AI for Nonprofit Program Design: From Mission to Impact

Designing effective programs is tough. It requires strategic planning, airtight evaluation, and compelling storytelling, all while navigating tight budgets and time limits. Whether your mission focuses on health, youth, animal welfare, the arts, or education, your biggest challenge is proving impact with limited resources.

This accelerated 90-minute executive session moves beyond generic AI discussions. We will show you how to leverage generative AI—tools like ChatGPT and Gemini—as a force multiplier to accelerate every stage of program development. You will learn practical, ethical workflows to co-create robust program plans, not just generate content. We blend proven, evidence-based frameworks with direct, hands-on AI demonstrations.

You will leave with a clear workflow and tangible, copy-and-paste assets to design effective, mission-aligned programs that attract support.

You’ll discover how to:

✅ Co-Draft Your Theory of Change: Use AI to quickly articulate the core assumptions and causal links that drive your program, clearly defining why your solution will lead to the desired community impact.

✅ Build a Logic Model Blueprint: Leverage AI to map the essential inputs, activities, and outcomes of your program, creating the strategic bedrock that funders and boards demand.

✅ Choose the Right Success Metrics: Clearly separate activity results from true impact (outputs vs. outcomes) and use AI to define specific, measurable results aligned with your mission.

✅ Secure Stakeholder Buy-In: Draft tailored communications to secure board, staff, or volunteer support, using AI to anticipate and address common concerns or objections.

✅ Generate High-Impact Fundraising Assets: Prompt AI to compose a compelling mini-grant proposal blurb or donor appeal to quickly launch your program.

For returning participants:

If you’ve joined our prior AI workshops, welcome back! This session assumes a baseline competency and takes the conversation to a deeper, more strategic, and analytical level. Rather than exploring new tools, you’ll focus on applying AI to core program management frameworks. You will leave with tangible templates and examples (e.g., a logic model diagram, AI-generated grant snippet) that you can literally copy-paste and use to design your next program.

• While beginners are welcome, a basic understanding of AI tools is helpful.
• This workshop will be in-person and hands-on. You will have the best experience by bringing a laptop and having a ChatGPT account (free version will suffice).
• Space is limited, and we are only accepting individuals from nonprofit organizations and their board members.