To the Editor:
In her recent article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, “How Some Fundraisers Are Using ChatGPT Technology to Do Their Jobs Better” (May 3, 2023), Emily Haynes wrote that “savvy fundraisers saw the chatbot’s potential to automate mundane, time-sucking tasks like writing social-media posts, drafting thank-you notes to donors, and completing grant applications.”
Have we really reached a point in the fundraising profession in which writing a thank-you note to a donor is “time-sucking” and “mundane”?; where anyone who can figure out an automated shortcut for saying thank-you is considered “savvy”?
Donors who make gifts of any size should be thanked with authenticity and grace. The art of crafting a sincere thank-you letter not only honors the donor, but also ensures that staff are reminded of the mission-driven value of their work. In an era where fundraiser burnout is at an all-time high, these moments of connection and inspiration are more important than ever. And as the public’s trust in nonprofit organizations wanes, suggesting that thanking donors is drudgery is not a good look.
Whether it comes in the form of a handwritten thank-you note, a template letter sent to hundreds of donors, or assistance from ChatGPT, let’s remember that expressing the organization’s gratitude is among the profession’s most important and rewarding tasks.
Lauren Brownstein
Fundraising consultant
Author, “Be Well, Do Good: Self-Care and Renewal for Nonprofit Professionals and Other Do-Gooders”
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