AI can seem like magic. One prompt, and suddenly you have a full donor appeal or social media post ready to go.
But here’s the thing, what you get out depends completely on what you put in. Writing better AI prompts isn’t just about sounding smart. It’s about giving the AI the right instructions so it actually helps your work, not makes more of it.
If you’ve ever felt frustrated with AI responses that miss the mark or sound robotic, you’re not alone. We’ve all been there. The good news is, with a few simple changes to how you ask, you can start getting way better results, faster, clearer, and much more aligned with your mission and tone.
Generative AI and prompt writing fundamentals
AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are powered by something called generative AI. That just means the tool creates things, words, images, outlines, based on the instructions you give it. Think of it like giving a smart assistant a task. The clearer and more detailed your ask, the better the outcome.
But here's where things can go sideways: If your prompt is too short, too vague, or missing important context, AI will guess, and not always correctly. That’s why prompt writing is a skill. A small change in how you phrase something can make the difference between “wow, that’s helpful” and “ugh, not even close.”
So before we dive into writing prompts, let’s get clear on the basics. First, AI isn’t reading your mind, it’s responding to what you type. Second, it doesn’t understand feelings or your mission the way a teammate would. You have to tell it what you’re trying to do, who you’re talking to, and how you want it to sound.
Finally, prompts aren’t just for long emails or fundraising campaigns. You can use them for a blog post, a donor thank-you note, a compelling grant proposal, a quick social media caption, or even your next strategic plan. Once you learn the rules, you can apply them anywhere.
Principles of writing effective AI prompts
Writing a good AI prompt is kind of like giving directions to someone who's never been to your neighborhood. If you're clear, they'll get there. If you're vague, they'll end up lost.
Start with what you want. Be direct. For example, instead of saying “help me write something,” try “write a 150-word email inviting donors to our fall fundraiser.” You’ve already made the task easier to solve.
Then, add who it’s for. Is this for longtime supporters? New volunteers? Your board? AI works best when it knows your audience, just like we do when writing anything else.
Next, include the tone you want. Friendly? Professional? Excited? You can even say, “make it sound like a human who cares deeply about this cause.” That works surprisingly well.
Also, mention any specific details you want included, like your nonprofit’s mission, program names, event dates, or financial data. The more context you give, the less you’ll have to fix later.
And finally, don’t forget to give a word count or format. Ask for a list, bullet points, or even a quote you can reuse in a grant. AI loves structure, and so will you when you’re editing less.
How to write AI prompts for different nonprofit content types
Now that you’ve got the basics down, let’s look at how to shape prompts for the kinds of content you’re probably working on every week. The secret here is not just knowing what you want, but helping the AI understand why you're asking for it. That makes the output more aligned with your goals.
Prompts for blog posts and storytelling
These are great when you need to highlight your mission, share an impact story, or explain something in plain language. But AI needs to know the angle you’re going for. Try something like:
“Write a 400-word blog post about a student who benefited from our after-school program. Make it emotional but hopeful. Include a quote and explain how donors helped make it happen.”
That’s way better than just “Write a blog.”
Also: be specific about length, tone, and what part of the story matters most.
Prompts for fundraising events and donor engagement
Need an invite, a thank-you message, or a follow-up email? Start with the audience and the goal. For example:
“Write a short thank-you email to people who attended our gala. Mention that we raised $75,000 and invite them to see photos from the night.”
You can even add: “Make it warm and appreciative, like it’s coming from our Executive Director.”
Prompts for social media posts
Social posts are short, but the prompt shouldn’t be. Let AI know the platform, tone, and what you want the audience to do. Like:
“Write a LinkedIn post announcing our partnership with the local food bank. Make it professional but positive. Use under 200 words.”
Want images? Ask for ideas or even descriptions you can plug into an AI image tool.
Prompts for compelling grant proposals
AI can help you organize your thoughts, but you still need to guide the logic. Try:
“Help me write the need statement for a grant proposal to support our youth mentoring program. Focus on local high school dropout rates and our impact last year.”
You can also ask AI to “write it in clear, persuasive language for a funder who isn’t familiar with our work.”
Prompts for strategic plans and evaluations
Want to clean up meeting notes into something board-ready? Or turn messy data into a story? Ask AI like this:
“Based on this list of stakeholder feedback, write a one-page summary for our strategic planning session. Make it clear, balanced, and action-oriented.”
Or:
“Turn this year’s volunteer program survey data into 3 key takeaways and 2 action steps.”
Advanced tips for refining AI output
Sometimes the first draft from AI is close, but not quite there. That’s normal. The good news? You can train AI to do better just by how you follow up.
Use iterative prompting to improve results
If what you get back isn’t quite right, don’t start over. Just reply to the AI with something like:
“Make this shorter.”
“Add more emotion.”
“Rewrite it in a more casual tone.”
“Use simpler language for a general audience.”
You’re basically coaching the tool, same way you’d guide a new intern.
How to give AI relevant source material
Some AI tools (like ChatGPT with file upload or Claude) let you paste in documents. Use that power. Upload an annual report, a case study, or even a budget breakdown, then ask:
“Use this report to write a 250-word donor update about our impact this year.”
That context makes the output smarter and more specific.
Long form prompts and how to structure them
If you’re asking AI for something big, like a multi-section strategic plan or a long-form blog post, be clear and organized. Start with:
- Who the audience is
- What the main goal is
- How long it should be
- What sections or topics to include
- The tone you’re going for
Here’s a prompt example:
“Write a 500-word blog post for first-time donors. Introduce our mission, tell a quick success story, and explain why monthly gifts matter. Make it friendly, inspiring, and skimmable.”
The more you give up front, the less back-and-forth later.
Prompt frameworks and templates
When you’re short on time (which is probably always), it helps to have a go-to structure for writing prompts. These frameworks make it easier to ask AI for exactly what you need, without reinventing the wheel every time.
Prompting framework 1: Audience-first
Start with who the message is for. When AI knows the audience, the tone and content get way better. Try this template:
“Write a [type of content] for [audience]. Focus on [main idea or message]. Make it sound [tone]. Keep it under [word count].”
Example:
“Write an email for past event attendees. Focus on inviting them to our upcoming volunteer day. Make it sound warm and friendly. Keep it under 150 words.”
Prompting framework 2: Purpose-first
Begin with why you're writing. This helps AI keep the message focused. Use:
“I want to [goal or outcome]. Help me write a [type of content] that will [desired action]. Include [key details]. Keep the tone [tone].”
Example:
“I want to get more recurring donors. Help me write a donation page blurb that will encourage monthly gifts. Include a short story and mention the impact of $25/month. Keep the tone inspiring.”
Prompting framework 3: Format-first
Sometimes, what matters most is how it’s delivered. If you're building a list, script, or visual, tell AI that up front.
“Create a [format] for [topic]. Include [number of items or key points]. Make it clear and easy to read.”
Example:
“Create a bulleted list of 5 reasons to support our literacy program. Focus on impact and urgency. Make it easy to scan.”
These simple structures keep your AI asks on track, and your edits to a minimum.
Visual content and formatting in AI outputs
AI isn’t just for writing paragraphs. You can also use it to help shape how your content looks, which is just as important when you’re trying to keep people engaged.
Want to make something easier to scan? Ask for bullet points, headings, or a summary table. Like this:
“Turn this impact report into a bulleted list with three key takeaways.”
Or:
“Format this donation appeal with a headline, a short story, and a bold call-to-action at the end.”
When it comes to visuals, AI can help you plan them, even if it can’t make them (yet). For example:
“Suggest ideas for an infographic that shows how a $50 donation supports five families.”
Or:
“Write a video script under 60 seconds that highlights our community garden program.”
Some tools can also generate images directly. If you’re using one like DALL·E or Midjourney, just tell it what you need:
“Create an illustration of a diverse group of volunteers planting trees in a city park.”
It won’t always be perfect, but it’s a fast way to get mockups, social content, or presentation visuals rolling.
Bottom line: Formatting isn’t just cosmetic, it helps people see the story faster. And the right prompt can make AI a solid partner in that part of the work too.
Common prompt mistakes to avoid
Even with the best tools, it’s easy to get stuck when AI gives you a weird answer, or worse, one that feels totally off. Most of the time, the issue isn’t the tool, it’s the prompt. Here are a few things to watch out for:
Being too vague
Asking for “a donor letter” is like saying “make dinner.” You might get something, but it won’t be what you wanted. Always give details, who it’s for, what it’s about, what tone to use.
Forgetting your audience
Not telling AI who you’re speaking to can make the tone too formal, too casual, or just wrong. Make it easy: “This is for a new volunteer,” or “This is for a longtime major donor.”
Mixing goals
If you ask AI to “write a thank-you and a fundraising ask and tell our full mission story,” it will get confused. Focus each prompt on one clear purpose. If you need more, break it into steps.
Not specifying the format
Want a list? A short paragraph? A quote? Say so. Otherwise, AI will default to what it thinks you want, which may not be helpful.
Ignoring your edits
AI is fast, but not perfect. If something feels off, give feedback. “Make it warmer.” “Use simpler language.” You don’t need to start from scratch, just keep refining.
Avoiding these common traps will save you time and frustration. Prompting is a skill, and like anything, it gets easier the more you do it.
Drive real results
You don’t need to be a tech expert to get great results from AI, you just need to know how to ask. Writing better prompts is like writing better emails or grant proposals. It’s all about clarity, purpose, and knowing your audience.
When you take a little extra time to guide the AI, what you need, who it’s for, and how you want it to sound, you’ll start getting content that feels like it actually helps. Less editing. Less stress. More time for the real work that matters.
And the more you practice, the faster it gets.
With Harness, you’re not just adding AI, you’re adding strategy. Our tools and team help you unlock smarter, faster fundraising communications that reflect your mission and drive real results.
