How AI Is Changing the Way Nonprofits Win Grants

Written by Kat Daley

AI isn’t just the next big thing—it’s already reshaping how nonprofits work, raise funds, and measure results. For grant seekers, it’s not about replacing people—it’s about making the process smarter, faster, and more manageable.

If your team still relies on spreadsheets and sticky notes to track opportunities, 2026 is the year to experiment with a few accessible AI tools that can lighten the load. Here’s how to get started—and how to keep it all organized with free and low cost solutions. 

Step 1: Use AI to Find the Right Grants (Without Losing Hours Researching)

Grant prospecting is one of the most time-consuming parts of fundraising. Instead of manually scanning databases or Google searches, try using AI-driven tools that can do the heavy lifting for you.

Try this:

• Instrumentl or Grantable AI: Upload your mission statement and let the tool recommend aligned funding opportunities.
  
• ChatGPT or Perplexity.ai: Ask, “List 10 U.S. foundations funding youth development in 2026 with deadlines before March.” You’ll instantly have a starting list.
  
• Paste each opportunity into a spreadsheet or, better yet, your Free monday.com Grant Management board, where you can assign tasks, set reminders, and attach funder notes.
  

💡 Pro tip: Create a “Funding Fit Score” column in monday.com (1–5 scale) so your team can quickly rank opportunities and focus on the best matches. Create your free grant management boards with monday.com today – create your free account now. 

Step 2: Use AI to Draft — But Keep the Human Touch

AI writing assistants can help you move from blank page to solid first draft in minutes.

Start simple:

1. Paste a past proposal or program summary into ChatGPT or Claude.
   
2. Prompt it with something like:  “Rewrite this need statement for a community grant using plain language and a hopeful tone.”
   
3. Review what it creates, tweak details, and add your human voice.
   

Other uses:

• Generate bullet points for outcomes or evaluation sections.
  
• Ask AI to suggest KPIs (key performance indicators) that funders value.
  
• Use Grammarly or Wordtune to polish tone and clarity.
  

💡 Pro tip: Store all draft versions and feedback in monday.com. Use automation to notify reviewers when it’s their turn, so edits don’t get lost in email threads.

Step 3: Let AI Help You Report and Visualize Impact

Funders now expect clean, digestible data—not 12-page reports. AI can summarize program results and turn raw data into visuals in seconds.

Practical ways to start:

• Upload your outcomes spreadsheet to ChatGPT Advanced Data Analysis and ask it to “summarize the key trends in plain language for a board report.”
  
• Try Google Sheets + Gemini for automatic chart generation.
  
• Use Canva’s AI chart maker to visualize data for funder reports or social posts.
  

💡 Pro tip: Connect these reports to a monday.com dashboard that automatically updates from your team’s boards. You can share progress snapshots with funders in real time—no more copy-pasting charts at midnight.

Step 4: Use AI to Simplify Team Communication

AI can keep your team informed without adding more meetings.

Ideas to try:

• Use Otter.ai or Fathom to transcribe and summarize grant planning meetings. Post the summaries into a centralized place so everyone can review key decisions.
  
• Connect monday.com to Zapier or Make.com to automate repetitive tasks, like sending Slack reminders when a deadline moves.
  
• Ask an AI tool to draft meeting agendas or follow-up notes based on your board calendar.

Step 5: Keep AI Ethical, Transparent, and Human

Funders want innovation, not automation without accountability. Before using AI for anything public-facing, agree on a few internal rules:

• Always review AI-generated text for accuracy and tone.
  
• Avoid entering confidential donor or client data.
  
• Credit your team’s strategy, not just the tech.
  

💡 Pro tip: Document your workflow in monday.com so you can show funders how your organization uses technology responsibly and efficiently. Transparency builds trust—and could even become a grant strength.

Step 6: Build Your “AI Starter Stack”

If you’re ready to begin experimenting, here’s a simple, low-risk toolkit for nonprofits:

💡 Pro tip: Start with one new tool per month. Test it on a small project before rolling it out organization-wide.

Conclusion: Start Small, to Win Big

The biggest mistake nonprofits make with AI is waiting for a “perfect” moment to start. The truth is—you can begin today, for free, using tools you already have access to.

Ready to win more grants in 2026? 

AI won’t replace your intuition, storytelling, or relationships—but it can give you time back to focus on the important work you are doing in your mission.

Start with monday.com’s free grant management tools for nonprofits and see how easy it is to organize every part of your grant process—from ideas to impact.