265: Future-Ready Fundraising: Leading with AI and Ethics with Joe Manok

Episode 265 of the What the Fundraising podcast, hosted by Mallory Erickson, titled "265: Future-Ready Fundraising: Leading with AI and Ethics with Joe Manok" was published on October 28, 2025 and runs 45 minutes.

October 28, 2025 ·45m · What the Fundraising

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Summary

The emerging technologies force the social impact world to see an uncomfortable truth: progress requires both courage and conscience. This conversation highlights not only the ethics of using AI responsibly but also the responsibilities that come with choosing not to use it, the opportunity to let technology amplify human connection rather than erode it, and how institutions can prepare for a future where technology moves faster than our comfort. Joining Mallory today is Joe Manok, vice president for advancement at Clark University and founder of GlobalPhilanthropy.ai, a platform that guides nonprofits and academic institutions in leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance global fundraising outcomes. Born and raised in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War, Joe’s path to higher education began with a scholarship funded by a donor he never met, an experience that ignited his lifelong commitment to philanthropy. With a background in computer science and leadership roles at the American University of Beirut and MIT, Joe now leads with a passion for the transformative potential of AI in advancement. In this episode, you will be able to: - Learn how to balance human connection and technology in fundraising for deeper donor engagement. - Discover strategies for building AI readiness while staying ethical and values-driven. - Uncover the importance of differentiating personal values from institutional ethics when adopting new tools. - Gain practical ways AI can empower fundraisers to work more efficiently without losing the human touch. Get all the resources from today’s episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Zeffy. Zeffy is a game-changing fundraising platform built exclusively for nonprofits. Zeffy is a game-changing fundraising platform built exclusively for nonprofits. Unlike other platforms that take a cut of your hard work through credit card and transaction fees, Zeffy is 100% free from transaction and platform fees. That means every dollar you raise goes directly toward fueling your mission. Trusted by more than 50,000 nonprofits, Zeffy empowers organizations of every size to streamline their fundraising with tools to collect donations, sell tickets, and manage donors all in one place. Getting started takes less than 15 minutes, and once you’re set up, you’ll have more resources to put toward what really matters: your cause. Give your fundraising team more confidence — one conversation at a time. Learn more about Practivated. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 Give your fundraising team more confidence — one conversation at a time. Learn more about Practivated. If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.