In short
Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT are both AI assistants, but they work differently and carry different governance implications for Australian not-for-profits. Copilot lives inside your Microsoft 365 environment; ChatGPT in its paid form is a standalone tool. The right choice depends on your existing infrastructure, your data privacy requirements, and what tasks your team needs help with.
Which AI tool is right for your NFP: Copilot or ChatGPT?
If you work in an Australian not-for-profit, chances are your team is already using AI tools - or asking whether they should. The two names that come up most often are ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot.
They're both AI assistants. They both help with writing, summarising, and thinking through problems. But they work differently, live in different places, and carry different governance considerations - especially for NFPs where data privacy and accountability matter.
Here's a practical guide to help you decide which tool (or combination of tools) is right for your organisation.
What is Microsoft Copilot?
Microsoft Copilot is built into Microsoft 365 - the same platform most Australian NFPs already use for email (Outlook), documents (Word), meetings (Teams), and files (SharePoint).
Copilot works within your existing Microsoft environment. It can:
- Draft and summarise documents in Word
- Summarise email threads and draft replies in Outlook
- Generate meeting notes and action items in Teams
- Search across your SharePoint and emails in plain English
- Create slides in PowerPoint from a brief or document
Crucially: Copilot operates within your Microsoft 365 tenant. It uses your organisation's existing security and compliance controls. It does not train on your data.
For NFPs already on Microsoft 365, Copilot may already be available - sometimes at no additional cost through Microsoft's non-profit licensing program.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is a standalone AI assistant made by OpenAI. You access it through a browser or app, separate from your other tools.
ChatGPT is excellent for:
- Individual research and thinking
- Drafting documents, emails, and reports from scratch
- Rewriting content for different audiences
- Working through problems, ideas, and strategies
- Summarising information you paste in
The key governance consideration: ChatGPT Free and Plus accounts (the ones individuals sign up for personally) can use your inputs to train future AI models by default. This means anything you paste in - including client information, beneficiary details, or confidential reports - could potentially influence future model training.
ChatGPT Teams and Enterprise versions do not train on your data, and are designed for organisational use.
What is the core difference between Copilot and ChatGPT for NFPs?
The most important distinction for not-for-profits is this:
Microsoft Copilot stays inside your existing organisational environment. Your data doesn't leave your Microsoft tenant.
ChatGPT (Free or Plus) is an external tool. Data you input leaves your systems.
For NFPs handling beneficiary data, community member information, or confidential funder communications, this distinction is critical.
Our recommendation for most Australian NFPs: Use Microsoft Copilot for any task involving organisational documents, client/beneficiary information, or internal knowledge. Use ChatGPT Teams (not Free) for individual thinking, drafting, and research - with a clear policy on what data staff can and cannot input.
Which tool should your NFP use for which task?
- Drafting a board report → Copilot (uses your existing SharePoint documents as context)
- Summarising a long funding guideline you found online → ChatGPT (research task, no sensitive data)
- Generating meeting minutes from a Teams call → Copilot (integrated with Teams)
- Thinking through how to structure a grant application → ChatGPT (thinking and ideation)
- Searching for a specific policy across your SharePoint → Copilot (searches your internal knowledge)
- Drafting an external stakeholder email → Either, with human review before sending
The pattern: Copilot for internal, organisational, data-connected tasks. ChatGPT for individual thinking and external research.
Not in the not-for-profit sector? See our parallel guide on ChatGPT vs Copilot for Australian small businesses for the small-business angle on the same comparison cost, data privacy, and Microsoft 365 integration.
What governance does your NFP need for AI tools?
For either tool, NFPs need a clear AI Use Policy covering:
- Which tools are approved for which types of tasks
- What data can and cannot be entered into each tool
- Who reviews AI outputs before they're used or sent
- How AI use is documented for accountability purposes
Free Me Up AI can help you build this policy - or review what you already have.
Need help choosing the right AI tools for your NFP?
Book a free 30-minute clarity session. We'll help you understand which tools fit your team, your data, and your governance requirements - without the sales pitch. Free Me Up AI helps not-for-profit organisations across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, and Darwin choose and govern the right AI tools.
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