AI Can Map the Route, but Human Connection Makes the Journey Meaningful
If you know me personally (or if you’ve read my previous posts), you know I love to travel. With my big imagination, I love to settle in somewhere new for a time and imagine what life would be like to pick up and move there. I’m that person who is looking at real estate while settling in on the first night. I am always so curious – what makes the local people tick? What customs bring them joy in their everyday lives? What do they take for granted that a traveler sees with fresh eyes?
When I think about donor relationships, I also think about the shared experience of travel with my family and friends. The best trips aren’t just about the destination; they’re about the shared experience along the way—the roadside stops, the unexpected restaurant finds, the stories told over long stretches in airports or trains.
Fundraising is much the same. It’s not a quick trip from “ask” to “gift.” It’s a longer journey of trust, shared purpose, and mutual discovery. When you build strong relationships, donors aren’t just ticket-holders on your train—they’re fellow travelers who want to see the mission succeed and enjoy the ride alongside you.
Why Relationship Building Matters
Transforms Transactional Support into Lasting Commitment
Relationship fundraising prioritizes deeper engagement over one-time donations. When donors feel like partners in the mission—rather than just funders—they stick around for the long haul.Builds Trust—and Trust Handles Detours
Every journey hits bumps: economic downturns, leadership transitions, shifting priorities. Donors with strong relational ties are more likely to stay the course even when the road isn’t smooth.Encourages Mutual Growth and Advocacy
When donors feel like co-pilots rather than passengers, they become advocates who bring others along for the ride.
And Now, AI Enters the Room: Helpful, but Not Human
A lot of nonprofits are learning to use AI and are in the process of sorting out how it can be helpful in the fundraising lifecycle. I believe AI can be like your GPS: it maps out the most efficient routes, predicts traffic, and helps you prepare for what’s ahead. It can sort donor data, identify giving patterns, and flag the best times to reach out.
But just as your GPS can’t swap travel stories, share a laugh at a rest stop, or notice the breathtaking view from the passenger seat—AI can’t replace human presence. Relationship building requires empathy, listening, and authenticity. Those are the moments that transform a journey from routine travel into a meaningful adventure. Use of AI should be additive (to draft communications, analyze patterns and create more time in your schedule to be with people), but only you, dear human, are qualified to do the real relationship-building work.
Three Concrete Steps to Build Donor Relationships
1. Personalize Your Communication—Beyond the Basics
A GPS may know the quickest route, but only you know your donor’s story. Send a thank-you note that connects to their interests and values or follow up with a thoughtful check-in.
2. Invite Meaningful Engagement and Listen Actively
Invite donors to be co-travelers. Share behind-the-scenes updates, ask their perspective, or involve them in shaping new initiatives.
3. Share Stories and Be Transparent
Stories are the scenic overlooks of the journey—they help donors see and feel the impact. Transparency builds trust and makes them proud to stay on the road with you.
Final Take
We all know the saying – that the journey is as important as the destination. The same is true in fundraising: relationships are what make the trip worthwhile. AI can chart the route and help you avoid roadblocks, but it’s your humanity—your listening, your presence, your care—that makes donors want to stay on the journey with you. By treating them as fellow travelers, you build more than a path to donations—you build a shared adventure in impact.