Building with AI: A Beginner’s Guide for Charities and Social Enterprises
How small teams can go beyond using AI — and start creating practical tools with it.
You’ve explored AI. You’ve tried tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Copilot. You’ve even started using them to help with real tasks — writing emails, summarising reports, analysing feedback.
Now you’re wondering:
Could we actually build something ourselves? Something useful?
The answer is yes — and it’s more doable than you might think.
This blog is a beginner’s guide to building with AI — not in a tech-heavy way, but in a practical, low-risk, mission-aligned way for small charities and social enterprises.
What “Building with AI” Really Means
Building with AI doesn’t mean creating new models or writing complicated code. The big tech companies — OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft — have already done that for you.
What you’re doing is plugging into those models using simple tools or platforms to solve real problems in your organisation. For example:
A form that screens enquiries using GPT
A tool that summarises impact reports automatically
A chatbot trained on your staff handbook for employee queries
A dashboard that flags trends in beneficiary feedback
These are real, achievable builds — especially when you start small.
You Don’t Need to Be Technical
Thanks to a new wave of no-code and low-code tools, you can create AI-powered applications without needing to write software. Many charities are using platforms like:
OpenAI or Claude – provide the “thinking” behind the scenes
Zapier (https://zapier.com/) – connects apps and automates steps between them
Glide (https://www.glideapps.com/) – lets you build web or mobile apps using spreadsheets as a backend
Tally (https://tally.so/) – a user-friendly online form builder that integrates with AI tools
Airtable (https://airtable.com/) – combines spreadsheet familiarity with database power
Make (https://www.make.com) - connects apps and automates workflows
You can start testing most of these for free or at very low cost.
If you can use spreadsheets, forms, and drag-and-drop builders — you can build with AI.
And if you need help with setup? A freelancer or digital volunteer can usually get you up and running quickly.
What Kind of Tools Could You Build?
Here are a few tools that small charities are already creating — without big budgets or technical teams:
Screening assistant: Reviews grant applications or volunteer forms and flags the strongest ones
Feedback analyser: Categorises open-text survey responses and highlights key themes
Chatbot for staff or beneficiaries: Answers questions based on uploaded documents or guidance
Content generator: Drafts comms content or reports from structured data
Programme tracker: Helps delivery teams monitor progress, backed by AI summaries or tagging
These tools don’t replace your staff — they reduce repetitive admin so your people can focus on the work that matters.
How to Start Building (Step-by-Step)
You don’t need a grand plan. Just follow a simple path:
1. Pick a real problem
Start with one task that takes too much time — like reviewing applications or cleaning data.
2. Test it manually using ChatGPT or Claude
Try a few examples. See if the AI gives useful outputs. If yes, it’s a good candidate for a build.
3. Sketch a simple workflow
What are the inputs (form, spreadsheet)?
What should AI do (summarise, score, tag)?
Where should the results go (email, dashboard, Google Sheet)?
4. Choose the right tools
Zapier for workflows. Glide or Airtable for dashboards. OpenAI or Claude for intelligence. And Make to connect things together.
5. Build a first version
Start with a rough prototype. Test it internally. Get feedback. Improve it over time.
Responsible Building Starts Small
Just like in any good programme design, your AI builds should be:
Human-centred – support your staff and beneficiaries, not replace them
Ethical – use data responsibly and keep people informed
Practical – solve real problems, not just show off what’s possible
Transparent – explain how the tool works and where AI is involved
AI isn’t magic — but it is powerful. And small tools, well designed, can have a big impact.
Final Thought: You Can Build This
The idea of “building with AI” might sound technical — but it’s really about being intentional, creative, and user-focused.
You don’t need to be a software developer. You just need to be clear on the problem, confident enough to test things, and willing to start small.
Start with one task. Build a simple tool. Learn as you go.
The future of AI in the third sector isn’t about hype. It’s about putting powerful tools into the hands of people who are solving real-world problems.
That means people like you.
We’re supporting charities and social enterprises to build practical, responsible AI solutions — one small experiment at a time. Sign up to our priority list today.