Nonprofits often have a demanding schedule. Activities such as preparing for board meetings, presenting to funders, or conducting community workshops require considerable time and effort. Creating a professional PowerPoint presentation (including speaker notes) can also be time-consuming. Good news: Microsoft Copilot can help you out. It’s like having a virtual assistant who can draft those speaker notes for you, so you can focus on telling your story and making an impact.
Here are two easy ways you can use Copilot to quickly create speaker notes for your next presentation.
1) Use Copilot for PowerPoint to auto-generate notes
If you’re already working on your slides in PowerPoint, you can have Copilot write speaker notes for you—without leaving the app.
To access Copilot for PowerPoint, you need a Microsoft 365 Copilot license which is available with a valid Microsoft 365 subscription. Nonprofits have access to 10 free Business Premium licenses that includes Copilot for M365 (PowerPoint included) through Microsoft's nonprofit program.
Here’s how:
Open your PowerPoint file.
Click on the Copilot icon (usually in the toolbar).
Type something like:
- “Create speaker notes for each slide”
- or
- “Add talking points to go along with my slides.”
In seconds, Copilot will scan your slides and drop relevant speaker notes into the Notes section under each one.
To view your notes, select the View tab in the PowerPoint menu bar, and the Notes icon. Your notes will appear at the bottom of your presentation.
Why this is great for nonprofits:
- It’s fast. Perfect when you’re under a deadline.
- It’s hands-off. Copilot handles the note-writing while you move on to other tasks.
- Keeps things smooth. The notes will flow with your existing slide content.
This is a lifesaver when you just need to get it done quickly!
2) Upload your presentation to Copilot and review notes before adding them
Want a bit more control over what Copilot writes? You can also upload your PowerPoint file into Copilot and ask it to generate notes for you outside of PowerPoint.
Here’s how:
Drop your PowerPoint file into Copilot Chat by using the upload option.
Say something like:
- “Can you create speakers notes for this presentation?”
Copilot will give you speaker notes in a text format.
You can then read through them, make edits if needed, and manually paste them into PowerPoint.
Why this is helpful:
- You get to tweak the notes before they land in your presentation.
- You’ll have more say in the tone and wording—making sure it sounds like your nonprofit.
- Easier for collaboration. Share the notes with your team first, get feedback, then plug them into your slides.
This method is perfect when you want to keep your messaging just right, especially for important audiences like donors or community partners.
So… which should you pick?
If you’re short on time and need something ready-to-go, use Copilot directly inside PowerPoint.
If you’d rather review and polish your notes first, go with the upload method and take your time fine-tuning.
Either way, Copilot helps you cut down the time it takes to prep your next big presentation—and that means more time to focus on your mission.
