Tech leader maps an AI path for NFPs

Social enterprise Infoxchange is in the midst of a major effort to educate 10,000 sector staff and volunteers in AI skills.

Since the training was launched early this year, NFP leaders and staff have shown a voracious appetite for the free courses.

Hundreds have already completed the training, which is available via Infoxchange’s Digital Transformation Hub, but momentum continues to grow, with Infoxchange this week announcing more comprehensive and structured training, supported by scholarships.

Infoxchange CEO David Spriggs said the training was part of a wider effort to ensure the community sector was not left behind as AI adoption continued to accelerate.

“AI offers extraordinary opportunities for the not-for-profit sector to amplify impact, streamline processes, and improve outcomes for communities.

“We know from our digital technology report that a portion of the sector is rapidly moving into this new frontier, but without the right technology readiness, organisational buy-in and ethical safeguards, many organisations will struggle to take full advantage of it.

“The challenge now is ensuring every not-for-profit has the tools and confidence to explore AI in a way that’s safe, strategic and sustainable,” said Spriggs.

AI-ready organisations share these attributes

Infoxchange digital transformation manager Sophie Souchon said NFPs successfully navigating the rollout of AI had developed strong technological foundations and created an environment of organisational readiness before deploying AI tools.

She said those technological foundations included:

• an IT strategy and a digital transformation plan
• a suitable IT budget
• cyber security protections
• the use of technology to improve services.

She said organisational readiness required:

• AI policies that were ready to go
• staff training in effective AI use
• buy-in from executives, board members and staff.

Souchon said that each of these elements influenced the effectiveness of any AI “roadmap”, and by using them in combination, NFPs could protect data, act ethically, and align organisational goals with the use of new tools.

According to the most recent Infoxchange data, by mid-2024 76% of all NFPs were using artificial intelligence, up 52 per cent on the previous year.

Yet at the time of research, only a third were investing in AI, nearly a fifth of organisations were still hesitant to use it, and 42 per cent didn’t consider it a priority. A whopping 89 per cent hadn’t adopted policies to manage data or ethical risks.

She said that with organisations at so many different stages of readiness, AI adoption depended on a mix of factors such as resourcing, staffing, technology, leadership, IT budgets and organisational appetite.

“AI adoption is not a simple linear path,” she said.

But she said that not acting on AI was not an option.

“Staff will use generative AI, with or without permission. That’s why organisations need to provide guardrails, not just restrictions.”

NFPs need to develop a sense of what’s possible

In a recent webinar on identifying AI opportunities, Souchon encouraged organisations to employ Infoxchange’s “AI not-for-profit opportunity radar”.

The radar “template” helps organisations consider various AI opportunities, spanning internal and external-facing applications, and tools ranging from everyday to “game-changing”.

Infoxchange nominated external-facingfunctions such as marketing, communications, fundraising, policy, advocacy, grants and partnerships as areas for “everyday” AI use.

“Game-changing” external uses could include service delivery and improvement, crisis management, learning and development.

Similarly, everyday back office functions such as finance and human resources could benefit from AI tools, while game-changing efforts could encompass risk management, legal compliance and board functions, she said.

Mission to create more AI-enabled organisations

Infoxchange’s multi-pronged strategy to improve the AI skillset of not-for-profits in Australia and the Asia Pacific has included:

• establishing the Asia Pacific AI Nonprofit Learning Community, which offers online support forums, an AI “persona” quiz for tailoring learning plans, and free consultation
• expanding the work of its Digital Transformation Hub
• compiling a series of guides for AI use, covering platforms such as Microsoft Co-pilot, Google Gemini and ChatGPT.

More information

NFP staff urged to get in quick to access $1.25m worth of AI scholarships

Infoxchange Asia-Pacific AI nonprofit learning community

Community Directors Intelligence: The AI edition

Community Directors artificial intelligence tools and resources

National Artificial Intelligence Centre’s AI standards, free courses, resources, and directory

ACNC: Guidance for charities considering AI

UK Charity Digital Skills report | ‘AI essentials’ video resources

Gradient Institute’s free AI training, resources and guidance

NFP Finance Week webinar replay: Catherine Brooks on AIs and fundraising