Let's Talk Fundraising
Welcome to "Let's Talk Fundraising" with Keith Greer, CFRE! This podcast is your go-to resource for mastering the essentials of fundraising while discovering how innovative tools and technology can supercharge your efforts. Whether you're a new fundraiser looking to level up your skills or a seasoned professional seeking timely reminders and fresh insights, each episode is packed with practical advice, creative ideas, and inspiring stories.
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Let's Talk Fundraising
How to Use ChatGPT Without Compromising Donor Privacy
Every fundraiser knows that donor trust is the foundation of successful philanthropic relationships. But in our rush to embrace powerful AI tools like ChatGPT, we risk compromising that trust through accidental exposure of sensitive information. What begins as an innocent copy-paste into an AI prompt can instantly transform into a serious data breach that damages hard-earned relationships.
This episode tackles the critical intersection of donor data privacy and AI efficiency. We explore how even small, routine actions—hastily copying donor details or pledge amounts—can lead to unintended privacy violations. Rather than avoiding technology altogether, we introduce practical safeguards like the "describe-don't-deposit" approach that replaces sensitive information with simple placeholders before using AI tools. This 30-second practice transforms how you can safely leverage ChatGPT's capabilities while maintaining absolute data security.
We also demystify the crucial privacy differences between ChatGPT's free, Plus, and Teams/Enterprise versions, helping you make informed decisions about which level of protection your donor relationships require. The Teams version offers enhanced security features that allow organizations to disable data storage and external review—ideal for handling confidential donor information. By implementing straightforward internal policies and adopting a "scrub-first" mindset, fundraising teams can embrace AI confidently without compromising stewardship integrity.
The mindset shifts we discuss reframe data security from a burdensome extra step to an empowering foundation for deeper donor relationships. When you approach technology with intentionality and care, privacy and efficiency become complementary strengths rather than competing priorities. Join us to discover how protecting donor information isn't just good ethics—it's good fundraising that demonstrates your commitment to stewarding not just gifts, but the precious trust behind them.
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You're about to hit send on an update to a six-figure donor when a sudden thought stops you cold Did I just paste their confidential pledge details into ChatGPT? Your stomach tightens, your fingers hover, because here's the reality One tiny oversight can trigger compliance headaches or, even worse, damage the trust you've spent years carefully nurturing. But what if you knew exactly how to safely feed prompts into chat GPT without ever leaking sensitive donor data? So let's talk fundraising. Every donor relationship you have is built on a foundation of trust. Trust isn't optional, it isn't negotiable. It's the cornerstone of every meaningful interaction that you share. And while trust takes months, years or even decades to build, it can take mere moments to lose. That's the fundraising principle we're leaning into today. Trust is precious, it's fragile and it must be actively protected, especially when it comes to how we handle donor data.
Keith Greer, CFRE:So let's talk candidly about something every fundraiser worries about but rarely discusses openly data leaks. Now we're not just talking about a major security breach or dramatic hacking scandal. In reality, most data leaks are smaller, they're quieter and more common. They're often the result of hurried copy-pasting, overlooked details in emails or inadvertently sharing sensitive donor details through otherwise routine communications. So think about your own workflow for a moment. When you're quickly drafting an email update to a major donor or pulling together a board report, how often are you double-checking that sensitive information Pledge amounts, health details, addresses, family circumstances? Is it kept completely secure? And let's pause here, because what personally identifiable details show up most often in your drafts? Take five seconds. What are three things you'd never want to see accidentally forwarded or leaked? Because here's the truth. The more we rely on digital tools, especially powerful AI-driven tools like ChatGPT, the greater the need for intentional data stewardship. But good stewardship doesn't mean avoiding technology. In fact, smart, intentional stewardship leverages technology safely, carefully and thoughtfully. And I've heard directly from fundraisers who feel hesitant to fully embrace tools like ChatGPT because of those privacy concerns. They wonder how do I know I'm keeping donor information secure? Or what if I accidentally share something confidential? And these aren't small concerns. They're at the very heart of ethical and effective fundraising.
Keith Greer, CFRE:Stewardship is about more than gratitude and reporting impact. It's about actively protecting the integrity of donor relationships every step of the way. It's about demonstrating through every action that you value the trust your donors place in you just as deeply as you value their gifts. We've all received fundraising emails with errors an incorrect name, an improperly merged detail, even awkward disclosures of private information. You likely remember how those moments felt, even as a recipient Uncomfortable, off-putting, damaging to the trust the sender had intended to build. Now imagine the donor on the receiving end of that kind of a slip-up. Would they continue to trust the organization with their generosity? Would they confidently recommend it to their peers, their colleagues, their family? Probably not, and this is why data stewardship isn't merely compliance-driven. It's really relationship-driven. It's about valuing your donor's trust enough to ensure that every piece of data you handle is treated with care and with clarity. It's about never letting convenience compromise confidentiality.
Keith Greer, CFRE:And let's get practical. What does responsible data stewardship look like in the age of AI and digital fundraising? And it starts with awareness. It begins by recognizing that the ease of copy pasting information into tools like ChatGPT doesn't come without risks. It means establishing clear, simple and repeatable practices to safeguard sensitive information, practices like replacing confidential details with plain language placeholders before using an AI tool. You're not slowing yourself down. By doing this, you're protecting yourself, your donors and your organization. You're demonstrating that every day, that your donor relationships matter enough to justify an extra moment of care.
Keith Greer, CFRE:And I know what you might be thinking, keith, does redacting or replacing sensitive data slow me down? Does it add another burdensome step to an already packed workflow? And I know what you might be thinking, keith. Does redacting or replacing sensitive data slow me down? Does it add another burdensome step to an already packed workflow? And initially it can feel that way. But let's reframe the situation. The true time cost of redacting a few sensitive details in seconds literally seconds is, but the potential cost of failing to do it Damage, control, lost trust, rebuilding credibility that can take months or even years.
Keith Greer, CFRE:Protecting donor data isn't about being overly cautious. It's about being deliberately intentional. It's about embedding simple, safe practices into your workflow until they become second nature, no different than buckling your seatbelt before driving. In fact, here's a straightforward way to reframe the entire practice a scrub-first workflow. With a scrub-first workflow. You simply replace any sensitive details with placeholders, such as a placeholder for donor first name and a placeholder for gift amount, before you ever paste anything into a digital AI tool. This doesn't slow your workflow down. It empowers it With data securely redacted. You can quickly use ChatGPT to draft communications without worrying about accidental leaks or privacy missteps. It's simple, it's fast and it's effective. More importantly, it's a stewardship practice built on integrity and intentionality.
Keith Greer, CFRE:So take a moment right now. What would adopting a scrub-first workflow look like in your daily tasks? Could you easily establish placeholder keys for common sensitive fields like addresses, gift amounts or specific donor identifiers? Think about it for a second. Or specific donor identifiers? Think about it for a second. By setting up these straightforward redaction routines, you're not creating barriers, you're building guardrails. Guardrails let you move quickly and confidently, knowing you're protecting donor privacy with every prompt and every email draft. And here's another crucial point Transparency with donors about how you handle their data will increasingly become a part of your conversations.
Keith Greer, CFRE:Imagine the comfort and the credibility when you're able to tell your donor directly we handle your private information with the utmost care. It never leaves our internal systems in an identifiable form. That kind of transparency isn't just reassuring. It's a profound demonstration of respect, and respect, just like trust, is foundational to lasting donor relationships. Ultimately, good stewardship of data isn't just about avoiding negative outcomes. It's about actively reinforcing positive relationships. Every thoughtful step you take in protecting donor information strengthens your reputation as a trustworthy steward.
Keith Greer, CFRE:The fundraising principle here is clear and it's profound. Trust is precious and demands constant vigilance, especially in the age of rapid digital communication. Stewarding trust means stewarding data with absolute intentionality. So, as we move from this principle into the practical application today, keep this top of mind. The careful handling of donor information isn't a burden, it's a privilege. It's one of the most tangible ways you can demonstrate your organization's integrity, professionalism and its care, and it's precisely how you build, deepen and sustain the trust that empowers your mission. So, with that critical principle clear, let's talk exactly how ChatGPT can help you practice safe, effective and efficient donor communications right now.
Keith Greer, CFRE:So, now that we've unpacked why data stewardship is central to fundraising, let's get practical and specific. How exactly does ChatGPT support you in protecting sensitive donor information while still giving you the efficiency boost that you need? The key lies in understanding how ChatGPT works and then adopting clear, intentional practices that align with your stewardship values. So, first things first that align with your stewardship values. So first things first. Let's clarify a critical point ChatGPT itself isn't inherently insecure, but the way it's used can create security risks. So how you choose to use it is the deciding factor in whether donor data stays safe or gets inadvertently exposed. So let's start with some simple best practices.
Keith Greer, CFRE:The simplest and the most powerful method is something I call the describe-don't-deposit approach. Instead of pasting sensitive information directly into ChatGPT, depositing it, you replace those details with plain language placeholders. This small step immediately removes any identifiable information from your input, leaving no opportunity for sensitive details to leak. And here's exactly how you'd put this into practice. Step one identify sensitive information pledge amounts, donor names, addresses, health details, personal stories and replace them with clear placeholders, and your input might look something like donor first name made a generous pledge of gift amount to our scholarship fund. Invite them warmly to visit program name and experience their impact firsthand. Step two use a simple and direct prompt to guide chat GPT. And here's exactly how this could sound in practice. Act as my fundraising copy intern, using the placeholders provided. Craft a 150-word impact update that feels warm, thanks donor first name for their gift amount, scholarship pledge and invites them to visit program name.
Keith Greer, CFRE:Do not invent extra facts In moments, chat GPT returns a thoughtful, sensitive, donor-ready draft, all without ever seeing or touching private donor data. And let's pause briefly here to measure the practical benefit. A compliance review for sensitive data can typically take around 14 minutes per board cycle packet. With placeholders in place, that review time shrinks dramatically to under four minutes. Across multiple reports. You're saving nearly an hour of tedious compliance review every single cycle. But now let's dive deeper into another essential layer of data stewardship the privacy settings.
Keith Greer, CFRE:Not all chat GPT accounts are created equal. There are crucial differences among the free, the plus and the Teams versions, especially when it comes to security and confidentiality. Starting with the free version of ChatGPT, here's what you need to know. While powerful and highly accessible, the free tier does have important limitations around privacy. Inputs you provide to the free version may be reviewed by human trainers at OpenAI in an anonymized form to help improve the model. This means sensitive information, even unintentionally included, could technically be seen, though anonymized, by people outside your organization. It's a powerful tool for exploration, but it's not ideal for routine fundraising use involving any potentially sensitive context. Then we have ChatGPT+. With a paid Plus account, you gain faster response times and priority access, but privacy considerations remain largely the same as the free versions. Your inputs may still be subject to anonymized review by human trainers For individual, casual or non-sensitive tasks.
Keith Greer, CFRE:This might be acceptable. With a plus account, you also have the option to turn off having your data used to train future AI models, but when you're managing confidential donor information in higher-stakes fundraising communication, it's worth pausing to consider whether it's enough for your needs. And this is where ChatGPT Teams and Enterprise enters the conversation and why it's so valuable for fundraising professionals. Chatgpt Teams offers enhanced SAML SSO security. It has passed SOC 2 type 2 audits and has data encryption, crucially providing administrative controls and privacy safeguards tailored for your organizational use. With a Teams account, you have the power to disable the storage of your prompts entirely, meaning that your data isn't stored, isn't reviewed and isn't used to train the AI models at all. And this is significant. So let's unpack why.
Keith Greer, CFRE:With Teams, your organization can enforce a privacy-first approach. Prompts and outputs aren't shared or reviewed by human trainers, your sensitive data stays internal, ensuring maximum confidentiality. And Teams allows your organization to manage and oversee user access and usage, further reducing the risk of accidental exposure of sensitive information. So think about it With a Teams account, you can confidently tell your leadership, your donors and your colleagues that donor privacy is protected at the highest level. You can leverage AI fully, knowing that compliance and confidentiality aren't compromised. And let's pause briefly to consider this If you knew your sensitive donor details were completely secure, would you be more likely to embrace the full power of AI tools like ChatGPT in your workflow.
Keith Greer, CFRE:Would that level of security transform your hesitation into confidence? Now I know a practical question might be coming up for you, keith. Does upgrading to a Teams account justify the investment? Is it really necessary? And the answer depends on how critical data security is to your organization and how much you value donor trust. For most fundraising professionals handling sensitive donor details, teams isn't just a nice to have, it's really essential Because remember donor trust isn't merely valuable, it's invaluable. If your work involves donor records, pledge details, health information or personal anecdotes, a Teams account is simply the best choice to protect that trust. It allows you to fully unlock the efficiency gains and powerful support AI offers without ever risking your stewardship integrity.
Keith Greer, CFRE:So let's summarize this clearly ChatGPT-free it's powerful, it's accessible, but the prompts are anonymized and may be reviewed externally as well as used to train future models. Chatgpt-plus faster and more reliable. Yet privacy considerations remain largely the same as the free tier, with the option to opt out of training future models. Enchant, gpt, teams and Enterprise offers administrative privacy, control and the ability to fully disable data storage and external review, making it the most secure, stewardship-friendly option available. So choosing the right account type isn't merely a technical decision. It's a stewardship decision. It's about aligning your technological tools with your fundraising values and your donor commitments.
Keith Greer, CFRE:Think practically for a moment. If your organization's mission and your reputation depends on protecting sensitive information, isn't it worth investing in the highest levels of data privacy available? Now? One final practical recommendation to support your safe use of ChatGPT Consider drafting an internal policy document clearly defining your organization's practices around sensitive data and AI use. Include your placeholder strategy, describe don't deposit rules and clear guidelines for what information can and can't be input. A clear, simple internal policy ensures every member of your team is aligned and confident in handling data responsibility. It's a small investment of time upfront, but it pays significant dividends in trust, compliance and efficiency down the road. So let's reflect one last time. How might your donor relationships transform if you were absolutely confident their information was protected and if your donors knew this too? How much stronger could your stewardship become if technology was fully aligned with your ethical commitments?
Keith Greer, CFRE:Ultimately, stewarding donor trust and protecting sensitive data isn't just good ethics. It's good fundraising. Using ChatGPT responsibly, safely and intentionally empowers you to reclaim hours in your workflow without compromising your integrity or your donor's confidence. It's not about choosing between speed and security. It's about confidently choosing both. It's about leveraging the right tools with the right settings in the right ways to steward relationships with intention, integrity and excellence. Now, as we move forward, we'll explore the mindset shifts that allow you to embrace this careful, intentional approach, without sacrificing the efficiency and the impact that you deserve. So let's dive deeper now into the mindset behind using AI, because how you approach technology, especially when it comes to sensitive donor data, will shape your confidence and effectiveness as a fundraiser.
Keith Greer, CFRE:One of the biggest hesitations I hear from fundraisers is around the time commitment to data security. And you might be thinking, keith, I'm already overwhelmed. Adding another step, like redacting sensitive information before using AI, just feels like extra work. And, believe me, I felt that same resistance. When you're already racing against deadlines, every additional task seems daunting. But here's something that completely shifted my perspective. One day, I actually timed myself performing a simple redaction, replacing sensitive details with placeholders, before using chat GPT. The stopwatch revealed it took less than 30 seconds. Initially, what felt like a hassle quickly became second nature, kind of like buckling your seatbelt. So think about it Buckling your seatbelt isn't an inconvenience, it's just a quick habit that lets you drive confidently. Treating redaction in the same way creates powerful peace of mind, although if you were alive in the 80s, you might have thought it was a big hassle at the time, and that fear is understandable.
Keith Greer, CFRE:Headlines about data breaches are scary, but it's important to recognize that AI, like any technology, whether that's your email, your CRM systems, even your smartphone isn't inherently risky. Privacy controls you put in place by using clear strategies like the described don't deposit approach we discussed, you remain fully in control, transforming AI from something uncertain into something reliable. And speaking of trust, I often hear fundraisers quietly admit something even deeper I've made privacy mistakes before. How do I ensure it doesn't happen again, especially now that I'm using AI? And this anxiety is very real. But instead of viewing past mistakes as proof that you're careless, consider them evidence of your growth. If you've stumbled in the past, you're actually better positioned now. You know exactly what to watch for, how to handle sensitive information carefully and why a structured approach matters.
Keith Greer, CFRE:Another hesitance I often hear is skepticism about new technology. I've been burned by too many shiny tools before. How do I know ChatGPT won't just be another complicated tool I never use? And the skepticism is healthy. But here's the good news ChatGPT isn't another complicated software with a steep learning curve. Instead, think of it as an intuitive partner, enhancing the communication skills that you really already possess. It's not about mastering technology. It's about making the technology work for you. And finally, let's tackle a subtle yet significant misunderstanding Many fundraisers see privacy and efficiency as kind of opposing goals.
Keith Greer, CFRE:But think about it differently. Clear privacy practices actually speed you up, removing uncertainty, removing doubt and double checking. When your workflow includes straightforward safeguards, you're not only protecting donor trust, you're also streamlining your entire process, giving you more room for deeper, meaningful connections. Ultimately, the way you approach data stewardship isn't just about technology. It's about honoring and protecting relationships. Privacy isn't an obstacle, it's a foundation for powerful, effective fundraising, and the clarity, the, the confidence and the integrity it brings aren't just good ethics, they're good business. Imagine stepping into your role tomorrow fully confident, knowing that your processes protect owner privacy, enhance your workflow and amplify fundraising effectiveness. That's the real mindset shift we're after, moving from uncertainty to confidence, from worry to trust, from complexity to clarity. So think about your own practice. If you embrace this mindset, how would your relationships with your donors deepen? How would your daily workflow feel lighter and more purposeful? And hold on to that thought, because that shift starts now.
Keith Greer, CFRE:Today we explored exactly how to safeguard donor data while fully embracing the power of AI. We unpacked practical steps like the describe-don't-deposit method and learned to replace sensitive details with clear placeholders. We also tackled the critical mindset shifts about privacy, efficiency and trust, helping you see data stewardship not as a burden, but as the very foundation of powerful fundraising. So now it's your turn to transform insight into action. Today, pick just one sensitive detail you regularly handle Maybe it's gift amounts, donor names or health-related information. Create your own placeholder key and run a quick prompt using the described don't deposit strategy we discussed. Then head over to my LinkedIn and share your experience. How much time did you save? How much lighter did your workflow feel? Next week, we'll move beyond data security and into crafting powerful donor communications quickly, confidently and safely. To crafting powerful donor communications quickly, confidently and safely. You'll discover a simple three-line recipe to turn your carefully scrubbed notes into polished, donor-ready drafts fast. Until then, keep stewarding trust, protecting privacy and enhancing your fundraising impact. I'll see you real soon.
