4 AI Apps Your Mission-Driven Organization Should Be Using

Because doing more with less only works if you're using the right tools.

If you're visiting Lion’s Share Strategies, you’re probably running a high-stakes mission on a lean budget. You’re expected to grow impact, increase visibility, and chase new funding opportunities—without burning out your team or sacrificing quality.

The organizations we work with are often already doing the impossible. What they need is capacity. That doesn’t always mean more people. Sometimes, it just means smarter tools.

Here are four AI-powered apps that can help you move faster, communicate more effectively, and focus your energy where it matters most.

1. Perplexity AI

Strategic research at the speed of thought

What it solves: Wasting hours in tabs trying to understand new markets, funding trends, or academic literature? Perplexity gives you clear answers with linked sources in seconds. It’s a trusted shortcut to insight.

Use it for:

• Environmental scans and competitor analysis

• Translating scientific or policy-heavy content for external audiences

• Drafting grant background sections or pitch decks

  
  

How it shows up in real work: A research institute leader uses it to map the competitive landscape before pitching a new commercialization strategy. A nonprofit uses it to identify philanthropic trends when revising their development plan. A university grant writer drafts a funder-ready executive summary in half the usual time.

2. Tactiq

No more “what did we decide again?”

What it solves: You can’t afford to lose time repeating conversations or rehashing decisions. Tactiq auto-transcribes your video calls and highlights key points in real time so your team can stay aligned and focused.

Use it for:

• Tracking discussions during multi-partner grant development

• Creating summaries for funders or board updates

• Capturing follow-ups from meetings without manual notes

  
  

How it shows up in real work: A university office uses Tactiq to streamline proposal meetings across departments. A foundation logs key conversations during site visits and uses transcripts to create better end-of-grant reports. A science team uses it to keep complex commercialization partnerships organized.

3. Descript

Make your work visible without a video team

What it solves: You have stories that could inspire action, but limited capacity to share them. Descript lets you turn Zoom recordings into clean, polished video or audio clips using just your keyboard.

Use it for:

• Creating short impact videos from interviews or events

• Editing thought leadership podcasts or explainers

• Developing content for donor, board, or investor outreach

  
  

How it shows up in real work: A startup-minded lab director records a 90-second video pitch for a philanthropic funder. A nonprofit repackages a donor Q&A webinar into five social clips. A college president uses Descript to create a message introducing a new initiative, recorded in-house but polished for public release.

4. Claude AI

Your writing partner for complex ideas

What it solves: Translating technical research into compelling narratives takes time and brainpower. Claude helps you turn dense material into clear, persuasive language that resonates with funders, partners, and the public.

Use it for:

• Drafting case statements and vision decks

• Translating academic or scientific language into pitch-ready copy

• Iterating faster on grant proposals, project narratives, and impact briefs

  
  

How it shows up in real work: A health researcher uses Claude to turn a federal grant into a donor-friendly pitch. A startup team working out of a university innovation hub builds early outreach language for corporate partners. A VP of Advancement co-develops a one-pager that connects scientific breakthroughs to tangible outcomes investors care about.

Final Thought

These tools are not magic wands. But in the hands of a mission-driven leader with a strategy, they’re powerful amplifiers. They free up your team’s time, sharpen your message, and speed up the move from idea to action.

Start with one. Build it into your workflow. Then add another. Watch what happens.

If your team is maxed out and ready for a smarter path forward, Lion’s Share Strategies is here to help. We work with ambitious organizations ready to adapt, grow, and lead through uncertainty.

Let’s build the capacity you need to take your next big step.🦁 Your future deserves the lion’s share. Contact us if you'd like to talk more about embedding AI in your workflows.