift tickets. The second prize is a $200 gift card to the best place for pho in town, Pho-Nomenal. Third prize are gourmet baskets donated by local eatery, Yum Yum. Tickets can be purchased by clicking the buy tickets button. Note—the copy should be focused on inspiring readers to support the cause and buy tickets. Include a strong call to action. The drawing will be live streamed and take place on 5/31 at the community center. ” Its response:

As the above examples illustrate, a detailed prompt helps ChatGPT to conjure finely tuned responses. If such detail at the outset is overwhelming, try less specific prompts. Then, based on ChatGPT’s output, adjust your request. Like many nonprofit organizers, you’ve got a million things to do. ChatGPT’s ability to create editorial calendars and generate blog post and social media post ideas is undeniably a time-saver. We’d argue that adding efficiency to the process of writing a gratitude letter doesn’t take away from the authenticity. It gives you a place to start, and that’s always better than putting it off, staring at a blank page, or feeling guilty that you still haven’t drafted up that letter!