AI Notetakers for Nonprofits: Opportunities, Risks, and How to Choose Wisely

Artificial intelligence is creeping into almost every corner of nonprofit work. From fundraising copy to donor data analysis, charities are experimenting with new tools that promise efficiency gains and cost savings. One of the fastest-growing categories is AI notetakers for nonprofits – apps that automatically join your meetings, transcribe the conversation, and generate summaries or action points.

At first glance, it’s a dream solution: no more frantic typing during Zoom calls, no more forgotten action items after board meetings. But there’s a catch. These apps don’t just “magically” take notes. They record and process sensitive conversations, often outside your organisation’s direct control. That raises serious questions about GDPR compliance, data privacy, and security – issues that nonprofits cannot afford to ignore.

This article explores the opportunities and challenges of AI notetakers, how UK charities can choose the right solution, and which tools are best-in-class versus those you should avoid.

Why AI Notetakers Matter for Nonprofits

The average UK worker spends more than 23 hours per week in meetings according to Doodle’s 2023 State of Meetings report. For nonprofit professionals, those meetings often include trustees, volunteers, funders, and vulnerable beneficiaries. Missing key details or actions is costly – and typing notes distracts from meaningful engagement.

AI notetakers offer:

• Time savings: Instant transcripts and summaries free staff from admin work.
• Accuracy: Better than hurried manual minutes, especially for long meetings.
• Inclusivity: Real-time captions help participants with hearing difficulties.
• Knowledge sharing: Transcripts create a searchable archive for staff turnover or volunteer handovers.
• Action tracking: Many tools automatically extract “to-dos” and assign them.

For resource-strapped charities, that’s a powerful proposition. But opportunities come hand-in-hand with risks.

The Challenges: Privacy, GDPR, and Trust

UK charities operate under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. These require lawful, transparent processing of personal data. A recorded meeting often includes:

• Names and voices (biometric data)
• Donor or beneficiary information
• Financial or health details
• Internal HR discussions

If your notetaker app stores that data in the US, shares it with third-party AI vendors, or trains its models on your conversations without explicit consent, you’re exposed to regulatory fines and reputational damage.

A few key risks:

• Consent: All participants must know and agree that an AI tool is recording.
• Data residency: Many tools store data in the US. Post-Schrems II, you must rely on Standard Contractual Clauses or the UK–US Data Bridge.
• Training on your data: Some vendors (e.g. Notta.ai) openly admit to using customer recordings to train their AI models unless you pay extra to opt out.
• Security certification: Without SOC 2, ISO 27001, or HIPAA, you cannot be sure the vendor secures transcripts properly.
• Legal exposure: Otter.ai is facing lawsuits for allegedly recording participants without consent and using their voices to train AI.

Nonprofits deal with sensitive communities and donor trust. A misstep here is not just a legal risk – it could cost relationships and funding.

How to Find the Right AI Notetaker for Your Organisation

The right AI notetaker for nonprofits balances productivity and compliance. Here’s a step-by-step framework:

Audit your ecosystem

Do you use Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet? Start with native integrations (Copilot, Zoom AI Companion) for smoother compliance.

Check GDPR compliance and data residency

• Does the vendor sign a Data Processing Agreement (DPA)?
• Can they host data in the EU/UK?

Review privacy and training policies

• Is your data used to train their AI?
• Can you opt out?

Confirm security credentials

Look for SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA.

Assess usability and price

• Free tiers can work for small teams.
• Paid plans should fit within your budget (many vendors offer nonprofit discounts).

Pilot and inform

• Always notify meeting participants.
• Document lawful basis (legitimate interest or consent).

The Best AI Notetakers for Nonprofits

Here are the top options we recommend after reviewing features, compliance, and trustworthiness.

1. Microsoft Teams Copilot

• Best for: Charities already on Microsoft 365.
• Why: Enterprise-grade compliance, tenant-level data security, no external AI training.
• Cost: ~£23 per nonprofit user/month (add-on).
• Key point: Expensive, but safest and most seamless for M365 users.

2. Sembly AI

• Best for: Multi-platform teams (Zoom, Meet, Teams, Webex).
• Why: Fully GDPR compliant, SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, PCI DSS. Opt-out of model training available.
• Cost: Free tier (60 mins/month). Paid from $15/user/month.
• Key point: The strongest compliance posture of any standalone notetaker.

3. Zoom AI Companion

• Best for: Nonprofits already on Zoom.
• Why: Included free with paid Zoom plans. Zoom commits not to use meeting content to train AI.
• Cost: No extra cost.
• Key point: Limited to Zoom, but low friction and good safeguards.

4. Fireflies.ai (Runner-up)

• Best for: Integrations with Slack, HubSpot, Salesforce.
• Why: SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, generous free tier.
• Risk: Past minor data leak (Chrome extension). EU hosting only on enterprise plans.

5. Fellow.app (Runner-up)

• Best for: Structured agendas + meeting management.
• Why: SOC 2, GDPR, promises not to train OpenAI on your data.
• Cost: Free tier (5 meetings). Paid from ~$7/user/month.

AI Notetakers to Avoid

Some tools look attractive but pose major compliance or legal risks. Here are the worst AI notetakers for nonprofits:

Otter.ai

• Issue: Facing class-action lawsuits for recording without consent and training AI on user voices.
• Problem: Default “always-on” recording and US-only storage.
• Verdict: Too risky for UK charities.

Notta.ai

• Issue: Uses your recordings to train its AI models by default. Only Enterprise clients can opt out.
• Problem: Pay-to-protect model violates GDPR principles of consent.
• Verdict: Avoid – donor and beneficiary conversations should never be training fodder.

Granola.ai

• Issue: Records silently from your device (no bot in meeting). Participants may never know.
• Problem: Shifts consent burden to the user, creating GDPR minefield.
• Verdict: Innovative, but dangerous for nonprofits.

Fireflies.ai (with caution)

• Issue: Past data leak, US-only hosting for most users.
• Verdict: Acceptable only with enterprise EU hosting and strict policies.

Comparison Table: Best vs Worst AI Notetakers

Mailchimp vs Fireflies: The US Hosting Question

Many charities ask: “If Mailchimp stores supporter data in the US and it’s still widely used, why can’t we use Fireflies or Otter?”

Mailchimp relies on the UK–US Data Bridge and EU–US Data Privacy Framework. Its parent, Intuit, is certified under these frameworks. For most nonprofits, using Mailchimp is legal if you sign a DPA and do a Transfer Impact Assessment.

Fireflies and Otter process far more sensitive categories of data – voices, health info, HR discussions – and often without robust consent mechanisms. Even if legal, the reputational and regulatory risks are much higher.

In short: Mailchimp for email is low-risk. AI notetakers handling live conversations are high-risk unless you pick a GDPR-compliant vendor.

Best Practices for Nonprofits Using AI Notetakers

• Always notify participants – “This meeting is being transcribed by an AI tool.”
• Choose GDPR-aligned vendors – look for SOC 2, ISO, HIPAA, and opt-out of model training.
• Keep sensitive data out – don’t record beneficiary case discussions without ironclad safeguards.
• Document compliance – sign DPAs, do a Transfer Impact Assessment, update your privacy notice.
• Pilot responsibly – start with internal team meetings, not donor calls.

Conclusion

AI notetakers for nonprofits are both an opportunity and a risk. The right tool can save hours of staff time, improve inclusivity, and capture vital institutional knowledge. The wrong one can put donor trust and GDPR compliance in jeopardy.

Best picks: Microsoft Copilot, Sembly AI, Zoom AI Companion.

Avoid: Otter.ai, Notta.ai, Granola.ai.

Use with caution: Fireflies.ai and Fellow.app.

The decision isn’t just about features or price – it’s about protecting your mission and your community’s trust.

External resources:

• UK ICO guidance on international transfers
• European Data Protection Board: Schrems II FAQ

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