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. Single Sign On Clever for Schools with Norwin Herrera

    1D AGO

    Single Sign On Clever for Schools with Norwin Herrera

    In this episode host Carolyn Woodard is joined by Norwin Herrera, IT Business Manager and Team Lead at Community IT. Together, they walk through a real-world case study of a public charter school that implemented a Single Sign-On (SSO) platform called Clever that can solve cybersecurity and accessibility challenges for adult or child students. Strategic IT Leadership for Nonprofits Unlike a traditional account manager, an IT Business Manager (ITBM) acts as a strategic partner, helping nonprofit leadership understand the technology landscape and make informed decisions that align with their mission. The ITBM role is unique to Community IT and is an example of a commitment to partnering with clients over the long term. In this case, the goal was to find a SSO solution that could handle a complex mix of Chromebooks and Windows devices while remaining user-friendly for both adult students and faculty. The Power of Single Sign-On SSO acts as one door for all of your doors. By using Clever as an identity manager, the organization was able to: Enhance Cybersecurity: Centralizing access allows for immediate offboarding. If a student or staff member leaves, closing one account automatically secures access to all others, prevents fraud, and saves money.Automate User Provisioning: Through zero intervention integration with the Student Information System (SIS), accounts are created or deactivated automatically based on enrollment status.Improve User Experience: Students no longer need to remember multiple different passwords for Google, Microsoft, Zoom, and Slack for example. One password provides access to all the apps they have access to as a student using a school device.Reduce Administrative Costs: Norwin breaks down the ROI of SSO, comparing a small per-user fee against the hundreds of hours of manual labor required to manage accounts individually.Change Management and Successful Implementation A successful IT project is about more than just software; it is about people. Norwin explains why this project resulted in zero tickets and no complaints: it started with leadership buy-in and a commitment to clear communication. Whether you are an executive at a school or a volunteer board member at a community nonprofit, this episode offers practical insights into how integrated cybersecurity and strategic IT planning can save your organization time and money. Listen in to learn how your organization can move toward a more secure and efficient digital future by subscribing to the Community IT Innovators Technology Topics podcast. _______________________________ 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.com on LinkedIn Thanks for listening.

    27 min
  2. Nonprofit AI: Vetting AI Tools for Nonprofits; What Are AI Agents?

    4D AGO

    Nonprofit AI: Vetting AI Tools for Nonprofits; What Are AI Agents?

    Nonprofit AI: Vetting Your Tools and Understanding AI Agents In this midweek AI check-in, Carolyn Woodard explores how nonprofit leaders can make informed, safe decisions in an increasingly crowded technology landscape. The episode begins with a review of a new AI Tools Safety Guide specifically designed for the nonprofit sector. This resource evaluates popular tools based on the criteria that matter most to mission-driven organizations: data privacy, security, and ethical responsibility. Carolyn also demystifies the concept of AI Agents. By breaking down the hierarchy of AI—from simple bots and assistants to more autonomous agents—she explains how these specialized tools can eventually handle the busy work of repetitive tasks, such as cross-referencing spreadsheets or organizing files.  Whether you are just starting to draft your organization's AI usage policy or you are looking for ways to streamline your internal workflows, this episode provides practical guardrails for navigating AI adoption at nonprofits. Featured Resources Tool: AI Tools Safety Guide for Nonprofits Visit Meet the Moment A searchable directory of AI tools evaluated for trust and safety by reputable nonprofit technology experts. It’s an ideal starting point for organizations with strict data handling needs and limited research time.Template: AI Acceptable Use Policy Download from Community IT IT is better to establish clear principles now than to wait for time to make a perfect policy. This template helps you communicate expectations to your staff and board regarding the use of generative AI.Community Discussion: Nonprofit IT Management Join the Reddit Community Have a specific question about an AI tool or a repetitive task you'd like to automate? Connect with Carolyn and other nonprofit professionals on our dedicated subreddit to share insights and ask questions. _______________________________ 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.com on LinkedIn Thanks for listening.

    18 min
  3. Team Building Remotely with Saba Gebru

    FEB 13

    Team Building Remotely with Saba Gebru

    Building Stronger Teams: Purposeful Connection in a Remote World How do you maintain a cohesive, supportive team when the office is now spread across dozens of different locations? In this episode, Carolyn Woodard sits down with Saba Gebru, Vice President of Support Services at Community IT, to discuss the intentional work required to foster teamwork in a remote and hybrid environment. Saba shares how Community IT transitioned through the pandemic and emerged with a deeper understanding of why social connection isn't just extra—it’s essential for better service delivery.  When technicians feel supported and connected to one another, our clients benefit from the collective knowledge of the entire firm, not just a single individual. We also discuss how to keep team building from feeling mandatory by aligning activities with mission-driven values, such as local volunteerism and servant leadership. Featured Resources Community IT Values: Our Story | Read More Learn more about the core values that guide our team—including balance and transparency—and how these principles help us better serve the nonprofit community.Guide: Managing Remote Teams for Nonprofits | View Article For managers looking to refine their remote operations, this guide offers practical tips on the tools and cultural shifts necessary to keep a distributed workforce engaged and secure.Case Study: 100% Remote Work Implementation with Microsoft Cloud | Read the Case Study Transitioning to a fully remote model requires more than just a change in mindset; it requires a robust technical foundation. This case study follows a large nonprofit as they navigated a rapid shift to 100% remote work. By leveraging Microsoft Cloud tools the organization was able to deploy hardware and support staff across the country without ever needing to meet in person, proving that with the right roadmap, technology can bridge the gap between physical distance and mission-critical collaboration.Next Step for Your Organization Building a strong team culture is an ongoing process, especially in the remote era. If you haven't recently checked in with your staff about what they need to feel connected, consider making it a priority in your next departmental meeting. Start the conversation by asking for feedback on what types of optional social or volunteer activities might resonate with their values. _______________________________ 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.com on LinkedIn Thanks for listening.

    19 min
  4. Nonprofit AI: Human Rights and Community Rights Resources

    FEB 10

    Nonprofit AI: Human Rights and Community Rights Resources

    Nonprofit AI Check-in: Reclaiming Human Rights and Protecting Local Communities In this midweek check-in, Carolyn Woodard steps back from the technical "how-to" of AI to look at the "why" behind the ethical concerns many nonprofit leaders are feeling. This episode focuses on two significant areas where AI intersects with our core mission of serving others: the protection of basic human rights and the physical impact of the infrastructure that makes AI possible. First, we explore insights from human rights lawyer Malika Saada Saar on how we can reclaim AI to serve dignity and democracy rather than ceding it to companies that make a profit by exploiting sensitive and marginalized groups.  Second, we look at the reality of the data centers powering these tools—specifically the environmental and economic pressures they place on local residents. Carolyn shares resources on creating Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) with data centers as a path forward for local communities. Whether it's protecting a survivor’s right to privacy or ensuring a local community has a say in how a data center is built, these are the human issues that will define how we use technology in the years to come. Featured Resources Webinar: Slow Violence, Fast Tech | Watch on YouTube In this 30-minute session from All Tech Is Human, human rights lawyer Malika Saada Saar discusses the "slow violence" of AI and how nonprofits can advocate for technology designed with consent and safety in mind, particularly for women, children, and marginalized communities.Report: Why Community Benefit Agreements are Necessary for Data Centers | Read at Brookings As data centers expand rapidly across the U.S., this Brookings Institution paper explains how "Community Benefit Agreements" (CBAs) can help local leaders and residents negotiate for transparency, environmental protections, and shared economic benefits.Community IT Resource: AI Ethics and Policy Webinar | View the Framework If you are ready to start moving from learning to doing, this webinar provides a practical framework for nonprofits to begin drafting their own AI use policies and start conversations around ethics.Next Step for Your Organization Does your nonprofit have an AI ethics policy yet? If not, now is the perfect time to start the conversation with your leadership and board. You don't need to be a technical expert to advocate for your organization's values. We encourage you to use these resources to continue your education and ensure that your use of AI remains mission-aligned. _______________________________ 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.com on LinkedIn Thanks for listening.

    11 min
  5. Celebrating 25 Years of Community IT with CEO Johan Hammerstrom

    FEB 6

    Celebrating 25 Years of Community IT with CEO Johan Hammerstrom

    In this special anniversary episode, we celebrate a major milestone: 25 years of Community IT. Founded on February 1, 2001, by David Deal as a mission-focused spin-out from Reliacom, Community IT has spent a quarter-century navigating the ever-changing tides of technology for nonprofits exclusively. CEO Johan Hammerstrom, who was one of the early employees to move from Reliacom to the new company, joins us to reflect on our journey from the early days of wiring offices for the internet to our modern role as a national provider of remote IT services and cybersecurity.  We discuss how our bedrock foundation of servant-leadership has allowed us to remain a stable, trusted partner for the nonprofit community through dot-com busts, financial crises, and global shifts in how we work. Beyond the history of servers and software, this conversation focuses on the vibrant people who make our mission possible. Johan shares why it is useless to predict exactly where IT will be in five years, and why Community IT instead invests in the creative, dedicated staff who can guide nonprofits through whatever the future holds.  Whether you have been a partner since our founding or are just joining our community, tune in to hear how our commitment to technology expertise ensures that nonprofits can stay focused on their missions, no matter how the digital landscape evolves. _______________________________ 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.com on LinkedIn Thanks for listening.

    34 min
  6. Nonprofit AI: Differences Between Public and Enterprise Tools

    FEB 3

    Nonprofit AI: Differences Between Public and Enterprise Tools

    To follow on from our recent discussions regarding the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence in the nonprofit sector, this episode explores the critical technical and privacy distinctions between public and enterprise AI tools.  The CISA Incident and the AI Privacy Gap Last week, news outlets including Politico reported that the interim director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Madhu Gottumukkala, mistakenly uploaded sensitive government contracting documents into a public version of ChatGPT. This triggered automated security warnings designed to prevent the unintentional disclosure of government material. This incident highlights that anyone can mistakenly upload sensitive data to a public tool. Even the head of CISA. Key Differences Between Public and Enterprise AI: Data Privacy: Enterprise versions (like Microsoft Copilot for 365 or Gemini for Workspace) keep your prompts and data within your organizational "cloud boundary." Your information is not used to train the underlying public models.AI Search and Permissions: With Enterprise AI, the tool can surface any document a user has permission to see. This makes cleaning up your SharePoint or Google Drive permissions essential to avoid sensitive files being inadvertently surfaced via AI search. Pay attention to files that have been shared with "anyone with this link" because Copilot and Gemini will view that as granting permission to anyone searching. Finally, spend time on staff training on how to save and share files so that permissions will need less clean up going forward. Commercial Protections: Enterprise licenses include copyright indemnity that are absent in public versions.Security: Enterprise licenses give IT management and administrative controls which are essential to securing your nonprofit's valuable data. Resources: Trump’s acting cyber chief uploaded sensitive files into a public version of ChatGPT from Politico by John Sakellariadis, published Jan 27, 2026. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/27/cisa-madhu-gottumukkala-chatgpt-00749361 "The interim head of the country’s cyber defense agency uploaded sensitive contracting documents into a public version of ChatGPT last summer, ... The material included CISA contracting documents marked 'for official use only,' a government designation for information that is considered sensitive and not for public release." Microsoft Copilot vs. ChatGPT: Data Protection Explained from Community IT. "If you are using Copilot with a 365 subscription, your prompts and data are not used to train the underlying large language model. It keeps your data within your enterprise cloud boundary... This protection only applies when you are signed in to an eligible work or school account." Upcoming Webinar: Verifying Your AI Security Join Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman on February 25th to learn how to distinguish between public and enterprise accounts. Register here: How to Use AI Tools Safely at Nonprofits _______________________________ 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.com on LinkedIn Thanks for listening.

    18 min
  7. Nonprofit IT Roundtable pt 2 with Senior Staff

    JAN 30

    Nonprofit IT Roundtable pt 2 with Senior Staff

    Panel Discussion with Matt Eshleman, Steve Longenecker, Jennifer Huftalen, and Carolyn Woodard Our experts answered your questions about where nonprofit tech is going next. In part 1, Community IT senior staff discuss nonprofits and AI, and updated cybersecurity trends to be aware of. In part 2, they discuss updates to Microsoft and Google Workspace, and take audience Q&A.  AI, Cybersecurity, Google Workspace v Microsoft Office, Gemini v Copilot or ChatGPT or another generative AI tool, AI agents, AI FOMO, data data data, safety and security of your staff, budgeting for and maintaining basic IT, not to mention fancy IT … anything else you want to know about? We don’t have a crystal ball but we do know our way around nonprofit IT. We’ll look back at the trends of 2025 and what we got right last January, and we’ll look ahead to make predictions for 2026. The nonprofit tech roundtable is always one of our most popular webinars every year. As with all our webinars, this presentation is appropriate for an audience of varied IT experience. Community IT is proudly vendor-agnostic, and our webinars cover a range of topics and discussions. Webinars are never a sales pitch, always a way to share our knowledge with our community. _______________________________ 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.com on LinkedIn Thanks for listening.

    28 min
  8. Nonprofit AI: Ethical AI Resources and Frameworks

    JAN 27

    Nonprofit AI: Ethical AI Resources and Frameworks

    To follow on from last week's episode of the ethical issues around AI use and companies generally that nonprofits and the philanthropy sector need to discuss and evaluate through the lens of organization values and mission, here are some resources for moving forward with that discussion of ethics as you put your policy in place and refine it.  How Nonprofits Can Resist the AI Efficiency Trap from Nonprofit Quarterly by James A Lomastro, published Oct 28, 2025.  https://nonprofitquarterly.org/how-nonprofits-can-resist-the-ai-efficiency-trap/ "Today, when nonprofits implement AI without protecting workers’ judgment and autonomy, they facilitate a similar transfer of power. The tacit understanding of experienced staff—knowing which families need outreach, when silence signals distrust, and which community leaders bridge cultural gaps—is extracted into databases and algorithms....The “AI efficiency trap” plays out in familiar ways: Time savings often lead not to relief, but to higher expectations. Workers may feel more productive yet overwhelmed, as efficiency gains are absorbed into rising demands instead of reducing workloads. In nonprofits, if AI is used solely to expedite routine tasks, it can exacerbate burnout and diminish time for relationship building or advocacy—the work that drives lasting change... Steps leaders can take are: Invest in bias-aware AI governance Position experienced staff as strategy guides Develop new productivity measurements." Other resources referenced in this episode:  Ethics, AI Tools, and Policies Webinar from Community IT: https://communityit.com/webinar-nonprofit-ai-framework/AI With Purpose: How Foundations and Nonprofits Are Thinking About and Using Artificial Intelligence from the Center for Effective Philanthropy (with lots of other resources on their site for the sector) https://cep.org/report-backpacks/ai-with-purpose-how-foundations-and-nonprofits-are-thinking-about-and-using-artificial-intelligence/Humanity AI consortium project from 10 Foundations https://humanityai.ai/ Humanity AI is uniting philanthropy in a broad coalition to build a more human(e) future in which AI is shaped by and for people.Tech to the Rescue matchmaking ideal AI projects from the social impact sector with ecosystem partners for funding and expertise. https://techtotherescue.org/Board.dev matchmaking tech-savvy individuals looking to serve on nonprofit boards with the nonprofits that need their expertise. https://board.dev/Responsible AI Adoption for Nonprofits: a Holistic Support Model webinar Jan 28, 2026 with Tech to the Rescue and Board.dev. Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DSDEIrLFQxSApI8zQIUhyA#/registration _______________________________ 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.com on LinkedIn Thanks for listening.

    19 min
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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

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