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Wise Giving Wednesday: Bennett Weiner on Charity Trust, AI, and Online Giving
Photo courtesy of The NonProfit Times.
A recent NonProfit Times conversation with Bennett Weiner offers timely insight into how charities can strengthen donor trust as AI, online giving, and donor expectations evolve.
Bennett Weiner’s NonProfit Times Executive Session: Key Takeaways
Last month, BBB Wise Giving Alliance President & CEO Bennett Weiner joined Paul Clolery for a NonProfit Times Executive Session on AI donor trust, and charity accountability.
Their conversation explored how nonprofits can strengthen donor trust through transparency, responsible governance, accurate communications, and thoughtful adoption of emerging technologies. Public trust remains one of the nonprofit sector’s most valuable assets. As technology, online giving, and donor expectations continue to evolve, organizations have new opportunities and responsibilities.
Six key themes from the discussion included:
The Donor Trust Gap Persists
Our December 2025 donor survey found that 68% of Americans say trust is essential when deciding to donate, yet only 18% report a high level of trust in charities, highlighting the persistent “trust gap.” As nonprofits face financial pressures and increased scrutiny, demonstrating trustworthy practices can help organizations stand apart.
Giving Platforms Influence Donor Confidence
The recently released BBB Give.org Special Donor Trust Report, Online Giving Platforms and Donor Expectations found that 62% of giving platform users, and 47% of respondents overall, say a charity’s presence on a well-known donation platform would increase their trust in the charity.
The findings suggest many donors assume or expect some level of oversight, underscoring the importance of transparency about how giving platforms operate.
Charity Impersonation Scams Are Evolving
Advances in technology are making scams more convincing, including fraudulent emails, websites, texts, and even AI-generated voices or images that imitate legitimate organizations.
Bennett encouraged both charities and donors to remain vigilant by directing supporters to official websites and reminding donors to verify unfamiliar fundraising requests before giving. Learn more in our earlier post, How to Spot Charity Impersonation Scams.
AI Presents Both Opportunities and Risks for Nonprofits
AI can help nonprofits improve efficiency through specialized tools that support fundraising, finance, human resources, and other operational functions.
At the same time, organizations must recognize the risks associated with inaccurate information, misinformation, and increasingly sophisticated fraud, making careful oversight and responsible implementation essential.
Accurate and Transparent Charity Information Matters More Than Ever
As AI systems increasingly rely on information published online, charities should regularly review and update their websites to ensure content remains current and accurate.
Bennett also emphasized the importance of making key information readily available, including board leadership, financial statements, IRS Form 990, organizational accomplishments, and other transparency materials that help donors make informed giving decisions.
Privacy Policies Help Build Donor Confidence
Donors are increasingly aware of how their personal information is collected and shared online. Every nonprofit should maintain an accessible privacy policy that clearly explains what information is collected, how it is used, and what choices donors have regarding their data, even when third-party platforms process donations on the organization’s behalf.
Find additional information in our Donor Trust Special Report on donor perspectives on privacy and security.
Our research also found that, as charities increasingly rely on digital tools, many potential donors remain cautious about sharing personal information. For example, when asked to consider donating to a charity they haven’t previously supported, 69% of respondents expressed concern that their data could be hacked or stolen.
Watch Bennett Weiner’s Full NonProfit Times Executive Session
Building and maintaining public trust requires ongoing attention to transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship.
We invite you to watch the full The NonProfit Times Executive Session, “AI Might Damage Your Ability to Raise Money,” featuring Bennett Weiner.
Recent Reports
We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:
Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.
