How Will GenAI Change Bid-Writing?

This week I attended a webinar on how AI will change bid-writing in the charity sector. I’ve written a little on using AI in the charity sector already and it’s great to see this topic getting more interest and traction!

The webinar delved into the transformative potential of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI – sometimes I’ll also refer to it as simply AI in this blog, although technically it’s not all the same thing) in the context of bid writing and the broader social impact sector. As well as highlighting some useful tools, speakers discussed the importance of sourcing information and verifying data to maintain credibility, while also highlighting the necessity of adapting to new technologies to stay competitive. AI isn’t going anywhere and in 5-10 years using GenAI in day to day work will be no different to how we use Google now. Charities need to stay ahead of the curve to better support their communities and create meaningful impact with the often limited resources they have. Within this, bid writers specifically will have to become expert prompt engineers to navigate this new terrain.

You can watch the full webinar (45 mins) on demand here.

TL;DR (or in this case, didn’t watch)? Here are the key points I took away from the webinar:

1. Embracing AI: Bid writers were encouraged to view GenAI as a tool to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness rather than fearing it as a threat to their jobs. By learning to leverage AI technologies, bid writers can streamline processes and elevate the quality of their work.
2. Cultural Technology: GenAI models, similar to public libraries, contain both valuable knowledge as well as biases that are reflective of human history. It’s essential for users to be aware of these biases and take conscious steps to mitigate them in their work.
3. Opportunities for Collaboration: The speakers envisioned a future where funders collaborate to streamline the grant application process and maximise social impact. By harnessing AI to automate repetitive tasks, organisations can focus more on strategic planning and community engagement.
4. Continuous Learning: As AI technology evolves rapidly, continuous learning and experimentation are crucial. Bid writers are encouraged to explore AI tools, experiment with different platforms, and stay informed about emerging trends in the field.

Thanks to Alexander Stevenson, the founder of Blume for pulling the webinar together. If you don’t know, Blume is a platform connecting experienced freelancers with charities (you can find me on there!). The panellists were Gemma Rocyn Jones, a Senior Strategy Adviser at the National Lottery Community Fund and Sean Williams, founder and CEO of Autogen AI, which is a very cool GenAI tool for supporting bid writers!