Where Do Nonprofit Leaders Go for Advice? (No, It’s Not AI)

For the last year, we ran a sidebar poll across all of Blue Avocado’s article pages to ask the community a direct question:

Where do you turn first for nonprofit advice?

Feedback came organically from hundreds of regular site readers. So, the percentage breakdown below offers a clear snapshot of how sector leaders prioritize their learning and problem-solving channels.

If you thought AI would be #1, so did I. But here’s what the results actually show.

#1 Webinars / Online Courses

Webinars and online courses surfaced as the top choice, claiming 34% of the responses. Nonprofit leaders clearly value structured, expert-led training sessions when they need to build skills or strengthen practices.

(In a completely unbiased interpretation of these results, we’d suggest taking a look at Blue Avocado’s free live and recorded webinars for nonprofit leaders.)

#2 Other Nonprofits / Peers

Peer connection followed closely, with 26% of respondents indicating they reach out to other nonprofits and colleagues first. Nothing replaces the perspective of someone who works in the exact same trenches. Direct conversations with fellow leaders provide context and lived experience that standard resources cannot duplicate.

#3 Google

Google accounted for 18% of responses, making it the third most common source of advice. Despite major changes in how information is found online, Google search remains a familiar starting point for many nonprofit professionals.

#4 AI Tools

Artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT accounted for only 15% of responses. Given the attention AI has received over the past year, some readers (and Blue Avocado staff) expected it to rank higher. Instead, nonprofit leaders reported turning first to webinars, online courses, peers, and even traditional search engines before AI. The results suggest that AI has become part of the nonprofit advice toolkit, but it has not displaced other sources of guidance.

#5 YouTube

Rounding out the results, 7% of voters selected YouTube as their primary stop. Visual tutorials and recorded presentations offer a practical, step-by-step way to learn new software or explore strategy concepts.

Comparative Chart

Balancing Quick Answers with Trusted Wisdom

These insights show that while AI continues to gain traction, structured education and human relationships remain the foundation for nonprofit guidance.

Thank you to everyone who shared their input in our sidebar poll. Keep exchanging knowledge with your peers, and let us know what topics you want to explore next in the comments below.

 

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