The 2025 LinkedIn Nonprofit Talent Report makes one thing clear: hiring smarter isn't optional anymore. Recruitment roles are evolving fast, and nonprofits are struggling to keep pace. In the last year alone, the number of nonprofit job ads mentioning AI has more than doubled. Yet, most organisations are still buried under manual hiring tasks and outdated processes.

The Hiring Gap is Growing

From applicant tracking systems to onboarding, the fastest-growing hard skills in nonprofit talent acquisition are all rooted in hiring efficiency. But the reality is stark: most HR teams are stretched thin, and hiring decisions often rely on gut feel over data. The demand for AI-literate talent is soaring, but few organisations have the resources to acquire it or the infrastructure to support it.

smartAI: Your hiring assistant, not another platform

That’s where smartAI comes in. It’s not a generic AI bolt-on. It’s an intelligent assistant embedded directly into the systems membership organisations already use (e.g. Microsoft Dynamics 365). And it’s been purpose-built to tackle hiring, onboarding and talent retention for nonprofit HR teams.

With smartAI, teams can:

• Instantly generate job descriptions, interview scripts, and onboarding packs
• Screen applicants based on skills (not just experience)
• Auto-shortlist candidates with AI summarisation and logic
• Draft CPD pathways and skills matrices for structured growth
• Create personalised recruitment campaigns in minutes

Real-world example: FIA saved 1,500 days of admin time

The Fire Industry Association (FIA) used smartAI to rethink their recruitment and onboarding process. The results? A 25% productivity increase across their organisation without adding staff. More impressively, FIA saved over 1,500 days in admin time within a single year, equivalent to more than £800,000 in unlocked value.