Virtuous Welcomes Renowned Nonprofit Thought Leader, Technologist and Author Nathan Chappell as Chief AI Officer

Press Releases

Apr 23, 2025

Chappell’s two decades of nonprofit leadership will help Virtuous deliver industry-leading AI solutions that transform the future of fundraising

PHOENIX, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Virtuous, the leading responsive fundraising platform, today announced that accomplished nonprofit veteran Nathan Chappell has joined the company as Chief AI Officer. Chappell joins the company’s executive team and will lead its initiatives focused on building AI tools for nonprofit fundraising teams and empowering the nonprofit sector with data intelligence best practices.

“We’re on a mission to create $10B in net-new generosity in the world, and I can’t think of a better leader to partner with on this next phase of AI innovation and to help accelerate our journey,” said Virtuous CEO Gabe Cooper. “Nathan is a true AI visionary who also shares my passion for generosity. Virtuous is already well on its way to achieving our mission by helping nonprofits build better donor relationships and grow giving. Given the scale of the opportunity ahead, we’re thrilled to welcome a leader with Nathan’s skills and experience to help us guide the AI conversation in the industry and drive more giving for our incredible customers.”

Chappell’s fundraising experience spans more than two decades where he has led large-scale nonprofit organizations and multi-billion dollar fundraising campaigns; more recently, he was the Head of AI for Donor Search and is the founder of Fundraising.ai, a global think tank with more than 10,000 members responsible for publishing the world’s first Framework for Responsible and Beneficial AI for Fundraising. Chappell is also the co-author of the award-winning book The Generosity Crisis: The Case for Radical Connection to Solve Humanity’s Greatest Challenges and the recently released Nonprofit AI: A Comprehensive Guide to Implementing Artificial Intelligence for Social Good.

“When I first met Gabe nearly a decade ago, I found we were deeply aligned on the power of generosity to transform the world and the impact that technology can have when it comes to helping nonprofits better connect with and inspire their donors,” said Chappell. “Now, with Virtuous widely recognized as the leading and fastest-growing nonprofit fundraising platform in the market, and with AI at the forefront of innovation, I couldn’t imagine a better opportunity to bring those two things together to revolutionize the future of fundraising. I’m beyond excited and honored to join the team.”

As a sought-after public speaker, podcast guest, and editorial contributor, Chappell is regularly featured in journals such as the Chronicle of Philanthropy, AFP Advance, AHP, DMAW, Citibank Global, and Forbes, among others. His podcast, Fundraising AI is one of the top nonprofit technology podcasts globally.

“I truly can’t think of a more perfect partnership than Nathan and Virtuous,” said Andrew Olsen, EVP of Fundraising Solutions for nonprofit consulting firm DickersonBakker. “This is truly going to catalyze the industry’s ability to leverage AI to bring more efficiency and scale not only to its fundraising efforts, but to its overall ability to build a more sustainable business and deliver on its mission. I’m thrilled for them–but I’m also thrilled for us and for the industry as a whole as we now have a clearly defined leader in the race to help nonprofits better leverage AI in their efforts to grow generosity.”

Virtuous and Nathan Chappell AFP ICON | Seattle, April 27-29

In the coming week, Nathan will be joining Virtuous at the AFP ICON conference in Seattle, alongside thousands of nonprofit leaders and fundraising professionals from around the globe. He’ll be signing copies of his new book, attending a VIP happy hour co-hosted by Virtuous and Microsoft, and meeting with fellow attendees at the Virtuous booth (#1113) in the conference exhibit hall.

Virtuous CEO Gabe Cooper will also be presenting two sessions the event:

The Innovation Playbook for Nonprofits: Using Data & Automation to Drive Giving (Sunday, April 27th, at 3:15pm in the Tech Zone)
The 7 Metrics That Matter: Benchmarking Success in Fundraising (Monday, April 28th, at 12:40pm in the Tech Zone)

Virtuous & Microsoft Mix and Mingle Happy Hour

Day/Time: Sunday, April 27, at 6pm PT
Location: Ben Paris – 130 Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98101
Register here (limited to first 50 to register)

About Virtuous
Virtuous is the leading provider of Responsive Fundraising software dedicated to empower nonprofits with innovative tools purpose-built to create more personal connections with donors, save staff time, and grow giving s. Thousands of leading nonprofit professionals use Virtuous Automation, CRM, Giving and Marketing, and Analytics solutions to drive increased generosity. Nonprofits using Virtuous software have seen significant increases in donor retention and average gift size while reducing administrative expenses. Virtuous has made the Inc. 5000 list for three years in a row, has been recognized as a Leader in the G2 Nonprofit CRM grid, and has been named one of Inc. Magazine’s 2023 Best Places to Work. For more information, visit virtuous.org.

Media Contact:
Scott Salkin, CMO
scott.salkin@virtuous.org
602.881.1718