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

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