How can AI actually increase donor trust rather than erode it? In this conversation, Bennett Weiner (President & CEO, BBB Wise Giving Alliance) speaks with Jeremy Kirshbaum (Founder, Handshake) and Ezra Vázquez-D’Amico (Director of Digital Partnerships & Strategy, BBB Wise Giving Alliance) about AskGive—Give.org’s AI Powered Donor Advisor that helps people make wise, trust-centered giving decisions using Give.org’s vetted resources.

To draw out broader lessons on AI for the charitable sector, we cover why AskGive was built, how brand-safe AI is different from a generic chatbot, and what’s next (structured charity data for cause-based discovery) while keeping donors—not algorithms in the decision seat.

Key takeaways

- Trust by design: AskGive only draws from Give.org’s vetted content (charity reports, standards, advice), aligning AI answers with BBB Charity Standards and avoiding unverified sources.

- Brand-safe AI is not the same as a generic chatbot: Tone, accuracy, and “no ranking charities” guardrails were co-designed with staff (from subject experts to frontline donor support) to reflect Give.org’s culture.

- Help donors act, don’t decide for them: The tool surfaces facts, standards results, and advice—then puts the final choice back in the donor’s hands.

- Cause-based discovery for new donors: Younger/values-driven givers can start with “I want to support animal welfare” and move into credible options without already knowing a charity’s name.

- The Path From 70% to 100%: Spinning up a chatbot is easy; getting to on-brand, brand-safe, reliable, repeatable guidance takes custom work, evaluation checklists, and ongoing monitoring.

- What’s next for AskGive: Structured data queries (e.g., “Show me five BBB Accredited environmental charities in my state”) to give donors more relevant, self-directed ways to explore.

Why this matters for nonprofit professionals and people who care about social good

- Practical AI path: Start small with mission-critical content, define tone/guardrails, and set evaluation criteria early.

- Trust signals win: Transparent sourcing and standards-aligned answers reduce friction for donors and strengthen credibility.

- Human-centered by default: Keep people in the loop—let AI inform, not decide.

Try AskGive: https://give.org/askgive

About Our Guest

Ken Phillips has decades of nonprofit leadership and fundraising experience. He runs NGO Futures LLC, which provides training and consulting services to non-governmental organizations. In 2024, the Association of Fundraising Professionals honored him with their Outstanding Fundraising Professional of the Year. He previously served as President & CEO, Plan International USA, and as head of fundraising for Save the Children US. His latest book, "Trust, Impact, and Fundraising for Nonprofits" (2023), addresses the critical trust crisis facing the charitable sector.

The Global Trust Crisis

This episode tackles one of the most pressing challenges facing charities worldwide: declining public trust. Ken discusses how this issue has become a global concern and is not confined to just the United States.

Key Insights and Quotes

On the root of the trust problem:

"Trust in everything is falling. It's not just nonprofits. It's in corporations... There are three ways people spend money. They spend it on their taxes... They spend money on clothing, on services, vacations... In donations, which is the third way people can spend money, they only get feedback if they get it from who they give the money to."

On the importance of communication with donors beyond fundraising:

"If you don't communicate... if you don't give good, clear, persuasive information on what [the charity] did and …how [it is] efficient and effective. People don't know that... it's the follow-up that gets the renewal. And if it's just give us more [money], there's going to be dropout."

On fundraising as relationship-building:

"I often compare fundraising to... the act of wooing, the act of seeking someone to love you back. And if you make that comparison, you're going to realize asking for more again and again and again is not going to work. You've got to talk about what you are, why you're respected, why you could be trusted."

Innovative Solutions Discussed

Ken introduces several groundbreaking concepts:

• Chief Trust Officers for major nonprofits - similar to CFOs but focused on ethics and accountability
• Multi-layered evaluation systems combining self-assessment, peer review, and external monitoring
• Educational and advocacy programs that transform donors into committed advocates
• The critical importance of sanctions - "without sanctions, ethics are meaningless"

Looking Ahead: The Human Element in an AI World

In a fascinating discussion about the future, Ken emphasizes that artificial intelligence will never replace the human connection essential to successful fundraising:

"Artificial connections and artificial fundraising ...will increase the importance of that personal connection by the fundraiser with the donor."

Why This Episode Matters

Ken's insights from decades of experience provide a valuable perspective on creating accountability systems that actually work. His conversation offers practical wisdom for nonprofit leaders, donors, and anyone concerned about strengthening public trust in charitable organizations.

Listen Now

Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion about the future of nonprofit accountability and the urgent need to rebuild public trust in charitable organizations.

We're excited to share our latest episode, "Passing the Torch: A Conversation with Art Taylor and Bennett Weiner," which marks a special transition in leadership at the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. In this unique episode, roles are reversed as our new president and CEO Bennett Weiner interviews the organization's former leader and podcast founder, Art Taylor.