At a time when most small charities don’t make a surplus, thinking about where to save money is now very important. How can processes be made more efficient? In my view this is precisely why having a “digital” person involved is increasingly important.
I built a fundraiser using google gemini and google aistudio. If you are not taking advantage of Google’s free aistudio then you are missing out.
First Step
The first step is to understand the psychology of giving, if the AI fundraiser understands this then it will help to produce appeals that are positioned in the most optimal way. So in Gemini (thinking mode) I used this prompt:
“please create a concise report on social science research to enhance fundraising strategies, drawing on empirical studies from the disciplines of psychology, sociology and economics. For the UK charity sector”
The output was a 12 page report titled: Applied Behavioral Science for Optimized Fundraising in the UK Charity Sector
Second Step
I downloaded the report and opened a new gemini chat and prompted:
“hello!! I would like to build a tool in google aistudio, an appeal writer. Base the output on the report attached.
Please provide me with a prompt to use in aistudio. I would like the digital fundraiser to write the email, website and letter (snail mail) copy. Also the option to produce three social media posts. I would also like an "appeal analysis" tool where a user can paste in an appeal and get critical feedback on it. Thanks”
The output was this:
## Role
You are the “Philanthropic Behavioral Architect.” Your purpose is to generate and analyze fundraising copy that bridges the Intention-Action Gap (IAG) by minimizing cognitive friction and maximizing emotional resonance.
## Core Behavioral Logic
1. **Identifiable Victim Effect (IVE):** Never use abstract statistics or “corporate” buzzwords like “resilience” or “preservation.”[cite: 11, 13, 59]. You MUST lead with a single, named individual (e.g., Tenzin) to trigger “System 1” (fast, instinctive brain) thinking[cite: 6, 9, 60].
2. **Strategic Anchoring:** Avoid “Drop in the Bucket” syndrome[cite: 26]. Replace massive total goals with specific “Strategic Quantity Requests” (e.g., $25, $50, $100) tied to tangible outcomes[cite: 35, 94, 99].
3. **Friction Elimination:** Design for “Implementation Intentions”[cite: 70]. Copy must be scannable, direct, and lead to one clear action[cite: 81, 144].
4. **Anti-Diffusion:** Focus on ONE primary issue at a time. Do not force the donor to juggle multiple complex ideas[cite: 21, 22].
## Functional Modes
The user will provide a “Campaign Brief” or an “Existing Appeal.” You must respond based on the requested output:
### Mode 1: Content Suite (Email, Website, Letter, Social)
Generate a full suite of materials using the “IVE-First” strategy[cite: 32]:
– **Hook:** A specific individual’s story to reduce social distance[cite: 61].
– **Emotional Mentalizing:** Focus on the recipient’s welfare rather than organizational self-reward[cite: 57, 58].
– **The Ask:** Use 3 specific quantity requests with impact descriptions[cite: 94].
– **Format:** High readability, mobile-optimized, and free of “professional polish” that feels generic[cite: 8, 41].
### Mode 2: Appeal Analysis (Critical Feedback)
Analyze user-pasted text against these specific behavioral failure points:
– **Presence of IVE:** Is it about one person or a group? [cite: 10, 60]
– **Cognitive Load:** Does it use “buzzwords” or complex mission statements? [cite: 13, 67]
– **Decision Architecture:** Are there suggested donation amounts or an empty field? [cite: 25, 29, 93]
– **Efficacy Test:** Does the donor feel their specific gift makes a dent? [cite: 23, 57]
## Ethical Guardrails
Ensure all copy remains persuasive, not manipulative[cite: 122]. Do not use high-pressure tactics that overwhelm donor autonomy or use misleading data[cite: 136, 139].
Third step – Using Google aistudio
Google aistudio is a FREE resource from Google that not only grants early access to the latest Google AI model it also has a “vibe coding”, or build section that can quickly create complex websites with a few prompts.
I pasted in the above prompt and this was the output:
This is a working web app that will create:
- snail mail copy
- email appeal copy
- website copy
- social media copy
- an image (not recommended for appeals, but if used state it clearly)
- an analysis of an appeal with a spider graph
All grounded in the psychology of giving.
Testing the AI fundraiser
For this example I didn’t provide a website, if I did then more context would have been grabbed from the website to support the copy that is produced.
I prompted the AI Fundraiser this:
We are a dog rescue charity based in Rochdale. We have over 10 dogs in need of rehoming.
Case study: Betty, a poodle, was abandoned when she was just 2. After we found her and got her checked by our vet we successfully rehomed her a few months later. The new owner told us "Betty has made me feel so happy".
£20 covers the cost of medicine
£50 houses a dog for a month
£100 covers a months of petrol for the rescue teams
This is not an extensive prompt, however it is important to provide a case study, clear outcomes from donations (ask amounts), and what the appeal is for.
Output of the AI fundraiser
Output: email and snail mail comms
Subject: From abandoned to adored: Betty’s story and how you can help others like her
Dear Friend,
When we first found Betty, a two-year-old poodle, she was alone and frightened. Abandoned on the streets of Rochdale, she didn’t know who to trust. Because of supporters like you, we were able to get her the urgent veterinary care she needed.
Today, Betty is a different dog. Her new owner tells us, “Betty has made me feel so happy.”
But Betty is just one success story. Right now, we have over 10 dogs in our Rochdale rescue centre waiting for their second chance. To keep our doors open and our rescue teams on the road, we need your help today.
- £20 could cover the essential medicine for a dog in need.
- £50 could house a rescue dog for an entire month, giving them a warm, safe place to sleep.
- £100 could cover a month’s worth of petrol for our rescue teams, allowing us to reach more dogs in distress.
[Donate Now]
Your kindness ensures that dogs like Betty don’t have to face the world alone. Thank you for your support.
Warmly,
The Rochdale Dog Rescue Team
Land page (web)
Dear Supporter,
I am writing to you today from our rescue centre in Rochdale with a story of hope—and a plea for help.
Last year, we met Betty. She was a two-year-old poodle who had been abandoned and left to fend for herself. She was terrified, but through the patience of our staff and the expertise of our local vet, she began to heal. A few months later, Betty was rehomed. Her new owner recently shared: “Betty has made me feel so happy.“
This is the outcome every dog deserves. However, the reality is that we currently have 10 dogs in our care who are still waiting. As a small charity in Rochdale, our resources are stretched thin.
To ensure these dogs receive the care they need, I am asking if you could make a donation today:
- £20 will pay for the medicine a dog needs to get healthy.
- £50 will provide a month of housing and safety for a dog in our care.
- £100 will cover the petrol for our rescue teams for a month, ensuring we never have to say no to a dog in danger.
Your contribution, no matter the size, changes lives. Please help us turn more stories of abandonment into stories of joy.
With gratitude,
[Name] Charity Manager, Rochdale Dog Rescue
Output: Webpage
Give a Second Chance to a Rochdale Rescue Dog
Betty’s Journey from Abandonment to Joy
When Betty was just two years old, she was left behind. A poodle with nowhere to go, she arrived at our Rochdale centre needing immediate care. After a full check-up from our vet and months of love and rehabilitation, Betty found her forever home.
“Betty has made me feel so happy.”
We have 10 more dogs waiting for their happy ending.
We are currently caring for over 10 dogs, each with their own story of survival. Your donation today provides the vital resources they need to find a loving family.
- £20 – Provides life-saving medicine for a rescue dog.
- £50 – Houses a dog in our safe haven for one month.
- £100 – Fuels our rescue van for a month, helping us reach dogs in crisis.
[Donate £20] [Donate £50] [Donate £100]
[Make a Custom Donation]
Output: Social media
On the social media tab there is the option to generate a photo: “Our designer can craft a post image based on your social copy.”. The images below are from that output.
Meet Betty. 🐩
Abandoned at just two years old, Betty was lost and alone. Today, she’s thriving in her forever home. Her owner says, “Betty has made me feel so happy.”
But right now in Rochdale, 10 more dogs are waiting for their turn. You can be the reason they find safety.
🐾 £20 = Essential medicine
🏠 £50 = A month of housing
🚐 £100 = A month of fuel for our rescue teams
Can you help us give these dogs the life they deserve?
Donate here: [Link]
#Rochdale #DogRescue #AdoptDontShop #AnimalWelfare
Appeal Analysis
The AI fundraiser can also analyse appeal text and produce a spider chart and key points regarding the text. Below is the analysis of the snail mail text
Architect’s Summary
“The appeal successfully utilises the Identifiable Victim Effect through Betty’s story and provides excellent decision architecture with tangible gift handles, though the final tier shifts focus slightly towards operational overheads.”
Critical Failure Points
- The narrative focuses on Betty, a specific individual, which effectively triggers the Identifiable Victim Effect and avoids the ‘compassion fade’ often associated with broader statistics.
- The decision architecture is robust, offering three distinct price points with clear, tangible outcomes, which simplifies the choice for the donor and encourages higher-value gifts.
- Whilst the language is accessible and free of jargon, the transition from Betty’s success to the current need for ten dogs could be sharpened by highlighting a specific individual currently in the shelter to maintain emotional momentum.
- The £100 gift handle for petrol, while practical for the charity’s operations, may feel less impactful to a donor than direct medical or nutritional support, potentially lowering the perceived efficacy of that specific amount.
Overall pretty solid. Using this feedback I can update the prompt, or rewrite the letter to reduce the ‘drop-in-the-bucket’ and change the £100 ask to something less operational.
A real world analysis
I was curious to see what the analysis would be for a large £1m income UK “charity”:
Architect’s Summary
“The appeal is overly abstract, favouring corporate jargon and broad societal goals over a tangible, human-centric narrative that would trigger an emotional response.”
Critical Failure Points
- The text fails to leverage the Identifiable Victim Effect, focusing on ‘communities’ and ‘the world’ rather than a single person, which leads to psychic numbing.
- The use of buzzwords like ‘leveraging’ and ‘resilient’ increases cognitive load, making the message feel like a corporate mission statement rather than a heartfelt plea.
- There is a total absence of decision architecture; the lack of specific donation prompts or ‘nudge’ amounts leaves the donor with no guidance on what constitutes a meaningful gift.
- The goal of creating a ‘world without hate’ is too vast and nebulous, which diminishes the donor’s sense of efficacy as they cannot see how their individual contribution makes a measurable dent in the problem.
- The call to action is weak and non-specific, failing to create a sense of urgency or a clear link between the donation and a concrete outcome.
Incredibly interesting and an indication of the type of charity they are.
Final Thoughts
Writing this article has taken me longer than it did to build the AI fundraiser, which is crazy. I have been making website for over 25 years and the fact that now a very advanced website can be created in a few prompts is quite incredible. This is great news for small charities. Use these tools to help your process, take advantage of Google Vertex and the Claude discount. Think about processes that are repetitive, the likelihood is they can be improved. AI is a powerful sidekick that you should be investigating.
Instagram mock up created here: https://zeoob.com/generate-instagram-post/
Dog charity logo created in Google Gemini with the following prompt
you are a logo designer. I need a logo for a dog charity. Nice and clean and simple
Lindsay Butler
Digital Specialist
A digital marketing specialist with a passion for innovation and data-driven strategies. Experienced in PPC, SEO, content marketing, social media, and email marketing. Consistently seeking to optimise processes and deliver results.
