GUIDE

The Big Book of ChatGPT Prompts

for Advancement Professionals

In the world of fundraising, fostering strong donor relationships is key. But the advancement industry is often up against tight deadlines and limited staff resources. And sometimes it’s just hard to get the ideas flowing or find the time to test out something new.

Enter: Artificial Intelligence (AI). Don’t worry – AI is not coming for your job (fundraising is built  on human-to-human connections!) But, it can help with some of the manual, rote tasks and free up time for more relationship-building

We’ve compiled a list of 50 prompts that you can enter into ChatGPT to spark creativity, enhance communication, and ultimately raise more funds for your institution.

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Before you embark on the ChatGPT journey, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Use these as a starting point

ChatGPT learns by the information it’s provided. Add in clear and specific details to these prompts to get accurate and relevant responses from ChatGPT. The more precise your instructions are, the better the model can understand and assist you.

No sensitive donor information!

ChatGPT is a public AI model and cannot guarantee data security or confidentiality. Therefore, it’s a perfect idea-generator but it’s best to leave specific information (donor name, addresses, etc.) out of your prompts, and add that info in later.

Experiment and Refine

If the initial response isn't exactly what you're looking for, try rephrasing the prompt or asking follow-up questions to refine the information you receive from ChatGPT. (And then let us know what some of your favorite prompts are!)

Tips to refine your prompts even further:

Writing Style


"Write in X Style"

Edit Content


"Review the following content"

Reverse-Engineer Content

"Rewrite this content for X"

Crafting Compelling Communications

  • “Draft a persuasive email subject line for our upcoming campaign, focused on: [CAMPAIGN THEME].”
  • “Rewrite this content as a touching story that showcases the impact of our donors’ generosity: [INSERT COPY]”
  • “Help me brainstorm an innovative theme for our virtual fundraising event, focused on [EVENT PRIORITY]”
  • “Generate ideas for social media challenges to captivate donors during our giving day.”
  • “Craft a heartfelt thank-you note for a recent donor’s increased contribution.”

Make 1,000 prospects feel like your only prospect

  • “Suggest strategies to segment our donor list for targeted appeals. Our priorities are: [LIST PRIORITIES]
  • “Create a compelling call-to-action for our website’s donation page.”
  • “Generate a series of captivating social media posts to inspire action.”
  • “Craft an attention-grabbing headline for our donor newsletter.”
  • “Brainstorm enticing incentives for a donor loyalty program.”

Amplifying Your Impact

  • “Help me create a script for a personalized video message from our President”
  • “Generate a story that illustrates the long-term effect of recurring donations.”
  • “Craft a message inviting donors to a virtual meet-and-greet with our team.”
  • “Create an infographic showcasing the following milestones achieved through donor support: [LIST MILESTONES]”
  • “Suggest ways to acknowledge donors during a virtual event’s live chat.”

Strengthening Connections

  • “Craft a compelling LinkedIn post highlighting our recent achievements.”
  • “Generate captions for sharing inspiring donor testimonials on social media.”
  • “Create an update email showcasing a project funded by a donor.”
  • “Help me draft a personalized thank-you message for our major donors.”
  • “Craft a survey to gather donor feedback and preferences.”

Inspiring Creativity

  • “Brainstorm virtual tour ideas to give donors an inside look at our operations.”
  • “Generate content for a blog post explaining the direct impact of donor contributions.”
  • “Suggest ways to incorporate storytelling into our fundraising appeals.”
  • “Craft a message for our newsletter highlighting the achievements of the past month.”
  • “Help me develop virtual engagement ideas for holidays.”

Educating Donors

  • “Generate a script for a webinar educating donors about their donation’s to support [FUND DESIGNATION] “
  • “Craft a blog post discussing the importance of matching donations.”
  • “Suggest ideas for a social media contest to engage new and existing donors to [INSTITUTION NAME].”
  • “Create content for a podcast episode featuring these impactful donor stories: [LIST THREE TOPICS]”
  • “Craft a message introducing our new donor recognition program.”

Personalizing Communication

  • “Help me brainstorm ideas for donor spotlights, showcasing their unique contributions.”
  • “Generate content for a blog post highlighting the importance of planned giving.”
  • “Craft a script for a live Q&A session with [UNIVERSITY NAME]’s leadership.”
  • “Suggest ways to involve donors in reviewing and selecting project proposals.”
  • “Create an email template for reconnecting with lapsed donors.”

Elevating Engagement

  • “Brainstorm virtual engagement ideas to foster donor connections during holidays.”
  • “Generate a thank-you letter template that can be customized for the following donor segments: [LIST SEGMENTS].”
  • “Craft a script for a live stream event showcasing the impact of donor contributions to [FUND/PRIORITY].”
  • “Suggest ideas for themed online challenges that align with our campaign. Our top priorities are: [LIST PRIORITIES].”
  • “Help me draft a personalized letter to major donors, updating them on recent achievements at [INSTITUTION NAME].
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By incorporating these ChatGPT prompts into your daily alumni outreach efforts you’ll be able to deliver more personalized messages and foster deeper connections – and save yourself some time and energy in the process. Sounds like a win-win to us!