AI in Nonprofit Recruiting: Eight Pros and Cons for Hiring Organizations

By Emily Walsh

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming virtually every facet of the modern workplace, and hiring is no exception. In the world of nonprofit recruiting, more organizations are increasingly leveraging AI tools to help sort applications, track candidates, and even schedule interviews; meanwhile, these systems are so commonplace that many job seekers have come to expect them as part of the application process. 

The purpose of AI is typically to maximize efficiency by streamlining processes historically handled by personnel. This can work wonderfully as a timesaver, but it can also come with significant drawbacks. As with any AI tool, there is no total replacement for human brain power, or, critically, for emotional intelligence. As society wades through the AI revolution, so many professionals, including nonprofit recruiters, now face the challenge of figuring out how to use AI effectively while staying mindful of its blind spots.

Below, we explore the potential pros and cons of using AI in nonprofit hiring to help your organization make informed decisions about how to integrate it into your hiring practices.

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The Pros of AI in Nonprofit Hiring

1. Increased Efficiency
   Automating time-consuming and tedious tasks, like screening resumes for the most essential qualifications, gives recruiters time back to focus on shorter piles of resumes from candidates who are most likely to succeed in the role. For instance, SocialRoots.ai can generate job descriptions, rank applicants, track candidates’ progress, and even schedule interviews, functioning as a hub for related but separate responsibilities that are otherwise often delegated to multiple team members.

2. Better Candidate Matching
   AI tools can be used to scrutinize applications for experience, qualifications, and personal traits that align with job descriptions, potentially uncovering candidates who might have been overlooked and offering hiring managers a more thoroughly vetted applicant pool. Teach for America, whose highly competitive hiring can yield thousands of applications for a single position, now relies on AI that uses specific criteria and predictive analysis to find the most promising candidates. 

3. Reduced Human Bias
   Removing humans from the screening stage and relying on objective data as much as possible can mitigate implicit bias, the subconscious preference for applicants who resemble the hiring manager or other organizational staff. This can bolster efforts to build more diverse and inclusive teams, which many nonprofits prioritize. 

4. Improved Candidate Experience
   AI-powered chatbots can help keep communications with candidates organized and up to date, preventing applicants from slipping through the cracks during the intensive recruiting process and damage to the organization’s reputation. While “no calls, please” became boilerplate language on job descriptions for years, if not decades, a chatbot gives candidates an access point for questions without tying up staff. 

The Cons of AI in Nonprofit Hiring

1. Overlooking Talent
   AI tools that ostensibly weed out all but the most qualified candidates may not have the nuance to recognize those with transferable skills or unconventional backgrounds who may be good fits. Even if applicants are using AI themselves to tailor resumes and cover letters to your position, you can’t know what skills may be overstated or not quite aligned until you speak with them. If you over-rely on AI to screen resumes, there is always a chance you’re leaving promising candidates behind. 

2. Loss of Human Connection
   Although innovations like chatbots can be very useful, they are not one-to-one substitutes for human interaction. Depending on your organization’s needs and the jobs you are hiring for, you may want to reserve AI for more mechanical tasks like scheduling, but continue to manage communication yourself or through other personnel. As time-consuming and exhausting as it can be, communicating directly with candidates can reinforce your organization’s reputation. You can also learn additional information about your applicants—are they asking smart questions? Do they seem enthusiastic about the role between interviews? Are they polite, professional, and prompt? You might gain insight that a chatbot can’t. 

3. Algorithmic Bias Risks
   Algorithms are designed by humans, so they cannot be entirely free of bias. If they are trained on biased data or unwittingly programmed to repeat patterns that favor certain demographics, the AI you are using to promote equity in hiring may work against you. For example, Reuters found that an experimental AI tool used by Amazon to hire technical roles exhibited pronounced gender bias—even downgrading resumes containing words like “women”—because the majority of resumes received before its development were from men. 

4. Data Privacy and Ethical Concerns
   Take extreme care not to compromise your organization’s values by implementing AI that unethically collects, processes, and sells information about applicants. Video interview platforms like HireVue have come under fire for clandestinely storing sensitive biometric data on applicants, as well as evaluating them on personal traits, such as cognitive ability and emotional intelligence, based on facial and vocal mannerisms.
   
   The prevalence of these tools and the inability of regulation to keep up with innovation have demonstrable consequences in the world of recruiting: for one thing, applicants are also using AI to format their materials and maximize traction with recruiting software. Automating the hiring process on both ends is a significant factor in applicant pools swelling to unmanageable sizes, which undermines its utility as a shortcut. 

A Balanced Approach to AI in Nonprofit Talent Acquisition

AI is not a magic solution for hiring challenges—it’s a tool. And like any tool, it must be used thoughtfully. For nonprofit organizations, where hiring the right people is critical to mission delivery, the stakes are high.

The Bridgespan Group reminds us that AI is less a brand-new technology and more a natural progression in technological advancement. Thinking about it this way can make it feel less overwhelming and more connected to how we use and adapt to other technology—for instance, recall our sudden shift to relying on video calls during the pandemic. We knew that virtual meetings could not fully replace convening in person, but they brought other benefits, such as easier scheduling across time zones and more personal interaction than would be possible via phone. 

Similarly, integrating AI in recruiting can be incredibly useful as long as we remain aware of its limitations. It is not a bulletproof solution, and it needs humans to fill in gaps, even if those efforts seemingly add time, effort, and costs. Before deploying AI, carefully evaluate why you are using it, whether that purpose is better served by a computer system or personnel, and whether there are ethical issues. 

Final Thoughts: AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement

Ultimately, your people are your greatest asset. AI can support—but not replace—the thoughtful, values-driven approach that defines great nonprofit hiring. The most effective strategy is the one that helps you build a strong, diverse, and mission-aligned team.

Impact Opportunity would like to thank Emily Walsh for writing this article. Emily is a writer and editor specializing in nonprofit and philanthropy management. She has edited articles published by The Bridgespan Group, the Center for Effective Philanthropy, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and Forbes.com. She is also a classically trained professional musician and small business owner.