Episode 189: How Nonprofits Can Automate Volunteer Training with ChatGPT and Loom (and Never Repeat Yourself Again)

If you’ve ever found yourself training the same volunteer on the same task for the tenth time, you know how exhausting and inefficient it can be. Not only does it drain your time, but it also slows down your events and leaves volunteers confused. The good news? Volunteer training doesn’t have to be manual. With the right tools, you can automate it once and use it forever.

In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly reveals how to automate volunteer training using ChatGPT and Loom so every volunteer gets clear, consistent instructions—without you repeating yourself. You’ll learn a simple three-step framework: Script, Show, Send. First, let AI write step-by-step training scripts for your key volunteer roles. Then, record short training videos with Loom that bring those scripts to life. Finally, automate delivery through your CRM so every new volunteer instantly receives the exact training they need.

Tom also shares a real-world example of a school PTO that used this system for their silent auction. In past years, volunteers were left guessing what to do. But once they automated training with ChatGPT and Loom, check-in took half the time, checkout was error-free, and volunteers called it the smoothest event they’d ever helped with.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to stop training 100 times, and instead, train once—then let automation do the heavy lifting. Because when volunteers feel prepared and confident, your events run smoother, your stress level drops, and your mission gets a major boost.