AI Turned a 4-Month Proposal Process Into 2 Hours of Work

Susan used AI to draft an entire non-profit proposal in record time—without chasing down details from her team.

Introduction

For Susan Pilat, creating proposals for her small non-profit organization was always a lengthy, collaborative effort that required weeks—sometimes months—of back-and-forth to gather information and finalize content. As someone who manages multiple responsibilities, Susan needed a way to streamline the process without compromising quality. When she turned to AI, she discovered that what once took four months could now be accomplished in just two hours. With AI handling the heavy lifting of proposal writing, Susan could complete the entire proposal on her own, simply adding images and final edits to finish the job.

Challenges

Preparing a comprehensive proposal for a non-profit isn’t just about writing—it’s about collecting details from multiple people, synthesizing information, and crafting a compelling narrative. Susan’s specific challenges included:

• Extended timelines: Gathering the necessary information from different team members and stakeholders often took months.
• Dependence on others: Susan found herself waiting on others to provide content, slowing down the entire process.
• Time-consuming revisions: Once the initial draft was complete, the editing and formatting process took additional time and coordination.

Susan needed a way to create high-quality proposals on her own, without the long wait times and dependency on multiple contributors.

The AI Solution

Using AI, Susan was able to bypass many of the typical roadblocks in the proposal creation process. She used AI to:

• Generate complete proposal drafts: AI created the main content, capturing all the key points and details needed for a compelling proposal.
• Automate content gathering: Rather than reaching out to multiple team members for information, AI generated the background, mission statements, and program descriptions.
• Streamline editing and formatting: With a solid draft in hand, Susan only needed to add images and make minor edits, finishing the proposal quickly and efficiently.

In just two hours, Susan had a polished, ready-to-send proposal that would have otherwise taken months to create.

Remarkable Progress

The shift to using AI made a dramatic difference in Susan’s work:

• Time reduction from four months to two hours: What used to take weeks of back-and-forth could now be done in a single afternoon.
• Independence from team input: AI allowed Susan to gather all the content she needed without waiting on others, making her more self-sufficient in the proposal process.
• Higher proposal frequency: With AI handling most of the content, Susan could now complete proposals more frequently, ensuring the non-profit never missed an opportunity.

The ability to create high-quality proposals at a rapid pace not only improved productivity but also allowed Susan to focus more on other essential tasks within the organization.

“The ability to create these in record time means I no longer have to beg others for information. I can do it on my own, and it’s ready in hours, not months.”

Susan Pilat
AI Transformation Expert at Edu-Tech AI Consulting and Executive Director at Paradise Valley United

A Defining Moment

For Susan, the defining moment came when she realized she could handle the entire proposal process without relying on anyone else. The AI-generated content was comprehensive and on-point, requiring only minor adjustments before it was ready. The autonomy this gave her was a game-changer, freeing her from weeks of coordination and allowing her to complete proposals faster than ever.

Ongoing Impact

Susan now uses AI to create proposals quarterly, with each iteration becoming smoother and faster. Knowing she can complete proposals independently, without delays, has boosted her confidence and efficiency. The non-profit benefits as well, as they can now submit proposals more frequently, increasing their chances of securing crucial funding.

Looking forward, Susan is excited to continue leveraging AI for other time-consuming tasks, from report writing to donor communications, all while freeing up time to focus on expanding the non-profit’s reach and impact.

Susan’s Perspective

Reflecting on her experience, Susan shared, “The ability to create these in record time means I no longer have to beg others for information. I can do it on my own, and it’s ready in hours, not months. I cannot express how grateful I am to have significant stress relief knowing this project will never take this long again.  AI has transformed how I approach proposal writing, and it’s a relief to know I can handle this process independently.”

Conclusion

Susan Pilat’s story shows how AI can turn a months-long proposal process into just a few hours of work, empowering non-profit leaders to work more independently and efficiently. By automating content creation, AI allowed Susan to focus on the final touches and produce high-quality proposals without relying on lengthy team coordination. This case study illustrates the transformative power of AI for non-profit organizations looking to increase productivity and achieve more with limited resources.

Call to Action

Want to create proposals faster and with less reliance on team input? Visit Simpleacademy.ai to see how AI can streamline your work and empower you to produce quality proposals in record time.