Community IT Innovators Nonprofit Technology Topics

Community IT Innovators
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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

  1. 7h ago

    AI for Nonprofits Now, with Brenda Foster

    Carolyn Woodard catches up with Brenda Foster, Senior Vice President and Chief of Innovation at Vanguard Communications, a year after Brenda shared her five-question framework for thinking through nonprofit AI adoption.  Most nonprofit staff now use AI, but much of that use happens quietly, one person at a time, with no guardrails. Brenda explains why not having an AI policy is itself a policy, and why the policy Vanguard wrote at the end of 2024 already needed a rewrite. Her team started that rewrite by interviewing staff, without judgment, about how they use AI, what they want from it, and what worries them. Brenda and Carolyn also take on the concerns nonprofits raise most often: confidentiality and AI note-takers, fear of staff replacement, and the future of entry-level roles.  Brenda makes the case that refusing to use AI does nothing to slow data center construction, and that nonprofits can bring their advocacy skills (and AI tools) to push for more responsible data center siting and design.  She closes with practical advice for the year ahead, from workflow-based guardrails to 24/7 chatbots and multilingual support that expand what nonprofits can offer their communities. This episode covers: Why AI policies need a fresh look every six months, and why staff conversations are the place to startMoving from individual AI workarounds to shared team workflows with clear quality-control rulesUsing AI to add capacity rather than cut staff, and rethinking what entry-level jobs could beEnvironmental concerns about data centers, and where nonprofit advocacy can make a real differenceChatbots and translation tools that reach people after hours and across languages, with honest limitsResources Mentioned: Vanguard CommunicationsLost in Translation, Where AI Falls Short on Culture, Vanguard CommunicationsHow to Nonprofit AI with Brenda Foster webinar, Community ITAI How-To for Nonprofits with Brenda Foster podcast, Community ITTemplate, Acceptable Use of AI Tools in the Nonprofit Workplace, Community ITAI for Nonprofits Guide, Community IT _______________________________ 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.

    AI for Nonprofits Now, with Brenda Foster

  2. 3d ago

    Nonprofit AI: Midterms and Data Centers

    AI can feel like a tidal wave washing over all of us, impossible to resist and hard to opt out of. But last week’s U.S. midterm elections told a different story about citizen power and data center regulations, and Carolyn Woodard thinks it’s one of the clearest examples of agency we’ve seen this year. In this short episode, she looks at what voters said and what nonprofits and communities can do next. She also returns to a tool from earlier this year that’s getting a lot more attention: community benefit agreements or CBAs, and how they can give communities a real seat at the table. This episode covers: A bipartisan result: about three-quarters of U.S. voters oppose a new data center in their own community, according to the AP, with majorities in red and blue states alike.The ballot measures: Ballotpedia counts 40 of 41 local measures to limit data center development as approved, often by wide margins: 77% in Edgewater, Florida, and 82% in Alhambra, California.Beyond local races: according to the tracker Data Center Watch, a large majority of newly elected members of Congress support regulating or restricting data center development. The open question is how quickly campaign promises turn into action.“Nonpartisan doesn’t mean neutral”: nonprofits can advocate for their causes, provide nonpartisan voter guides and help people turn out, all within the rules for 501(c)(3)s.Showing up beats opting out: choosing not to use AI is a legitimate, informed decision. But opting out sends companies a very small signal, while showing up at planning meetings, town halls and the ballot box changes what gets built, and where.Who gets the next data center: as wealthier communities push back, developers may turn to rural communities and tribal lands with less capacity to organize. That’s why collective action matters.Community benefit agreements: what CBAs are, why some newly elected officials are interested in requiring them, and how they give communities legal standing to hold data center companies accountable over time.Resources Mentioned: Voters favored limiting data center development in 40 of 41 local ballot measures on Nov. 3 – Ballotpedia News – https://news.ballotpedia.org/2026/11/06/voters-favored-limiting-data-center-development-in-40-of-41-local-ballot-measures-on-nov-3/Opposition to AI data centers in the midterms foreshadows tougher regulations ahead (AP) – PBS NewsHour – https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/opposition-to-ai-data-centers-in-the-midterms-foreshadows-tougher-regulations-aheadSupport for Data Center Regulation Gains Ground in 2026 Midterm Elections – Data Center Watch – https://datacenterwatch.substack.com/p/support-for-data-center-regulationBrockovich AI Data Center Reporting – Erin Brockovich – https://brockovichdatacenter.com/Community Wins & Legislation Map – Brockovich AI Data Center Reporting – https://www.brockovichdatacenter.com/community-and-legislation.html#mapWhy community benefit agreements are necessary for data centers – Brookings Institution – https://www.brookings.edu/articles/why-community-benefit-agreements-are-necessary-for-data-centers/Community Benefits Agreement Template for Data Centers – NAACP (via Columbia Law School) – https://climate.law.columbia.edu/sites/climate.law.columbia.edu/files/content/NAACP%20CBA%20Data%20Center%20Template%202026.pdfBallot Measures and Public Charities: Yes, You Can Influence That Vote – Bolder Advocacy – https://bolderadvocacy.org/resource/ballot-measures-and-public-charities-yes-you-can-influence-that-vote/Nonprofits and Elections resources – Nonprofit VOTE – https://www.nonprofitvote.org/ _______________________________ 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.

    Nonprofit AI: Midterms and Data Centers

  3. Nov 6

    10 Cybersecurity Essentials for Nonprofits with Johan Hammerstrom

    Carolyn Woodard explores the cybersecurity essentials every nonprofit needs with Johan Hammerstrom, CEO of Community IT. Cybersecurity can feel technical and intimidating, especially for operations staff without an IT background. In this companion to our episode on the 10 operations IT essentials, Johan breaks security down into plain operational terms that apply whether your organization has 10 staff or 150. Johan's framework is three groups of three, plus policy.  Secure the devices people use to reach your information,  secure the accounts that grant access,  secure the data itself,  then back it all up with policies your staff actually follow.  Along the way he shares two cautionary stories. In one, security alerts caught an attack as it happened but went to a mailbox no one checked. In the other, nonprofits permanently lost email and files when Microsoft ended its Business Premium license donation and the unpaid accounts were deleted. This episode covers: Securing devices: organization-owned computers rather than personal ones, centrally managed antivirus and endpoint detection and response (EDR), and proactive patch management.Securing accounts: security awareness training that teaches staff in the moment, multi-factor authentication everywhere, and account monitoring that flags anomalies like a login from Washington, DC followed by one from Amsterdam 30 minutes later.Securing data: third-party backups for business-critical information, a permissions audit, and regular reviews of who has access, including outside consultants whose contracts ended years ago.Why AI makes permissions more urgent. Security through obscurity no longer works when an AI agent can surface anything a user has access to.Why policy and compliance hold the essentials together, and why you don't need technical expertise to take this list to whoever owns IT at your organization and ask where you stand.Resources Mentioned: 10 Operations IT Essentials for Nonprofits Podcast, Community ITThe Nonprofit IT Checklist Every Organization Needs, Community ITStart Here: Nonprofit Cybersecurity Basics, Community ITCybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook, Community ITNonprofit Cybersecurity Playbook, Updated for AI Webinar, Community ITTemplate, Acceptable Use of AI Tools in the Nonprofit Workplace, Community ITKnowBe4 Security Awareness Training _______________________________ 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.

    10 Cybersecurity Essentials for Nonprofits with Johan Hammerstrom

  4. Nov 2

    Nonprofit AI: Women in AI, AI Authority Bias

    Even with a human at the helm, how much are you, as the human, actually deciding? Carolyn Woodard looks at new research on how easily experts defer to AI, why polished answers are so easy to trust, and practical ways to keep your own judgment in charge. She also shares her take on Marissa Mayer’s new AI assistant marketed to busy women, walks through five myths from Project Evident’s new white paper, and checks back in on Anthropic’s charitable pledge. This episode covers: In an Anthropic experiment, professional analysts went with an AI agent’s secretly assigned recommendation 86% of the time. It’s one small study of Anthropic’s own product, but the lesson holds: give your own expertise its due.Why public-facing work carries the biggest reputational risk, and why the last editor should always be a human.Why we don’t need “AI for women”; we need women in the rooms where AI is designed and funded. Women are about three in four nonprofit employees and 2/3 of EDs  at smaller nonprofits.Five myths about AI in the social sector from Project Evident, including that only tech-forward organizations should lead AI innovation.How AI flips an old credibility shortcut. We’ve long trusted information that’s well spelled and well formatted, but now a wrong answer, or a phishing email, can arrive looking perfect. You need to fight the inherent bias to trust well-formatted research and deeply question what the AI presents as fact.Sector skepticism about whether Anthropic’s Public Benefit Fund will reach existing nonprofits, and when. One suggestion: fund the nation’s 900+ community foundations now.Q&A: How do you know if you’re making the decision or just agreeing with the AI? Some practical tips: write your answer down first, ask for the other side, ask what it assumed, notice whose words you’re using, decide in advance what steps stay in human hands, and keep your own skills in practice.Resources Mentioned: How AI Agents Shape Experts’ Judgment Calls – Anthropic – https://www.anthropic.com/research/agents-judgment-callsCan Marissa Mayer, Yahoo’s Former CEO, Help Fix A.I.’s Gender Problem? – The New York Times – https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/25/style/marissa-mayer-ai-assistants-women.html2026 Nonprofit Compensation Report – Candid – https://candid.org/blogs/candid-2026-nonprofit-compensation-report-executive-salaries/Bridging the Data Divide: A Responsible Path Forward for AI in the Social Sector – Project Evident – https://projectevident.org/resource/bridging-the-data-divide-a-responsible-path-forward-for-ai-in-the-social-sector/Anthropic’s $300 Billion Promise Leaves Nonprofit Leaders Asking Who Decides and When – Chronicle of Philanthropy – https://www.philanthropy.com/news/anthropics-300-billion-promise-leaves-nonprofit-leaders-asking-who-decides-and-when/ _______________________________ 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.

    Nonprofit AI: Women in AI, AI Authority Bias

  5. Oct 30

    Cybersecurity Playbook for Nonprofits for AI pt 2

    In Part 2 of the Nonprofit Cybersecurity Playbook, Updated for AI webinar, Carolyn Woodard and Matthew Eshleman, CTO of Community IT, walk through the checklist at the heart of the new Start Here: Nonprofit Cybersecurity Basics download.  Part 1 made the case that AI changes the risks but not the basics. Part 2 gets specific about what those basics are, starting with one that is not technical at all: someone at your organization has to own cybersecurity, because you cannot outsource your risk. Matt also answers listener questions on choosing a password manager and keeping your emails out of spam folders, then looks at new twists on old attacks. Phishing now arrives through calendar invites and shared documents, wire fraud is starting with a phone call again, and fake copyright notices pressure organizations to pay up rather than call their lawyer. Across all of them, the best defense is a culture where staff feel comfortable reporting anything that seems off. Haven’t listened to Part 1 yet? Find it in your podcast feed. This episode covers: Why phish-resistant MFA like passkeys is the next step, as vendors like Salesforce move to require them and Microsoft drops text and voice codes in February 2027.How a password manager for every staff member, third-party spam filtering, and regular security awareness training reduce your biggest source of risk. Matt sees third-party filtering cut phishing volume by up to 80%.Why AI-driven discovery of software vulnerabilities means more frequent patches, and why backups should extend beyond Microsoft and Google to your website, CRM, fundraising, and finance systems.The policies to put in writing, including personal device use, official systems of record, and an AI acceptable use policy, even if your policy is that you don’t use AI.Why your cybersecurity owner needs milestones, time, and support to do the work, not just one more thing on their plate.Resources Mentioned: Nonprofit Cybersecurity Playbook, Updated for AI Webinar, Community ITStart Here: Nonprofit Cybersecurity Basics, Community ITCybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook, Community ITTemplate, Acceptable Use of AI Tools in the Nonprofit Workplace, Community ITCreating an IT Roadmap, Community ITPodcast on DMARC and DKIM, Community ITWebinar: Should Your Nonprofit Use AI? Community ITData Breach Investigations Report, Verizon _______________________________ 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.

    Cybersecurity Playbook for Nonprofits for AI pt 2

  6. Oct 27

    Nonprofit AI: Anthropic IPO News, Morality for AI

    Carolyn Woodard covers three questions running through this week’s AI news: who owns AI, who shapes its values, and who answers for it.  Anthropic filed for its IPO the same day it expanded its nonprofit programs, and Microsoft offered voluntary buyouts to about a quarter of its workforce. For nonprofits that depend on these tools, both raise practical questions about pricing, support, and lock-in. On ownership, Carolyn looks at the new Claude for Nonprofits plugin, a planned Taproot Foundation partnership for shorter pro bono projects, and the critique that IPO-day nonprofit news doubles as good PR.  She also discusses Samuel Peters’ Nonprofit Quarterly argument that public ownership of AI companies could leave the public defending AI rather than regulating it. On values, she explores AI companies turning to faith traditions for morality that AI can "learn." This episode covers: Why paid licenses matter for small nonprofits, which Anthropic says make up most of the 25,000+ organizations using Claude for Nonprofits. Paid plans offer stronger data protections and contract terms.Why faith-based organizations and nonprofits serving communities of faith have a stake in how AI companies define moral behavior.Moving from human in the loop to human at the helm: name an AI owner with real authority and time, and a responsible person for every AI use, including any agent you build. Language matters in these terms.Donor research showing 70% worry about AI bots posing as humans, and why to talk with donors before rolling out AI that touches them.Making room for open conversations about AI, so 20 people aren’t using it 20 different ways. Choosing not to use AI is also legitimate.Q&A: What changes when your AI vendor goes public, or your tech provider cuts staff? More disclosure and warning, earnings pressure on pricing and discounts, and possible support shifts. Protect yourself: know your terms, keep vendor contacts current, and keep your data and prompts exportable.Corrections: Anthropic’s Long-Term Benefit Trust appoints board directors; the charitable fund described is the separate Public Benefit Fund, an LLC that still needs shareholder approval. Claude Corps fellows are paid, not volunteers.  Resources Mentioned: Expanding Claude for Nonprofits, AnthropicAnthropic IPO filing, Associated PressMicrosoft Voluntary Buyouts, Associated PressClaude Corps, AnthropicAI Nationalization Is a Bailout Wearing a Populist Costume, Nonprofit QuarterlyTo Make AI Morally Good, Tech Companies Are Turning to Religion, Associated PressDonors Are Wary of AI, Chronicle of Philanthropy (paywalled)Donor Perceptions of AI 2026, Chappell and KoshyAI and Human Rights Resolution, UN Human Rights CouncilAI Acceptable Use Policy Template, Community ITNew 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.

    Nonprofit AI: Anthropic IPO News, Morality for AI

  7. Oct 23

    Cybersecurity Playbook for Nonprofits Updated for AI pt 1

    In the first part of this two-part conversation, Carolyn Woodard and Matthew Eshleman, CTO of Community IT, take on a question many nonprofits are asking: does AI change what it takes to stay secure?  This episode comes from the Community IT webinar celebrating the re-release of our Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook, updated for AI. It looks at how the threat landscape has shifted and why the fundamentals still matter most. Whether or not your organization uses AI, the scammers are, and your staff need to be ready. Matt walks through three ways AI is changing cybersecurity: More convincing phishing emailsCheaper and more realistic voice and video fakesA sharp rise in malicious code, as attackers use AI to find and exploit vulnerabilities fasterHe also points to a risk inside the building: staff turning to free AI tools without clear guidance. Carolyn introduces the new Nonprofit Cybersecurity Basics download for organizations just getting started. She explains why most nonprofits can reach a strong foundation without buying the most expensive tools.  This episode covers: Why every nonprofit is a target. Most attacks are financially motivated and opportunistic, and cyber liability insurers are once again pushing for stricter controls.How AI has erased the familiar warning signs of phishing, like misspellings and awkward wording, and is making voice and video cloning a routine part of the attacker playbook.Why your own staff’s AI use creates risk, from oversharing internally to putting organizational data into free tools without enterprise terms of service. The same tools can also help you decode jargon and draft policies.The four layers of the Community IT approach: policy, security awareness training, technology tools, and compliance. Tools alone will not protect you.Why the foundational level is the right goal for most nonprofits, and why if you don’t know whether you need an expensive tool, you probably don’t.Resources Mentioned: Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook, Community ITStart Here: Nonprofit Cybersecurity Basics, Community IT2026 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report, Community ITCybersecurity Library, Community ITNonprofit Cybersecurity Playbook, Updated for AI Webinar, Community ITListen for part two in your podcast feed. _______________________________ 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.

    Cybersecurity Playbook for Nonprofits Updated for AI pt 1

  8. Oct 20

    Nonprofit AI: New Anthropic Philanthropic Fund

    Carolyn Woodard covers what the newest wave of AI money could mean for nonprofits, starting with Anthropic's new Public Benefit Fund. Pending stockholder approval, Anthropic will commit 5% of its shares to a fund that grows with the company's value. It is a wholly owned LLC rather than a 501(c)(3), which means flexibility for Anthropic but no 990s, no payout requirement, and no public grant process. With co-founder pledges and an employee giving match, roughly 20% of the company is committed to the public good. Carolyn puts that money in context: foundation giving cannot replace lost federal funding, and it is unclear whether new AI philanthropy will reach existing nonprofits in time to make up that difference.  She also looks at Wayan Vota's piece on the first $1 billion solo AI nonprofit, and at Lemontree, a small, tech-forward food helpline that has been deliberate about where AI fits its work. She closes with a Harvard study on the AI confidence gap, the NetHope AI Accelerator (applications due November 13), the new Securing America's Infrastructure Foundation aiming to protect rural hospitals and small municipalities, and this week's Community IT cybersecurity webinar. This episode covers: - Why Anthropic chose an LLC over a foundation, and what the fund might support, from gifts to nonprofits to direct distributions. - How one founder using AI agents might connect people to benefits they already qualify for. - What Lemontree and the National Domestic Workers Alliance show about adopting AI with clear guardrails around clients. - Why funders need to pay for AI capacity, not just licenses, when 69% of nonprofits in the Bridgespan and NTEN survey have no dedicated AI funding. - Why the most confident voice in your AI staff meeting may not be the most informed. Resources Mentioned: Investing in the Public Benefit, AnthropicHow AI Giants Will Reshape Philanthropy, AxiosClaude Corps, AnthropicWhat Will the First $1 Billion Solo AI Nonprofit Look Like? Wayan Vota, LinkedInLemontreeScaling Impact with AI, Project EvidentScaling Impact with AI Webinar Video, Project EvidentMen Can’t Stop Faking How Much They Know About AI, WIREDAI Accelerator for Nonprofits, NetHopeSecuring America’s Infrastructure FoundationNonprofit Cybersecurity Playbook Webinar, Community ITStart Here, Nonprofit Cybersecurity Basics, Community ITCorrection: The AI company named AI6Z in the audio is a16z, the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. *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.

    Nonprofit AI: New Anthropic Philanthropic Fund
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5
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About

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

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