Afleveringen
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In the first part of this two-part conversation, Carolyn Woodard and Mimi Yeh, Engagement Director at PTKO, and George Danilovics, Vice President of Information Technology at AHIP, walk through an AI maturity model designed to help nonprofits move from pilots and experiments to AI that is genuinely embedded in how the organization works: quiet, boring, and everywhere.
The conversation opens with a striking data point: 80% of nonprofits are already using AI in some form, yet 90% of nonprofit professionals still feel unprepared to fully leverage it.
Mimi and George use a five-stage maturity model that moves from ad hoc, experimental, systematic, strategic, and pioneering - to help organizations find where they are now and what intentional progress looks like. The heart of the discussion is the systematic stage, where AI stops being someone else's project and starts becoming part of the organizational DNA. As George puts it, the destination is a world where AI is as unremarkable as email.
This episode covers:
The five stages of AI maturity and how to identify where your nonprofit currently stands.Why the experimental stage is necessary but not the destination, and what it takes to move past it.What the systematic stage looks like in practice: defined goals, shared prompt libraries, documented best practices, and governance that evolves alongside your AI use.How strategic AI adoption shifts the question from what tool should we use to how should we organize ourselves to get the most value.Why reaching the pioneering stage is not the goal for most nonprofits, and why that is perfectly fine.Resources Mentioned
PTKOAHIPMission-Aligned AI Adoption Model β Community IT InnovatorsFull Webinar: AI Maturity Model for Nonprofits β Community IT InnovatorsNonprofit IT Management Community β Reddit_______________________________
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Carolyn Woodard covers a cultural moment that's been building quietly, resistance to AI among workers, young people, and nonprofits, and connects it to a research framework for thinking honestly about AI's real environmental costs and benefits. Both threads come back to the same core question: who benefits from AI, and on what terms?
This episode also introduces a three-lens approach to help nonprofits think through the environmental impact of their own AI use, and suggests why "I'm just against AI" may be a values signal worth listening to rather than a training problem to fix.
This episode covers:
The Summer of Ludd, an 8-day festival in New York City, and what the original Luddite movement was actually about: skilled workers organizing against technology being used to enrich owners at workers' expense.Why some nonprofit staff, especially younger workers, are pushing back on AI, and why it's worth asking what's behind that resistance before trying to fix it.Researcher Jennifer Turliuk's net climate impact framework, and her core observation: AI harms are measurable now, but most benefits are still speculative. Including as full a picture of the cons and pros will help organizations make thoughtful AI use decisions.Three lenses for evaluating your own AI use: what you're asking AI to do, where you are, and how you will benefit from using the AI.DC Public Library's free in-person "AI & Us" series focusing on "invisible" communities and AI.Resources Mentioned:
Summer of Ludd β Quartz β https://qz.com/anti-tech-movement-ai-offline-rebellionLuddite as political insult β NPR β https://www.npr.org/2026/06/19/nx-s1-5853589/luddite-meaning-history-aiBlood in the Machine β Brian Merchant β https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/brian-merchant/blood-in-the-machine/9780316487740/ or at your library or local bookstore!Blood in the Machine Substack β Brian Merchant β https://www.bloodinthemachine.comAI & Us series β DC Public Library β https://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/16823630Responding to the Climate Impact of Generative AI β MIT Sustainability β https://sustainability.mit.edu/article/responding-climate-impact-generative-aiHarnessing the Power of AI to Accelerate Climate Solutions β MIT Sloan β https://mitsloan.mit.edu/centers-initiatives/sustainability-initiative/harnessing-power-ai-to-accelerate-climate-solutionsSustainable AI cohort β Jennifer Turliuk / Maven β 10% off discount with code NONPROFIT. Here is a direct link: https://maven.com/jennifer-turliuk/sustainableai?promoCode=NONPROFITAI Acceptable Use Policy Template β Community IT Innovators β https://communityit.com/template-acceptable-use-of-ai-tools-in-the-nonprofit-workplace/Webinar: AI Maturity Model for Nonprofits β Community IT Innovators β https://communityit.com/webinar-ai-maturity-model-for-nonprofits/New every Tuesday.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Carolyn Woodard explores voice AI in the social services sector with Chip Kennedy, founder and CEO of CivicReach, a technology company building AI-powered communication tools for nonprofits and government agencies delivering human services. Chip brings a rare dual perspective: years as a technologist and startup founder alongside his role and experience running a nonprofit serving families experiencing homelessness.
When people we serve need information, how can we get it to them? When our nonprofits free up employee time by using technology - in this case Voice AI to answer simple questions in incoming calls - what else can those staff members do with that time? Can emerging technology help staff up government agencies and nonprofits who are chronically understaffed and under resourced, without losing the trust of the communities they care about?The conversation digs into how voice AI is helping under-resourced social services organizations close the gap between people asking for help and the staff trying to reach them. Chip is candid that voice AI is not the right fit for every organization, and he shares how to evaluate whether it is right for yours.
He also makes a compelling case that AI-driven phone intake is not a job displacement risk in human services β a sector so chronically understaffed that organizations are more likely to redeploy freed-up staff capacity than lose positions.
Carolyn and Chip discuss:
Why human services is one sector where job displacement fears around AI largely don't apply β and what freed-up staff capacity actually looks like in practice.How to evaluate whether voice AI is a good fit for your organization before committing to a vendor. What are the questions to ask about their business model, their data policy, and their understanding of your nonprofit mission.The value of running a structured technology pilot, why more nonprofits should be asking vendors for one, and how to ask.How to build internal champions and skeptics into your pilot team so you get honest feedback at the end.Three questions every nonprofit should ask any AI vendor: where does your data go, how will our organization have to change, and how do you plan to stay sustainable?Resources Mentioned:
CivicReach β https://civicreach.ai_______________________________
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Carolyn Woodard covers the UN's first-ever independent scientific assessment of AI β and what its findings mean for nonprofits navigating questions of data rights, economic disruption, and who actually benefits from AI's rapid rise. This episode connects the global governance conversation to practical tools and timely opportunities your organization can act on right now.
From the Indigenous Data Sovereignty movement to a free geospatial tool built by a nonprofit, to two fellowship programs with deadlines this week, there's a lot here for organizations at every stage of AI engagement.
This episode covers:
Released July 1, the UN's Preliminary Report of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI β co-chaired by AI scientist Yoshua Bengio and Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa β warns that AI is advancing faster than governments can keep up, and that the window for effective global governance is open but closing. The US controls 75% of the world's top AI computing power; China holds another 15%.The Indigenous Data Sovereignty movement holds that data about a community belongs to that community, not to whoever collected it. This principle, developed largely by Indigenous communities, is one of the most fully realized frameworks for data rights globally and directly informs broader movements like the Better Deal for Data (discussed with Jim Fruchterman last Friday). The Indigenous Data Alliance has an open application for its year-long paid Indigenous Data Champions Fellowship, open to Indigenous individuals working with Tribal Nations, Alaska Native communities, Native Hawaiians, or Indigenous Island Territories. Deadline: August 1.Beacon, from nonprofit DataKind, is a free geospatial platform that you can use to overlay public data on health, housing, food access, demographics - with your own program data, to generate maps and insights. DataKind does not sell your data, doesn't share it without consent, and writes its privacy policy to GDPR standard. As with any platform, consult your privacy officer before uploading sensitive constituent data.GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is the EU's gold standard for data privacy, and it applies to your organization if anyone in the EU interacts with you, regardless of where you're based. Core principles: collect only what you need, be transparent, get consent, tell everyone in your database if you have a breach, and honor deletion requests. Note: California's CCPA/CPRA is modeled on similar principles, though most nonprofits are exempt from that law. Even if neither applies to you, these are excellent data hygiene standards for any organization that wants to maintain community trust.UBI (Universal Basic Income) gives individuals direct cash payments with no strings attached. UBC (Universal Basic Capital) gives people an ownership stake in AI companies, so they share in the wealth AI generates. Senator Bernie Sanders recently introduced the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act, which would give the public a 50% ownership stake in major AI firms. Anthropic's June 2026 Economic Policy Framework also proposed sovereign wealth funds and equity-sharing as potential redistribution mechanisms β acknowledging that the companies building these tools see real policy problems ahead.Two fellowship deadlines this week: the OpenAI People-First AI Fund offers grants to US community nonprofits in legal aid, community arts, and local journalism β no AI experience or OpenAI tools required, deadline July 15. Claude Corps from Anthropic places early-career fellows at nonprofits for one year at $85K; both fellow and host org applications for the October 2026 cohort close July 17. Note: host orgs must currently be Claude for Nonprofits customers to apply.Resources Mentioned:
Executive Summary β Independent International Scientific Panel on AI β United Nations β https://www.un.org/independent-international-scientific-panel-ai/en/preliminary-reportIndigenous Data Champions Fellowship β Indigenous Data Alliance β https://indigenousdata.org/indigenous-data-championsBeacon β DataKind β https://explorebeacon.orgGDPR for Nonprofits β Whole Whale β https://wholewhale.com/tips/gdpr-for-nonprofits/GDPR Compliance Checklist for Charities β Usercentrics β https://usercentrics.com/knowledge-hub/gdpr-for-charities/California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) β California Attorney General β https://www.oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpaBernie Sanders on the AI Sovereign Wealth Fund β WIRED β https://youtu.be/qJo12OP0xlU?si=QrXlo4bP5MiCdbrtAmerican AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act β Senator Bernie Sanders β https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sanders-introduces-legislation-to-create-7-trillion-ai-sovereign-wealth-fund/Economic Policy Framework β Anthropic β https://www.anthropic.com/policy-on-the-ai-exponential/epfThe Atlantic: Universal Basic Capital revival β https://www.theatlantic.com/economy/2026/07/universal-basic-capital-ai/687759/ (paywalled; free account access available)Forbes: Could Americans Build Wealth Through AI? https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2026/06/06/could-americans-build-wealth-through-ai-why-trump-may-be-considering-equity-sharing-scheme/People-First AI Fund β OpenAI Foundation β https://openaifoundation.org/news/2026-people-first-ai-fundClaude Corps β Anthropic β https://www.anthropic.com/claude-corpsBetter Deal for Data β Tech Matters β https://bd4d.orgAI Acceptable Use Policy Template β Community IT Innovators β https://communityit.com/template-acceptable-use-of-ai-tools-in-the-nonprofit-workplace/_______________________________
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Carolyn Woodard explores responsible data governance and AI realism with Jim Fruchterman, MacArthur Fellow and founder of Tech Matters, a tech-for-good nonprofit building open source software for the social sector. Jim's work sits at the intersection of two urgent questions every nonprofit is wrestling with right now: what do you owe the people whose data you collect, and how do you make smart decisions about AI without getting swept up in the hype?
Jim introduces the Better Deal for Data, a new data governance movement built around seven plain-language commitments nonprofits can make to the communities they serve. The core idea: you don't own the data of the people you serve, tech vendors may be extracting it right now without your knowledge, and a basic data safeguarding policy should be as standard as a child safeguarding policy. He also explains why you can't build a responsible AI governance policy without first getting clear on your data governance.
Then the conversation shifts to AI strategy, where Jim draws on decades of experience as an early AI entrepreneur to offer a genuinely grounded take. Gen AI fails in nonprofit program delivery about 80% of the time, and that's still a much better track record than blockchain or the metaverse.
Jim and Carolyn discuss:
The seven Better Deal for Data commitments and why the average nonprofit can likely adopt them in two hoursHow tech vendors quietly extract and monetize constituent data through survey tools, donor management platforms, and moreWhy data governance and AI governance are inseparable, and why feeding confidential client data into a free AI tool violates bothThe case for nonprofits pooling anonymized data to build better AI models for social impact, with real-world examples from MomConnect and Community SolutionsWhy Jim recommends most nonprofits wait for proven AI products rather than build, and what RAG-based tools are actually delivering results right nowWhy being two or three years behind the for-profit AI curve might actually put nonprofits five to ten years ahead of where they were last yearResources Mentioned:
Better Deal for Data β Tech Matters β https://bd4d.orgNonprofit AI Treasure Map β Tech Matters β https://techmatters.org/should-i-be-using-ai-for-this/Technology for Good β Jim Fruchterman β https://fruchterman.org/book/ or at your library or local bookstore! (Free ebook version coming September 2026)Tech Matters Podcast β Jim Fruchterman β https://open.spotify.com/show/17Gptwy6BnxhpBJiPuSNGeMomConnect β South African National Department of Health β https://www.health.gov.za/momconnect/Community Solutions / Built for Zero β https://community.solutionsTech Matters β https://techmatters.org_______________________________
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If last week's episode left you wondering what you can actually do about data center development in your community, this week's episode is the flip side. Carolyn Woodard shares a new national workforce initiative just launched last week, then digs into the tools and resources available for nonprofits and community members who want to shape how AI infrastructure gets built - before it arrives, not after.
She also closes with a look at what's happening in Europe and Africa, tying it back to an earlier episode on how where you are in the world determines the environmental footprint of your AI use, and why that makes local action matter globally.
This episode covers:
RAISE US, a new national nonprofit launched June 25 with bipartisan leadership from former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and former Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, has secured more than $500 million toward a $1 billion goal. Anchor partners include Amazon, Anthropic, Microsoft, and the OpenAI Foundation. If you work in workforce development in Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, or Utah, pay attention now, pilots are beginning.The Virginia legislature just wrapped its biannual budget, and the data center tax break fight made it in. Legislators kept the existing break but imposed a new tax on large data center companies to offset it with more to come next session. A local example of the policy battle playing out in real time, and ways that citizen involvement makes a difference in statewide policy.The Erin Brockovich Data Center Reporting Project lets citizens report data center problems - energy, noise, water - but also has a "Communities Making a Difference" map that documents real wins. Community organizing is working.41 mayors from six continents β representing more than 90 million people β signed the Global Urban Data Centres Pact at London Climate Action Week on June 23. About half the signatories are U.S. cities including Seattle, Chicago, Miami, Phoenix, and Palo Alto. They're setting common standards on clean energy, water use, and site selection, creating a benchmark for requirements for other cities and communities to use.Sierra Club's 2026 Data Center Policy Guidance and Good Jobs First's moratorium bill tracker (300+ bills across 30+ states) give you concrete tools to find what's happening in your state and how to plug in.Europe's record-breaking heat wave is straining data center cooling systems and sparking a movement toward European-owned AI infrastructure. The African Development Bank and UNDP have launched a $10 billion initiative so Africa becomes a producer of AI, not a consumer of tools built elsewhere. As Carolyn puts it: the Industrial Revolution took 30β40 years for communities to push back. We don't have to wait that long this time.Resources Mentioned:
RAISE US β https://www.raiseus.aiErin Brockovich Data Center Reporting Project β https://brockovichdatacenter.comErin Brokovich Data Center Reporting Project - Victory Map https://brockovichdatacenter.com/community-and-legislation.html#mapCommunities Making a Difference β Brockovich Data Center Project β https://brockovichdatacenter.com/community-impact.htmlGlobal Urban Data Centres Pact β C40 Cities β https://www.c40.org/news/mayors-from-around-the-world-unite-in-call-for-sustainable-urban-data-centres/Sierra Club 2026 Data Center Policy Guidance β Sierra Club β https://www.sierraclub.org/issues/climate/data-centersData Center Moratorium Bill Tracker β Good Jobs First β https://goodjobsfirst.org/data-center-moratorium-bills-are-spreading-in-2026/Africa AI 10 Billion Initiative β African Development Bank β https://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/press-releases/african-development-bank-undp-and-partners-launch-ai-10-billion-initiative-during-2026-nairobi-ai-forum-91104Why Community Benefit Agreements Are Necessary for Data Centers β Brookings Institution β https://www.brookings.edu/articles/why-community-benefit-agreements-are-necessary-for-data-centers/_______________________________
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In Part 2 of the Securing Google Workspace for Nonprofits webinar podcast, Carolyn Woodard and Steve Longenecker, Director of IT Consulting at Community IT, move from foundational configurations into the question every nonprofit eventually asks: do we need to pay for a higher tier of Google Workspace to get real security?
The short answer is: probably not right away. Steve walks through the third-party tools that should come before a tier upgrade for most nonprofits: formal security awareness training, third-party backups, advanced email protection, and cloud monitoring.
He explains when a paid Google Workspace tier does make sense, particularly for organizations handling financial or healthcare data, legal holds, or complex app integrations.
The conversation closes with a lively Q&A session drawn from attendee questions and poll results, covering oversharing in Google Drive, data loss prevention, password strength visibility in the admin console, and how to give staff secure, convenient ways to do their jobs without creating unsecured workarounds.
Haven't listened to Part 1 yet? Find it in your podcast feed.
This episode covers:
Why third-party tools for security awareness training, backups, and advanced email protection are the right next layer for most nonprofits, before considering a paid Google Workspace tier.When upgrading to a paid tier does make sense: handling sensitive financial or healthcare data, e-discovery and legal holds via Google Vault, or managing frequent third-party app integrations.Nonprofits still receive significant discounts on paid Google Workspace tiers - you just won't get them for free.You can find out which staff members have and haven't set up two-step verification before you enforce it so no one gets locked out unexpectedly.Making security convenient matters as much as making it mandatory: if IT makes it too hard for people to do their jobs, staff will find workarounds.Resources Mentioned:
Google for Nonprofits Security Checklist β Google β https://support.google.com/nonprofits/answer/9251886Google Workspace Security Checklist for Small Organizations β Google β https://knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/security/security-checklist-for-small-businesses-1-100-usersGoogle Workspace Security Checklists (all sizes) β Google β https://knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/security/security-checklistsCybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook β Community IT Innovators β https://communityit.com/cybersecurity-readiness-for-nonprofits-playbook/Nonprofit Data Retention with Ian Gottesman β Community IT Innovators Podcast β https://communityit.com/podcast-nonprofit-data-retention-with-ian-gottesman/Cybersecurity Resource Hub β NTEN β https://www.nten.org/learn/resource-hubs/cybersecurityNonprofit IT Management Community β Reddit β https://www.reddit.com/r/nonprofitITmanagementWebinar: AI Maturity Model for Nonprofits - Community IT Innovators - https://communityit.com/webinar-ai-maturity-model-for-nonprofits/_______________________________
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Start a conversation :)Thanks for listening.
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Carolyn Woodard covers two developing stories this week that together raise a bigger question for nonprofits: as AI infrastructure money floods into communities and philanthropic channels, is your organization ready to navigate it?
First, Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act, which would require large AI companies to transfer half their stock to a federally managed public fund, with annual payments going directly to every American. The idea draws on a broader argument gaining traction across the political spectrum: that AI was built on humanity's collective output, and the public deserves a share of what it produces.
The second story hits closer to home β literally. What would you do with a one time gift that was more than your annual operating budget? Would you worry about the strings attached? In Fauquier County, Virginia, a data center developer called Gigaland has announced $10 million in grants for 10 local nonprofits, contingent on receiving a building permit. Some nonprofits have said yes, some have said no, and most are waiting to see what happens. This tactic may be coming to a community near you soon. What can citizen groups do locally when up against data center money?
This episode also zooms out to look at how Meta, Google, and Amazon run ongoing community grant programs in their data center host communities, and how citizen coalitions in places like Lancaster, Pennsylvania have negotiated binding community benefit agreements instead of accepting gift-bribes.This episode covers:
The Sanders bill and the question of who benefits from AI-built-on-public-data.How data center developers are using advance grant offers to nonprofits as a goodwill strategy before permits are approved.The difference between voluntary corporate giving and binding community benefit agreements, and what nonprofits and citizen coalitions can do to push for the latter.Four questions every nonprofit board should think through before a windfall lands: donor displacement, reputational risk, sustainability, and your ability to advocate freely.Why having clear organizational values and a gift acceptance policy in place before the money arrives is the most important preparation you can make.Resources Mentioned:
American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act β Senator Bernie Sanders β https://www.sanders.senate.gov/op-eds/the-public-should-own-half-of-the-big-a-i-companies/Exclusive: Gigaland Data Center Developers Offering Millions to Fauquier Nonprofits β FauquierNow β https://www.fauquiernow.com/news/business/exclusive-gigaland-data-center-developers-offering-millions-of-dollars-to-fauquier-nonprofits/article_193216f9-e23a-4aca-ae8f-679846bd2ef1.htmlThe Third Wave of American Philanthropy β Nan Ransohoff β https://nanransohoff.substack.com/p/the-third-wave-of-american-philanthropyFair AI-Fueled Data Center Development for Communities β Federation of American Scientists / Day One Project β https://fas.org/publication/community-benefit-agreements-data-center-development/Why Community Benefit Agreements Are Necessary for Data Centers β Brookings Institution β https://www.brookings.edu/articles/why-community-benefit-agreements-are-necessary-for-data-centers/Lancaster Data Center Agreement's Benefit to Community Questioned β Lancaster Online β https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/lancaster-data-center-agreement-s-benefit-to-community-questioned/article_b2654db6-c6e3-4719-8a0e-1f839c1e325e.htmlIs Your Nonprofit Ready for a Windfall? β Successful Nonprofits β https://successfulnonprofits.com/nonprofit_windfall/Nonprofit Windfalls: Managing Transformative Gifts β PNC Insights β https://www.pnc.com/insights/corporate-institutional/manage-nonprofit-enterprises/you-received-a-windfall-now-what.htmlHave a Plan Ready for When Big Gifts Surprise You β Chronicle of Philanthropy (paywall) β https://www.philanthropy.com/solutions/have-a-plan-ready-for-when-big-gifts-surprise-you/New every Tuesday.
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In the first part of this two-part conversation taken from a webinar, Carolyn Woodard and Steve Longenecker, Director of IT Consulting at Community IT Innovators, walk through the security settings, risks, and first steps nonprofits need to know to get the most out of Google Workspace's free nonprofit tier.
Google provides a genuinely secure platform, but security is a partnership. Steve explains that the risks nonprofits face in Google Workspace rarely come from Google's infrastructure and almost always come from the configuration decisions made on the customer side.
Whether your organization has been on Google for years or just signed up, there are settings in the admin console right now that deserve your attention.Steve and Carolyn cover:
Why Google Workspace is a strong platform for nonprofits and what the free nonprofit tier includes, including where it stops and paid tiers or third-party tools pick up.2SV (two-step verification) is Google's term for MFA Multi-Factor-Authentication, and enforcing it for every user account is the single most important step you can take.How phishing, email spoofing, and business email compromise play out specifically in nonprofit environments, and what DNS settings like DMARC and DKIM do to reduce your exposure and protect your organization.Why shared and generic accounts create MFA blind spots, and how Google Groups can be a cleaner alternative for shared inboxes like info@ or [email protected] risks of unmanaged personal Google accounts, inactive user accounts, and overly permissive admin privileges, and how to find and address them in the admin console.Why migrating from My Drive file sharing to Google Shared Drives is a security and governance upgrade, and why it's worth planning carefully before you start.Resources Mentioned
Google Admin Console β Google β https://admin.google.comGoogle for Nonprofits Security Checklist: https://support.google.com/nonprofits/answer/9251886Google Workspace Security Checklist for Small Organizations: https://knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/security/security-checklist-for-small-businesses-1-100-usersNonprofit IT Management Reddit Community β Reddit β https://www.reddit.com/r/nonprofitITmanagementMigrating Within Google to Use Shared Drives β Community IT Innovators β https://communityit.com/migrating-within-google-to-use-shared-drives/Email Protection and Deliverability (DMARC/DKIM) β Community IT Innovators β https://communityit.com/podcast-email-protection-and-deliverability-with-johan-hammerstrom/Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook β Community IT Innovators β https://communityit.com/cybersecurity-readiness-for-nonprofits-playbook/_______________________________
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Start a conversation :)Thanks for listening.
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Carolyn Woodard covers Anthropic's announcement of Claude Corps, a $150 million national fellowship program placing trained AI fellows inside nonprofit organizations, and gives a quick regulatory update on AI liability and state-level regulation.
Claude Corps will train 1,000 early-career fellows on Claude and embed them full-time, in-person at host nonprofits for 12 months. Fellows are employed by CodePath, paid $85,000 plus benefits, and supported by Anthropic and Social Finance, which will handle measurement and evaluation. The first cohort of 100 fellows begins in October 2026, with applications closing July 17th.
Host organization applications are also open, and at least 400 nonprofits will participate over the coming years. Carolyn reflects on what this kind of embedded AI capacity could mean for chronically under-resourced nonprofits, while also noting the program's strategic timing ahead of Anthropic's anticipated IPO.
On the regulatory front, a German regional court issued a preliminary injunction finding Google liable for false claims in its AI Overview search results, treating AI-generated summaries as the company's own speech rather than protected third-party content. Meanwhile, California's No Robo Bosses Act is advancing through the legislature again after being vetoed earlier, with legislation that would require human oversight when AI is used in workplace discipline and termination decisions. And a federal rule requiring energy and water efficiency assessments for data centers expires in September with no replacement in sight.
This episode covers:
What Claude Corps is, who can apply as a fellow or host, and what genuine AI capacity-building at a nonprofit could look like in practice.Why Anthropic's investment in the nonprofit sector is both a real opportunity and a strategic brand play, and why that tension doesn't cancel either side out.The German court ruling that could make AI companies liable for hallucinated search results, and what it means for the "just verify everything" standard nonprofits already practice.California's renewed push to regulate AI in the workplace, and the expiring federal rule on data center efficiency.Resources Mentioned:
Claude Corps announcement β Anthropic β https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-corpsClaude Corps fellow application β Anthropic β https://www.anthropic.com/claude-corps/fellowClaude Corps host organization application β Anthropic β https://www.anthropic.com/claude-corps/hostGerman court ruling on Google AI Overviews β The Decoder β https://the-decoder.com/landmark-german-ruling-declares-googles-ai-overviews-are-googles-own-words-and-makes-it-liable-for-false-answers/No Robo Bosses Act of 2026 (SB 947) β California State Senate β https://sd05.senate.ca.gov/news/ca-senate-approves-no-robo-bosses-act-2026-ensure-human-oversight-ai-workplaceAI Acceptable Use Policy Template β Community IT Innovators β https://communityit.com/template-acceptable-use-of-ai-tools-in-the-nonprofit-workplace/This resource didn't get in the episode but should have! Will talk about it next week: https://fas.org/publication/community-benefit-agreements-data-center-development/New every Tuesday.
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Carolyn Woodard explores how cybersecurity insurance has evolved for nonprofits with Jenna Kirkpatrick Howard, Senior Vice President at Lockton Companies, who advises nonprofit clients on risk, insurance, and mitigation strategies to protect their boards, missions, and people.
When Carolyn and Jenna first presented a webinar together on cyber liability insurance, it was a new product that many nonprofits had never considered. Today it is nearly always required, and the risks it covers have transformed. The conversation traces that evolution, from the forgotten laptop and rogue employee scenarios of the early days to the ransomware attacks, sophisticated social engineering fraud, and emerging privacy laws driving claims now.
Jenna also shares what insurers are doing about AI, from underwriter questions about guardrails to new endorsements affirming coverage, and why early AI-related litigation should put every nonprofit on notice about keeping a human in the loop.
Jenna and Carolyn discuss:
How cyber claims have shifted toward ransomware and social engineering fraud, where attackers monitor an organization's email and intercept major transactions like grants, investments, or building purchases.What affirmative AI coverage means, and why underwriters are starting to ask how your organization uses AI and what policies protect PII and confidential data.Why copyright and media liability claims are rising for nonprofits, including AI-altered images and unlicensed music at events and on podcasts.How dependence on third-party platforms like payroll systems, cloud providers, and learning platforms creates aggregation risk, and why insurers now ask about your major vendors.Why increased partisan attention on nonprofits can turn employee statements, scholarship criteria, or governance issues into insurance claims.Where to start if you are new to an organization or unsure of your coverage: lean on your existing advisors, build a risk tracker, and align your board on top risks.Resources Mentioned:
Jenna Kirkpatrick Howard LinkedinLockton CompaniesCyber Risk Discussion Guide - LocktonAI Acceptable Use Policy Template β Community IT InnovatorsCybersecurity Insurance for Nonprofits webinar β Community IT Innovators_______________________________
Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at [email protected] LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT website
Start a conversation :)Thanks for listening.
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The rules for how nonprofits can use AI are being written right now, and there's a real issue over who gets to write them. In this midweek check-in, Carolyn Woodard walks through the federal-versus-state fight over AI regulation, why none of this requires you to be a lawyer to follow along, and how to stay informed about state AI rules-making where nonprofits should be at the table.
She also notes new environmental research showing the water use per prompt really depends on where the data center is sited and the state of the grid in that location - another reason that local advocacy is a real way to have agency in this moment. She closes by advocating for a values-grounded AI policy that is still your best foundation no matter which way the rules shift.
This episode covers:
In December 2025 an executive order "Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence" set out to replace a 50-state "patchwork" with one federal approach. The nuance that matters for your compliance: an executive order doesn't automatically erase existing state laws, and the March 2026 framework urging Congress to act is non-binding β so the rules already on the books in your state still apply for now.How Colorado and California are splitting: Colorado scaled back its comprehensive AI law (hiring, housing, lending, healthcare) and pushed the effective date to January 1, 2027, while California's frontier-safety law applies only to large developers β and Governor Newsom vetoed the worker-focused "No Robo Bosses Act" after industry pushback.New UC Riverside research (Prof. Shaolei Ren) showing the water cost of an identical AI query depends enormously on where the data center sits β a more than 20x swing β reframing the "is my individual prompt harmful?" question toward the bigger siting-and-grid picture as Fortune 500 companies integrate AI into everything they do.Who actually shaped these laws: well-resourced industry groups on one side and consumer-advocacy and civil-rights nonprofits on the other. There is a clear role for nonprofit leadership in the AI regulation debate.Resources Mentioned:
Artificial Intelligence Legislation Database β National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)U.S. State AI Governance Legislation Tracker β IAPP (nonprofit)Find & Contact Elected Officials β USA.govEnsuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence (Executive Order, Dec. 11, 2025) β The White HouseColorado Governor Signs SB 189, Significantly Amending the State's AI Law β Holland & KnightCalifornia's SB 53: The First Frontier AI Law, Explained β Future of Privacy ForumAI Programs Consume Large Volumes of Scarce Water β UC Riverside News (Prof. Shaolei Ren)Making AI Less "Thirsty" (peer-reviewed) β Communications of the ACMAI's Energy Footprint Investigation β MIT Technology ReviewTemplate: Acceptable Use of AI Tools in the Nonprofit Workplace β Community IT InnovatorsNot mentioned in the podcast but apropos. The Fight Over AI is Really a Fight Over Who Governs - op ed from McGovern Foundation in Time_______________________________
Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at [email protected] LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT website
Start a conversation :)Thanks for listening.
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In Part 2 of the Nonprofit AI Governance Tips webinar, Carolyn Woodard and Nuradeen Aboki, Senior Consultant who has been helping nonprofits explore and adopt AI tools, cover the practical steps your organization can take to move from AI experimentation to intentional governance.
The conversation picks up with a closer look at what belongs in a nonprofit AI policy, who needs to be at the decision-making table, and how to make governance stick in day-to-day operations rather than just on paper. Nura shares a case study of a content-heavy nonprofit that built AI guardrails around their editorial process and came out ahead, and the two close with a question-and-answer session covering metrics, ethics, and the environmental impact of AI.
Haven't listened to Part 1 yet? Find it in your podcast feed.
This episode covers:
A good AI policy addresses acceptable use, data handling, compliance requirements, vendor vetting, human review, and staff training expectations β and it needs to evolve as the tools and your organization do.Cross-functional governance works best when leadership, board oversight, IT, legal, HR, and end users all have a seat at the table. Research drawing on a national survey of 180 nonprofits found that organizations where staff and board co-developed AI principles launched 12 times more pilots and scaled AI more effectively.One nonprofit built AI governance around their editorial workflow: updated style guides, required human review of every AI-assisted draft, and targeted prompting training. The result was faster writing without sacrificing voice or accuracy.When things go wrong, the first step is a calm assessment: figure out who is using what, what went wrong, and whether the root cause was a training gap, policy vacuum, or misconfigured setting.Making governance real means publishing your policy internally, raising AI use in staff meetings regularly, and creating spaces where people at every comfort level can ask questions and share concerns without judgment.Resources Mentioned:
AI Acceptable Use Policy Template β Community IT Innovators β https://communityit.com/template-acceptable-use-of-ai-tools-in-the-nonprofit-workplace/Dell Insights Report on Nonprofit AI Adoption β board.dev β https://board.dev/dell-insights-report-2/Community IT AI Resource Library β communityit.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/Community IT Governance Resource Library β communityit.com/governance/TAG AI Framework β Tech and Service Organizations β https://tagtech.org/page/AIAI Literacy and the Future of Work β U.S. Department of Labor β https://dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/ten-07-25No AI Use Policy? What to Do β Candid β https://candid.org/blogs/no-ai-use-policy-what-to-do/We Did the Math on AI's Energy Footprint β MIT Technology Review β https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/05/20/1116327/ai-energy-usage-climate-footprint-big-tech/Securing Google Workspace for Nonprofits Webinar β Community IT Innovators β https://communityit.com/webinar-securing-google-workspace-for-nonprofits/_______________________________
Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at [email protected] LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT website
Start a conversation :)Thanks for listening.
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Carolyn Woodard covers a landmark moment in the global conversation about AI governance: the release of Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, and what it means for nonprofits and philanthropy navigating an AI landscape increasingly shaped by concentrated power.
The encyclical, released May 25, 2026 and addressed to people of every faith and none, draws a deliberate parallel to the 1891 Rerum Novarum, which addressed the rights of workers during the Industrial Revolution. It argues that technology built and governed by a small elite cannot serve the common good, and calls for AI to be "disarmed" from the logic of competition and monopoly. Nonprofit tech thought leaders responded quickly, with voices like Cassie Gruenstein of AI x Impact, TechSoup CEO Marnie Webb, and former TAG Executive Director Chantal Forster each bringing distinct lenses: worker dignity and organizational culture, the economics of AI pricing and shared sector solutions, and the case for philanthropy to invest not just in AI adoption but in the civic institutions that shape it.
This episode also covers a cross-faith coalition context and closes with an action item: Longview Philanthropy has an open RFP funding work on AI power concentration, with a July 2 deadline.
Why the encyclical's arguments on power concentration, worker dignity, and environmental impact speak directly to nonprofit values, regardless of religious affiliation.What three nonprofit tech thought leaders are drawing from the document for their own practice and recommendations.The cross-faith convergence building around shared demands for accountability, transparency, and human dignity in AI development.A concrete funding opportunity for organizations working on AI governance and power concentration.Resources Mentioned:
Magnifica Humanitas, full text β The VaticanPope Calls for Robust Regulation of AI β PBS NewsHourCassie Gruenstein on Magnifica Humanitas β LinkedInMarnie Webb on Magnifica Humanitas β LinkedInChantal Forster: 10 Favorite Passages β LinkedInHow Magnifica Humanitas Offers a Template for the AI Moment β MIT Technology ReviewAI Must Remain Under Human Control β Christian Daily InternationalFaith-AI Covenant β Interfaith Alliance for Safer CommunitiesAI Power Concentration RFP β Longview PhilanthropyNew every Tuesday.
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Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at [email protected] LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT website
Start a conversation :)Thanks for listening.
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In the first part of this two-part conversation, Carolyn Woodard and Nura Aboki, Senior Consultant at Community IT Innovators, dig into what it actually looks like to implement AI at a nonprofit - not in theory, but on the ground. With 80% of nonprofits using AI without any governance policies in place, unmanaged adoption is already happening. This episode helps nonprofit leaders understand where to start.
Nura draws on real client experiences to walk through two case studies: a nonprofit that had to pause its AI rollout to answer a fundamental "why are we doing this?" and an environmental organization that wrestled with whether using AI conflicted with its mission. Both examples illustrate why values alignment and change management have to come before any tool selection.
Carolyn and Nura cover:
Why starting with a clear "why" before selecting any tool is the single most important step in AI adoption.What AI literacy means for nonprofit staff and where to find free and low-cost training options.A step-by-step framework for intentional AI implementation: communication, piloting, due diligence, and layered training.The risks nonprofits need to plan for, including shadow AI, vendor churn, data privacy, and the legal reality that humans are accountable for AI errors.Why appointing an internal AI champion matters even at - especially at - small organizations.Resources Mentioned
AI Acceptable Use Policy Template β Community IT InnovatorsAI Literacy and the Workforce β U.S. Department of LaborDigital Skills Center β TechSoupAI for Nonprofits Certificate β NTENThe Human StackAI Program Area β NetHopeMission-Aligned AI Adoption Model β Community IT InnovatorsNo AI Use Policy? What to Do β Candid_______________________________
Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at [email protected] LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT website
Start a conversation :)Thanks for listening.
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Carolyn Woodard covers the real-world costs of AI infrastructure, a coming wave of AI-generated philanthropic wealth, and how to think about AI fundraising tools this week.
The headlines about AI tend to focus on what it can do. This episode looks at what it costs β in water, electricity, and rate increases that are already hitting low-income households β and at the enormous wealth being created on the other side of that ledger.
Carolyn also responds to a listener question about AI tools in fundraising, drawing a comparison to the early days of social media for nonprofits and why the same change management instincts should apply.
This episode covers:
Data centers in Georgia and Arizona have drawn water without authorization, and projections suggest Texas data centers alone could draw down Lake Mead by 16 feet annually by 2030. MIT researchers found that AI-specific energy use could equal 22% of all US household electricity consumption by 2028, and that utility deals with major tech companies are already shifting infrastructure costs to ratepayers.Nan Ransohoff's widely discussed Substack piece argues that AI wealth creation could generate $37 to $100 billion annually in new philanthropic capital. Forbes counts 45 new AI billionaires in 2026 with combined wealth of $2.9 trillion. Tech-fluent nonprofits are likely to be better positioned to build relationships with this new wave of funders.AI fundraising tools are at a moment similar to early social media: some organizations will jump in, some will wait, and neither is automatically right. The change management skills your organization has built through past fundraising shifts can apply here. Just because the tools are new, don't think you don't have the leadership to manage the change.Board.dev connects nonprofits with tech-savvy board candidates and offers 28 AI governance questions your board can use right now.Resources Mentioned:
Fortune, "America's Data Centers Are Thirsty. Rural Towns Are Paying the Price" β https://fortune.com/2026/05/13/data-center-georgia-arizona-water-wars/MIT Technology Review, "We Did the Math on AI's Energy Footprint" β https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/05/20/1116327/ai-energy-usage-climate-footprint-big-tech/Nan Ransohoff, "The Third Wave of American Philanthropy" β https://nanransohoff.substack.com/p/the-third-wave-of-american-philanthropyForbes, "Meet the 45 AI Newcomers to Forbes 2026 Billionaires List" β https://www.forbes.com/sites/phoebeliu/2026/03/10/meet-the-45-ai-newcomers-to-forbes-2026-billionaires-list/Board.dev β https://board.devNew every Tuesday.
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Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at [email protected] LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT website
Start a conversation :)Thanks for listening.
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Carolyn Woodard explores the gap between AI ambition and organizational readiness with Mimi Yeh, Engagement Director at PTKO, a strategy and change management consulting firm that works exclusively with nonprofits and mission-driven organizations. Mimi focuses on the people side of technology adoption β and when it comes to AI, she sees a consistent pattern: leadership is excited, staff are uncertain, and the gap between those two realities is where AI initiatives stall.
The conversation reframes AI adoption not as a tools problem but as an alignment and change management challenge. Mimi and Carolyn discuss how nonprofits can build the internal structure β governance, policy, shared understanding β that makes AI adoption sustainable rather than chaotic, and what funders can do to support that work more effectively.
Mimi and Carolyn discuss:
Why the biggest obstacle to AI adoption in nonprofits is not the technology itself, but the gap between leadership ambition and staff readiness β and how governance can close it.How to use your organization's existing skepticism about AI (around climate impact, job displacement, or data risk) as a productive starting point for building policy rather than a reason to stall.Why acceptable use guidelines for AI should not look very different from governance frameworks nonprofits already use for other tools and technologies.How funders can shift from pressuring nonprofits to adopt AI quickly to supporting the capacity building and literacy that makes adoption meaningful and lasting.What it actually takes to build an AI tool for internal nonprofit use β and why the human input, voice, and values behind that tool matter as much as the data fed into it.Resources Mentioned:
PTKO β ptko.io/who-we-are/AI Acceptable Use Policy Template β Community IT Innovators β communityit.com/template-acceptable-use-of-ai-tools-in-the-nonprofit-workplace/AI Resource Library β Community IT Innovators β communityit.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/_______________________________
Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at [email protected] LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT website
Start a conversation :)Thanks for listening.
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Carolyn Woodard covers two recent AI product updates and a thought-provoking question about what it means to use AI tools more personally: a new Claude for Small Business plugin that connects AI to the tools your nonprofit already uses, a ChatGPT model update that changes the default experience for anyone on your staff using the free tier, and an article from nonprofit AI trainer Tim Lockie that may challenge how you think about sharing context with AI.
Anthropic launched Claude for Small Business as a plugin inside Claude Cowork, their agentic work environment. The plugin connects Claude directly to tools like QuickBooks, PayPal, HubSpot, Canva, DocuSign, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365 through pre-built workflows for tasks like payroll, month-end close, and invoicing. Every action requires human approval before it executes. Nonprofits with a paid Claude plan already have access but need to make the connections in Cowork. The Claude for Nonprofits discount brings the Teams plan to $8 per user per month for qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations. A free AI Fluency for Small Business course is also included.
OpenAI updated ChatGPT's default model to GPT-5.5 Instant in early May, rolling it out to all users including the free tier. The big change: the model now draws on past conversations, uploaded files, and connected accounts like Gmail to personalize responses. If your staff are using the free version of ChatGPT, their default experience just changed, and that matters for what your organization's data governance policy says about which tools and tiers are appropriate.
Carolyn closes with Tim Lockie's recent piece "Humans Are The Loop," about building a private Claude project he uses as a personal thinking partner. He fed it his neuropsych evaluation, DISC profile, and StrengthsFinder results, and uses it to surface the patterns he is most likely to miss under pressure. This approach is in genuine tension with the data caution that guides most of our AI governance guidance, and Carolyn is still sitting with it. Worth a few minutes of your own reflection.
Resources Mentioned:
Claude for Small Business announcement β Anthropic β https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-for-small-businessClaude for Nonprofits pricing β Anthropic β https://support.claude.com/en/articles/12893767-getting-started-with-claude-for-nonprofitsGPT-5.5 Instant announcement β OpenAI β https://openai.com/index/gpt-5-5-instant/Humans Are The Loop β Tim Lockie / The Human Stack β https://thehumanstack.com/timlockie/humans_are_the_loopAI for Anyone course β The Human Stack β https://thehumanstack.com/academy/aiforanyoneElon Musk Loses Landmark Lawsuit Against Open AI β WIRED https://www.wired.com/story/musk-v-altman-jury-verdict/New every Tuesday.
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Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at [email protected] LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT website
Start a conversation :)Thanks for listening.
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Carolyn Woodard explores the technology behind nonprofit fundraising events with Justin Goodhew, CEO and co-founder of Trellis. Galas and in-person events have come roaring back since COVID, and they have changed β guests expect and enjoy more experiential, mission-centered evenings.
But the pressure on staff has not let up. As AI begins to reshape data entry and reconciliation, the nonprofits that thrive will be the ones who have already built the right technology foundations under their events.
Justin brings years of experience helping nonprofits run galas that integrate cleanly into their existing systems β and he has seen firsthand what separates a smooth, energizing event from one that leaves staff burnt out. The conversation covers how to think about technology adoption the right way, how to make smarter asks on the big night, and how to use post-event data to deepen donor relationships before the window closes.
Justin and Carolyn discuss:
Why events have become more experiential since COVID, and how nonprofits can use that shift to bring donors closer to their mission.The three Ps of event technology adoption: procedure, people, and product β and why most organizations get the order wrong.How seamless integration between your event platform and your CRM or ERP protects staff from burnout and keeps donor data actionable.How the right data quickly allows you to identify your highest-value attendees and make the right asks at the right moment. And how data helps you plan the right type and right-sized event for your highest value donors. Why moving reconciliation and data planning to the front end of your event planning cycle - the three months in advance of your date - changes everything about the days that immediately follow your gala.Resources Mentioned:
Trellis β https://www.trellis.org_______________________________
Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at [email protected] LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT website
Start a conversation :)Thanks for listening.
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Carolyn Woodard covers three topics this week: what the Canvas ransomware hack reveals about vendor risk for nonprofits, why roughly 80% of nonprofits still have no AI use policy and what you can do about it today, and why the new book AI for Nonprofits belongs on your leadership team's reading list even as AI tools continue to evolve rapidly.
The Canvas story is at its core a governance story. When 30 million users depend on a single platform, a breach affects everyone who trusts that vendor. Nonprofits can't out-analyze the cybersecurity of major vendors, but you can make sure you have cybersecurity insurance that covers third-party breaches, a communications plan ready before a crisis hits, and solid data backups separated from your main systems.
The bigger takeaway for AI governance: most nonprofits are already using AI tools without any organizational guardrails in place. You don't need a full formal policy to get started. A one-page declaration of principles, a commitment to paid enterprise tools over free versions, and a habit of documenting what's working can give your organization a meaningful foundation.
And finally, AI for Nonprofits by Cheryl Contee and Darian Rodriguez Heyman is worth your leadership team's time, especially for its strategic framework and breadth of expert voices weighing in on AI uses across fundraising, communications, and program evaluation.
Resources Mentioned:
Instructure pays ransom to Canvas hackers β Inside Higher Ed β https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/administrative-tech/2026/05/11/instructure-pays-ransom-canvas-hackersWhat If My Organization Has No AI Use Policy β Candid β https://candid.org/blogs/no-ai-use-policy-what-to-do/How to Create a Nonprofit Incident Response Plan β Community IT Innovators β https://communityit.com/how-to-create-a-nonprofit-incident-response-plan/How to Use AI Tools Safely at Nonprofits β Community IT Innovators β https://communityit.com/webinar-how-to-use-ai-tools-safely-at-nonprofits/AI Acceptable Use Policy Template β Community IT Innovators β https://communityit.com/template-acceptable-use-of-ai-tools-in-the-nonprofit-workplace/AI for Nonprofits: Putting Artificial Intelligence to Work for Your Cause β Cheryl Contee and Darian Rodriguez Heyman β https://www.amazon.com/AI-Nonprofits-Putting-Artificial-Intelligence/dp/1394298412 or at your library or local bookstore!New every Tuesday.
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Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at [email protected] LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT website
Start a conversation :)Thanks for listening.
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