Million Dollar Nonprofit

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.

Every nonprofit leader knows the struggle: a volunteer shows up excited to help, but within minutes, it’s clear they’re in the wrong role. The shy person stuck at check-in. The outgoing people-person hidden in the back. The volunteer who dreads tech suddenly running your auction software. It’s not just awkward—it’s a recipe for volunteers not coming back.But what if you could flip that? What if every volunteer was placed in the role where they shine—before they even walked through the door? That’s exactly what AI can do for your nonprofit.In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly shares a simple three-step framework—Ask, Analyze, Assign—that will transform how you manage volunteers. You’ll learn how to design an intake survey that goes beyond availability and digs into personality, preferences, and skills. Then, discover how AI tools like ChatGPT can analyze responses and recommend the best roles for each volunteer. Finally, see how to automate assignments and send role-specific welcome emails that make volunteers feel valued, supported, and excited to return.

Your top donors don’t just want polished newsletters or glossy gala recaps. They want access—the raw, authentic, behind-the-scenes moments that show the real heartbeat of your mission. And when you give them that insider view, their loyalty skyrockets.In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly reveals how to set up an automated behind-the-scenes series that makes major donors feel like VIPs—without draining your team’s time. You’ll learn the Collect, Curate, Connect framework to capture raw moments, package them into a story, and deliver them automatically through your CRM.You’ll discover:What kind of behind-the-scenes content donors actually crave.How to build a 3–4 part series that flows like a story.The automation workflow to make every top donor feel like an insider.A real-life nonprofit case study that boosted retention from 62% to 81%.Your donors don’t just want to fund the story. They want to feel the story. Show them what happens behind the curtain, and they’ll stick with you for life.Head over to our Instagram and DM us the word "AI' for our Free AI Nonprofit Growth Playbook. https://www.instagram.com/charityauctionstoday

Most nonprofits build their campaigns around their own calendars—fiscal year-end, Giving Tuesday, the spring gala. But donors live in their own rhythms: birthdays, anniversaries, first gifts, retirements, even losses. And when you connect your fundraising to their moments, not just yours, you raise more and build stronger relationships.In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly shares how to build campaigns around Life, Loyalty, and Legacy moments that truly resonate. You’ll learn how to spot donor milestones, script warm messages, and automate delivery—so your donors feel seen, celebrated, and connected at every stage of their journey.You’ll discover:How to align campaigns with personal donor milestones.Loyalty-focused ways to celebrate donor anniversaries.How to show up during legacy moments with empathy.A real-life nonprofit example that saw 4x response rates using donor birthday messages.Don’t just campaign around your calendar. Campaign around their lives—that’s where the magic (and giving) really happens.Head over to our Instagram and DM us the word "AI' for our Free AI Nonprofit Growth Playbook. https://www.instagram.com/charityauctionstoday

Most nonprofits plan their year with the same old calendar—Giving Tuesday, year-end appeal, a spring gala, maybe a fall walk-a-thon. But here’s the secret: donors don’t give to dates—they give to stories.In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly shows you how to use AI to craft an annual giving theme that transforms your fundraising into a story donors can follow all year long. Learn how to anchor your theme, align it with quarterly campaigns, and amplify it across every channel so your fundraising feels cohesive, compelling, and unstoppable.You’ll discover:How to brainstorm story-driven annual themes in minutes with AI.The Anchor → Align → Amplify framework for planning your fundraising year.How to turn campaigns into “chapters” donors actually follow.Real nonprofit examples that grew revenue 34% using annual themes.Don’t just run campaigns. Tell a story, anchor your year in a theme, and watch donors stay engaged every chapter of the way.Head over to our Instagram and DM us the word "AI' for our Free AI Nonprofit Growth Playbook. https://www.instagram.com/charityauctionstoday

What if you could make every donor feel like a VIP—without filming hundreds of individual thank-you videos? In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly shows you how to use AI-powered dynamic video thank-yous to wow donors at scale. Learn how to record one core message, personalize it with donor names, gift amounts, and impact, and automate delivery within minutes.You’ll discover:The simple Record → Render → Release framework.AI tools like Synthesia and HeyGen that personalize video at scale.Automation workflows that deliver thank-yous instantly while emotions are fresh.Real nonprofit results: 71% open rates and 18% repeat gifts in one week.Donors don’t just want to be thanked—they want to be known. With dynamic videos, you can deliver gratitude that feels genuine, personal, and unforgettable.Head over to our Instagram and DM us the word "AI' for our Free AI Nonprofit Growth Playbook. https://www.instagram.com/charityauctionstoday

Donors don’t want more emails—they want smarter ones.In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly shows you how to use conditional logic + AI to send donor emails that feel personal without writing hundreds by hand. Using the Segment. Script. Send. framework, you’ll learn how to:Build simple donor segments that branch automatically.Script personalized thank-you and impact emails with AI.Set CRM rules that deliver the right message to the right donor at the right time.Hear how one nonprofit boosted open rates by 42% and secured second gifts faster just by setting up smart email rules.Generic blasts are dead. Smarter, more personal emails are the future.Head over to our Instagram and DM us the word "AI' for our Free AI Nonprofit Growth Playbook. https://www.instagram.com/charityauctionstoday

Not every donor moment should be automated—and not every moment should be personal.In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly breaks down how to know the difference so you can scale without losing connection. Using the Routine. Relational. Rare. framework, you’ll learn:Which touchpoints to automate with AI and CRMs.When to slow down and send something personal.How to honor rare, transformational gifts with creativity.Hear how an arts nonprofit used this approach to save staff hours, boost retention by 21%, and keep donors feeling deeply seen—all while leveraging AI as an assistant, not a replacement.Don’t automate everything. Don’t personalize everything. Do both—wisely.

🎬 Why reinvent the wheel when you can replay your greatest hits?In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly reveals how to build a Fundraising Replay Machine—a system where your best campaigns don’t just run once, they run again and again with small tweaks, AI-powered rewrites, and fresh updates.You’ll learn the 3-step framework—Re-Run, Re-Write, Re-Raise—and discover how to:Pull past campaigns that crushed it and run them again.Use AI to refresh copy, hooks, and CTAs.Automate a 12-month replay calendar that raises money year-round.Hear how an animal shelter re-ran a 2018 adoption email with AI updates and raised $18,000 in one week—proof that replays can be just as powerful (if not more) than originals.Stop burning yourself out creating everything new. Build your Replay Machine, and let your best campaigns raise again and again.Head over to our Instagram and DM us the word "AI' for our Free AI Nonprofit Growth Playbook. https://www.instagram.com/charityauctionstoday

Your past campaigns aren’t dead—they’re dormant.In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly shows you how to become an AI Campaign Archivist—the person who recovers your best-performing campaigns, refreshes them with AI, and relaunches them to raise more with less effort.You’ll learn the 3-step framework—Recover, Refresh, Relaunch—plus practical ChatGPT prompts you can use right now to:Pull gold from past emails, pages, and posts.Rewrite and modernize outdated campaigns.Automate evergreen appeals that work year-round.Hear how one nonprofit turned three years of old Giving Tuesday campaigns into a $67,000 evergreen funnel—proof that your archive is a fundraising goldmine waiting to be tapped.Stop reinventing the wheel. Start recycling your past wins into tomorrow’s donations.Head over to our Instagram and DM us the word "AI' for our Free AI Nonprofit Growth Playbook. https://www.instagram.com/charityauctionstoday