Small Iowa nonprofit saves up to 24 hours a month using Microsoft Copilot

Love INC of the Cedar Valley, a small faith-based nonprofit in Iowa, says an AI assistant now saves its staff up to 24 hours a month. That is about three full workdays. The tool is Microsoft 365 Copilot, and the group got it through TechSoup, a nonprofit technology program. The time estimate comes from its executive director, Glen Keith.

Who they are

Love INC partners with 45 local churches. It coordinates food assistance and emergency financial help, and it offers life-skills classes taught by church volunteers. The team is three full-time employees and one part-time employee. Keith runs daily operations and also handles marketing, communications, reports and technology choices. He wanted more capacity without hiring more people.

Where the hours came from

Two jobs account for the clearest numbers. For board financial reports, Keith exports reports from QuickBooks Online, uploads them to Copilot and uses prepared prompts. A task that took more than half a day now takes around an hour. He says this saves up to six hours a month.

Grant applications changed too. The group uploads past successful applications, impact reports and background information about the organization. Copilot then writes a first draft. Work that took a full working day can now often be done in two hours.

• Staff write their own drafts, then ask Copilot to improve clarity and keep their tone.
• Copilot also helps check that writing fits the group's faith-based principles.
• It has been used in meetings with church leaders and congregants.

What stays with people

The article describes Copilot as a drafting helper, not a replacement. Staff still review, refine and strengthen the final grant submission. They often start with their own writing and use the tool to polish it. The saved time goes to meeting pastors, supporting churches, engaging donors and building community partnerships.

How they got started

Love INC used Microsoft Copilot Business, obtained through TechSoup. It also received implementation coaching from Tech Impact, which helped staff use the tool across financial reporting, grant writing and communications. Eligible TechSoup members can find Microsoft 365 Copilot in the TechSoup catalog, and 501(c)(3) organizations can get nonprofit pricing.

What to keep in mind

The savings figures are Keith's own estimates, and they are stated as up to 24 hours, not a guaranteed amount. The case study is also funded in part by Microsoft. The article does not give prices or say how many hours setup and training took. Other organizations may see different results, especially without coaching or good source material to upload.