Nonprofits and grantmaking organizations are sometimes not recognized for being on the forefront of know-how. However when you find yourself a lean workers and a instrument comes alongside that may act as an unpaid intern, it’s no shock that the philanthropic trade has jumped on AI adoption, much more than for-profit companies.
Based on a analysis report by Twilio, 58% of nonprofits are utilizing AI as a part of their communication, in contrast with 47% of B2C for-profit companies.
In a webinar with Peter Panapento, co-founder and philanthropic apply chief of Flip Two Communications, he shared finest practices when creating an AI coverage on your grantmaking group.
In case your group is utilizing or exploring AI-enabled instruments as a part of your grantmaking processes, you want an AI coverage that represents your mission, incorporates the wants of your workers, and evolves because the instruments change.
Listed below are a few of the ideas Peter shared for creating an AI coverage that your group will really use.
Perceive the Wants of Your Employees
Whether or not you create a working committee or discover methods to survey your workers, be sure your coverage displays the wants of your workers and isn’t merely a directive from management.
Meet your workers the place they’re. How a lot do they already know? Instruments you’re utilizing might have already launched AI-enhanced performance, so some workers members could also be snug utilizing these options or frequent instruments like ChatGPT. However you’re prone to have a number of workers members who’re uninterested or uncertain concerning the know-how.
As you’re creating your AI coverage on your group, create a working committee from totally different components of the group. Publicize that chance and progress and invite individuals to take part. In case you have a small workers and may’t put collectively a full committee, discover methods to collect data akin to by a survey, to see how persons are utilizing AI instruments now. This may help you determine workers members who may help you evaluation the draft of your coverage as nicely.
Be Clear on What AI Can Do for Your Group—and What It Can’t
Your AI coverage ought to set the inspiration for a typical understanding of what your AI-enabled instruments can do and description how your workers ought to use them. Present frequent definitions so everyone seems to be grounded in what you’re speaking about. Ensure that they perceive how phrases like mental property and third-party data relate to your AI instruments. And you’ll want to spotlight the other ways they will encounter AI instruments and the way they’re totally different, akin to generative AI versus AI-enhanced information evaluation instruments.
Along with offering that baseline understanding of the phrases, be clear on what you see as the advantages of AI—it’s to reinforce the every day work of your workers. It isn’t designed to exchange anybody. Generative AI instruments are nice at recognizing and repeating patterns, so they’re good at serving to you summarize and simplify language. They aren’t good at creativity and empathy—key traits you need in your grantmaking workers.
Your AI coverage also needs to be clear on expectations for using these AI instruments. For instance, nobody ought to use proprietary, delicate, or private information as outlined by your classification coverage within the prompts. When utilizing AI instruments that can assist you draft an award letter, for instance, have it put collectively a template you could return and add the grantee data.
Encourage your workers members that AI shouldn’t be used as an endpoint. The whole lot that comes from an AI instrument must be reviewed for potential bias and ensure it matches your group’s tone. And every part must be reality checked—these instruments are infamous for making up information and information factors that match the sample.
Encourage Common Use of Accepted AI Instruments
Lots of the instruments your workforce makes use of usually have already got some AI performance, like Zoom, Google Docs, and Canva. Empower your workforce with use circumstances and tips to include AI-enhanced instruments into their every day work to allow them to discover the functions that work finest for them.
Present them what a very good use case would seem like for these instruments. Present an inventory of authorised instruments and the way they need to be used. Your AI coverage ought to encourage workers members to experiment and suppose creatively about their roles to see if there are different alternatives that also match throughout the established tips.
Present Ongoing Coaching for All Employees
Conducting an organization-wide coaching is crucial to ensure all workers members perceive and may successfully use the AI coverage.
Start by articulating the aim of the coverage and explaining why AI is a useful instrument on your group. It’s essential to not intimidate workers however reasonably to emphasise how AI can improve their work effectivity and creativity.
Present how you can use these instruments ethically, in a method that helps your group’s mission and values whereas upholding its integrity. Moreover, embrace classes the place workforce members can showcase their use of AI and share insights they’ve gained from their experiences. This strategy will foster a collaborative studying setting and encourage the moral and efficient use of AI instruments.
Don’t Let Your AI Coverage Collect Digital Mud
AI and the instruments that incorporate it would proceed to evolve and its use circumstances will likely be continually altering. So, the most effective practices on your group also needs to shift over time. Set up a course of for updating and adapting your AI coverage in alignment with these adjustments. Assessment your coverage usually—whether or not month-to-month, quarterly, or semi-annually—to make sure that it stays related and efficient. And ensure to speak any adjustments you make to the coverage promptly and transparently to maintain everybody knowledgeable and aligned.
Moreover, present a transparent pathway for workers to advocate new instruments for analysis to foster innovation and steady enchancment.
Making use of Your AI Coverage to Potential Grantees
As soon as your group has an AI coverage for inner use and is snug with a number of use circumstances as a part of your every day work, flip your sights on an AI coverage on your grantees. Doc below what circumstances you count on potential grantees to make use of AI as a part of their software responses. Are there any use circumstances the place you wouldn’t need an applicant to make use of an AI instrument? Herald a trusted grantee that can assist you suppose by this a part of your coverage. And when it’s prepared, you’ll want to make it simple to entry for all candidates.
Need to study extra about creating an AI coverage on your grantmaking group? Try Peter’s full webinar, AI Insurance policies for Grantmakers: Learn how to Handle Danger and Harness AI for Good.
