Nonprofits Are Messy: Lessons in Leadership | Fundraising | Board Development | Communications Ep 237: The AI Field Guide: A Playbook for Nonprofit Success with Darian Rodriguez Heyman and Cheryl Contee
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Sep 27, 2025 Darian Rodriguez Heyman, a nonprofit author and consultant, and Cheryl Contee, a technology entrepreneur, share insights from their new practical guide, AI for Nonprofits. They discuss the pressing need for tactical AI guidance post-ChatGPT and how nonprofits can embrace AI while keeping human-centered approaches in mind. Key topics include ethical AI adoption, using AI as a super-assistant in fundraising, and the importance of mission-first leadership. They also emphasize building trust and capacity for responsible technology use within organizations.
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Start With Strategy And Policies
- Treat AI adoption as a tactical, practical process focused on mission tasks, not just philosophy.
- Write down goals, policies, and guardrails before integrating AI into workflows.
Use AI To Free Staff For Human Work
- Use AI to remove repetitive, time-consuming, and expensive tasks from staff workloads.
- Keep a human in the loop to supervise AI outputs and preserve relationship work.
Intentionality Is The Core Requirement
- Responsible AI adoption requires intentionality and documented guardrails.
- A simple written policy and sandboxed model can prevent data leaks and ethical mishaps.
