Help or Harm: AI in Grantmaking – Rural & Beyond

Is AI leveling the field or raising the bar?

Many Midwest funders are noticing a surge in grant applications – and wondering whether AI is helping or harming the philanthropic process. At the same time, rural nonprofits – and often nonprofits in other geographies – consistently cite limited capacity as one of their biggest barriers to engaging in the grantmaking process.

This session shares emerging research and real-world observations on how AI is being used throughout the nonprofit sector and how funders are experiencing the resulting shifts in volume, clarity, storytelling, and capacity across rural nonprofits. Together, we’ll explore both sides of the equation: AI as a potential equalizer for small, often volunteer-driven rural organizations, and AI as a force that may overwhelm funder systems or obscure genuine organizational needs.

The conversation will focus on what’s actionable now: responsible AI use, equity considerations, and how funders can adapt their processes to maintain trust, discernment, and alignment with community priorities. Participants will leave with practical strategies and a clearer sense of where AI can support their work – and where human discernment matters most.

Grounded in the realities of rural philanthropy, this session will include information transferable to any geographic setting.

Session Objectives

• Examine the emerging impacts of AI adoption in rural grant seeking and rural grantmaking.
• Share early findings from research on how funders perceive increased application volume, shifts in proposal quality, and potential inequities created or reduced by AI.
• Identify practical, right-sized actions rural funders – and those working in other geographies – can take to integrate AI responsibly, reduce administrative burdens, and maintain human-centered philanthropic judgment.

Free for IPA members. $50 for non-members.