Podcast
Community IT Innovators Nonprofit Technology Topics
Hosted by Community IT Innovators · EN
Community IT offers free webinars monthly to promote learning within our nonprofit technology community. Our podcast is appropriate for a varied level of technology expertise. Community IT is vendor-agnostic and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Something on your mind you don’t see covered here? Contact us to suggest a topic! http://www.communityit.com
43episodes
Episodes
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Securing Google Workspace for Nonprofits with Steve Longenecker pt 2
1w ago00:25:22Tap to summarizeIn 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 — Google — https://support.google.com/nonprofits/answer/9251886Google Workspace Security Checklist for Small Organizations — Google — https://knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/security/security-checklist-for-small-businesses-1-100-usersGoogle Workspace Security Checklists (all sizes) — Google — https://knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/security/security-checklistsCybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook — Community IT Innovators — https://communityit.com/cybersecurity-readiness-for-nonprofits-playbook/Nonprofit Data Retention with Ian Gottesman — Community IT Innovators Podcast — https://communityit.com/podcast-nonprofit-data-retention-with-ian-gottesman/Cybersecurity Resource Hub — NTEN — https://www.nten.org/learn/resource-hubs/cybersecurityNonprofit IT Management Community — Reddit — https://www.reddit.com/r/nonprofitITmanagementWebinar: AI Maturity Model for Nonprofits - Community IT Innovators - https://communityit.com/webinar-ai-maturity-model-for-nonprofits/ _______________________________Start a conversation :)Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.comon LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT websiteThanks for listening.
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Nonprofit AI: Public AI Fund Idea, Data Center Nonprofit Bribes
2w ago00:30:06Tap to summarizeCarolyn 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 — 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 – Senator Bernie Sanders – 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 – FauquierNow – 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 – Nan Ransohoff – https://nanransohoff.substack.com/p/the-third-wave-of-american-philanthropyFair AI-Fueled Data Center Development for Communities – Federation of American Scientists / Day One Project – https://fas.org/publication/community-benefit-agreements-data-center-development/Why Community Benefit Agreements Are Necessary for Data Centers – Brookings Institution – https://www.brookings.edu/articles/why-community-benefit-agreements-are-necessary-for-data-centers/Lancaster Data Center Agreement's Benefit to Community Questioned – Lancaster Online – 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? – Successful Nonprofits – https://successfulnonprofits.com/nonprofit_windfall/Nonprofit Windfalls: Managing Transformative Gifts – PNC Insights – 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 – Chronicle of Philanthropy (paywall) – https://www.philanthropy.com/solutions/have-a-plan-ready-for-when-big-gifts-surprise-you/New every Tuesday. _______________________________Start a conversation :)Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.comon LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT websiteThanks for listening.
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Securing Google Workspace for Nonprofits with Steve Longenecker pt 1
2w ago00:35:43Tap to summarizeIn 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 donations@.The 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 MentionedGoogle Admin Console – Google – 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 – Reddit – https://www.reddit.com/r/nonprofitITmanagementMigrating Within Google to Use Shared Drives – Community IT Innovators – https://communityit.com/migrating-within-google-to-use-shared-drives/Email Protection and Deliverability (DMARC/DKIM) – Community IT Innovators – https://communityit.com/podcast-email-protection-and-deliverability-with-johan-hammerstrom/Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook – Community IT Innovators – https://communityit.com/cybersecurity-readiness-for-nonprofits-playbook/ _______________________________Start a conversation :)Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.comon LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT websiteThanks for listening.
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Nonprofit AI: Claude Corps Announcement, Regulations News
3w ago00:20:16Tap to summarizeCarolyn 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 – Anthropic – https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-corpsClaude Corps fellow application – Anthropic – https://www.anthropic.com/claude-corps/fellowClaude Corps host organization application – Anthropic – https://www.anthropic.com/claude-corps/hostGerman court ruling on Google AI Overviews – The Decoder – 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) – California State Senate – https://sd05.senate.ca.gov/news/ca-senate-approves-no-robo-bosses-act-2026-ensure-human-oversight-ai-workplaceAI Acceptable Use Policy Template – Community IT Innovators – 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. _______________________________Start a conversation :)Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.comon LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT websiteThanks for listening.
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Nonprofit Cybersecurity Insurance Updates with Jenna Howard
3w ago00:24:30Tap to summarizeCarolyn 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 – Community IT InnovatorsCybersecurity Insurance for Nonprofits webinar – Community IT Innovators _______________________________Start a conversation :)Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.comon LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT websiteThanks for listening.
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Nonprofit AI: State and National Regulations
4w ago00:22:54Tap to summarizeThe 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 — 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 — 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 — a more than 20x swing — 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 — National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)U.S. State AI Governance Legislation Tracker — IAPP (nonprofit)Find & Contact Elected Officials — USA.govEnsuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence (Executive Order, Dec. 11, 2025) — The White HouseColorado Governor Signs SB 189, Significantly Amending the State's AI Law — Holland & KnightCalifornia's SB 53: The First Frontier AI Law, Explained — Future of Privacy ForumAI Programs Consume Large Volumes of Scarce Water — UC Riverside News (Prof. Shaolei Ren)Making AI Less "Thirsty" (peer-reviewed) — Communications of the ACMAI's Energy Footprint Investigation — MIT Technology ReviewTemplate: Acceptable Use of AI Tools in the Nonprofit Workplace — 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 _______________________________Start a conversation :)Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.comon LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT websiteThanks for listening.
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Nonprofit AI Governance Tips with Nura Aboki pt 2
4w ago00:27:22Tap to summarizeIn 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 — 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 — Community IT Innovators — https://communityit.com/template-acceptable-use-of-ai-tools-in-the-nonprofit-workplace/Dell Insights Report on Nonprofit AI Adoption — board.dev — https://board.dev/dell-insights-report-2/Community IT AI Resource Library — communityit.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/Community IT Governance Resource Library — communityit.com/governance/TAG AI Framework — Tech and Service Organizations — https://tagtech.org/page/AIAI Literacy and the Future of Work — U.S. Department of Labor — https://dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories/ten-07-25No AI Use Policy? What to Do — Candid — https://candid.org/blogs/no-ai-use-policy-what-to-do/We Did the Math on AI's Energy Footprint — MIT Technology Review — https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/05/20/1116327/ai-energy-usage-climate-footprint-big-tech/Securing Google Workspace for Nonprofits Webinar — Community IT Innovators — https://communityit.com/webinar-securing-google-workspace-for-nonprofits/ _______________________________Start a conversation :)Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.comon LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT websiteThanks for listening.
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Nonprofit AI: Papal Encyclical and Longview Philanthropy RFP
Jun 200:24:53Tap to summarizeCarolyn 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 – The VaticanPope Calls for Robust Regulation of AI – PBS NewsHourCassie Gruenstein on Magnifica Humanitas – LinkedInMarnie Webb on Magnifica Humanitas – LinkedInChantal Forster: 10 Favorite Passages – LinkedInHow Magnifica Humanitas Offers a Template for the AI Moment – MIT Technology ReviewAI Must Remain Under Human Control – Christian Daily InternationalFaith-AI Covenant – Interfaith Alliance for Safer CommunitiesAI Power Concentration RFP – Longview PhilanthropyNew every Tuesday. _______________________________Start a conversation :)Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.comon LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT websiteThanks for listening.
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Nonprofit AI Governance Tips with Nura Aboki pt 1
May 2900:32:46Tap to summarizeIn 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 MentionedAI Acceptable Use Policy Template — Community IT InnovatorsAI Literacy and the Workforce — U.S. Department of LaborDigital Skills Center — TechSoupAI for Nonprofits Certificate — NTENThe Human StackAI Program Area — NetHopeMission-Aligned AI Adoption Model — Community IT InnovatorsNo AI Use Policy? What to Do — Candid _______________________________Start a conversation :)Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.comon LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT websiteThanks for listening.
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Nonprofit AI: Environmental Costs, New Philanthropy Dollars
May 2600:27:05Tap to summarizeCarolyn 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 — in water, electricity, and rate increases that are already hitting low-income households — 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" — https://fortune.com/2026/05/13/data-center-georgia-arizona-water-wars/MIT Technology Review, "We Did the Math on AI's Energy Footprint" — https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/05/20/1116327/ai-energy-usage-climate-footprint-big-tech/Nan Ransohoff, "The Third Wave of American Philanthropy" — https://nanransohoff.substack.com/p/the-third-wave-of-american-philanthropyForbes, "Meet the 45 AI Newcomers to Forbes 2026 Billionaires List" — https://www.forbes.com/sites/phoebeliu/2026/03/10/meet-the-45-ai-newcomers-to-forbes-2026-billionaires-list/Board.dev — https://board.devNew every Tuesday. _______________________________Start a conversation :)Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.comon LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagementon the Community IT websiteThanks for listening.
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