Community IT Innovators Nonprofit Technology Topics

Carolyn Woodard opens with highlights from Good Tech Summit, a three-day Washington D.C. conference bringing together practitioners, funders, and tech leaders focused on responsible AI use in the social sector. She shares standout quotes on AI governance, accountability, and what the sector needs to do differently.  This episode also covers the Claude Cowork tool nonprofits should know about, a pr...

Carolyn Woodard explores the intersection of project management and artificial intelligence AI with Alex Tuck, founder of Tuck Consulting Group. As nonprofits face increasing pressure to do more with less, Alex shares how project managers are uniquely positioned to lead AI implementation and why human-in-the-loop systems are essential for maintaining accuracy and ethics. The conversation dives int...

The conversation this week highlights new "AI assistant" features from Microsoft and Google that aim to handle administrative burdens, allowing nonprofit teams to focus on mission-critical work. Host Carolyn Woodard also delves into a Havard Business Review article with qualitative interviews on AI and leadership challenges, and highlights a specialized training initiative for environmen...

Hugo Castro, author of the Accidental Techie newsletter on Linkedin, and Gozi Egbuonu, accidental and now intentional tech leader, lead you through a discussion on the transformation from firefighter to strategic advisor. In pt 1 they discuss the role of the "accidental techie" in nonprofit organizations and explore three bridges to transform your career: Skills, Relationships, and Proje...

A major new initiative from Microsoft aims to provide the training and resources needed to adopt AI tools at nonprofits. In this episode, Carolyn Woodard breaks down the recently announced Microsoft Elevate for Changemakers program. This initiative is a structured effort to build AI capacity through professional certifications, hands-on training, and global fellowships designed specifically for th...

Hugo Castro, author of the Accidental Techie newsletter on Linkedin, and Gozi Egbuonu, accidental and now intentional tech leader, lead you through a discussion on the transformation from firefighter to strategic advisor. In pt 1 they discuss the role of the "accidental techie" in nonprofit organizations and explore three bridges to transform your career: Skills, Relationships, and Proje...

In this Nonprofit AI Podcast midweek check-in, Carolyn tackles the anxiety around AI and the changing labor market. While it can feel like AI is everywhere, a recent report from Anthropic shows we are nowhere near 100% adoption—but the roles most likely to be impacted are the white-collar, management, and knowledge-work positions often held by older, highly educated women in the nonprofit sector....

Carolyn sits down with Steve Longenecker, Director of IT Consulting at Community IT Innovators, to tackle a question that's suddenly urgent for many nonprofits: now that AI tools like Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini can search your entire file system, are your permissions actually set up correctly? The conversation covers the practical steps nonprofits can take to assess and clean up thei...

How can nonprofits move past the efficiency plateau to find real strategic value in AI? In this midweek check-in, Carolyn Woodard discusses statistics from the 2026 Nonprofit AI Adoption Report from Virtuous and Fundraising AI, which reveals that while 92% of nonprofits are using AI, only 7% see a major strategic impact on their mission. The episode also explores the concept of AI hygiene and why...

Are you struggling to articulate what your nonprofit actually needs from an IT provider? In this episode, host Carolyn Woodard and Community IT CEO Johan Hammerstrom discuss the rise of the generic, AI-generated Request for Proposal (RFP). While it is tempting to use AI to handle the heavy lifting of technical writing, doing so often results in a document that lacks the heart of your organization’...

In this Nonprofit AI Podcast midweek check-in, Carolyn explores what it means to have agency in the age of AI. With so much pressure to adopt new tools, it can feel like nonprofits have no choice — but Carolyn makes the case that you and your organization have more power than you think, both in the tools you choose and the advocacy you pursue. The conversation covers the environmental and communit...

If you have wondered about the real difference between using a free tool like ChatGPT and an enterprise-level solution like Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini, this episode will provide much-needed clarity. While the potential for efficiency is high, many nonprofit leaders are rightfully concerned about data security and how to ensure they are using these models safely. In part one from their rece...

In this Nonprofit AI Podcast, Carolyn explores the complex intersection of nonprofit values and AI vendor ethics. Following a high-profile public dispute between the Pentagon and major AI providers, we look at what these corporate decisions mean for organizations that prioritize mission-aligned technology. The conversation covers the practical side of AI safety, moving beyond the headlines to answ...

If you have wondered about the real difference between using a free tool like ChatGPT and an enterprise-level solution like Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini, this episode will provide much-needed clarity. While the potential for efficiency is high, many nonprofit leaders are rightfully concerned about data security and how to ensure they are using these models safely. In part one from their rece...

Resources shared in this episode:  Gallop Poll January 2026 on AI use : https://apnews.com/article/ai-workplace-gemini-chatgpt-poll-4934bc61d039508db32bc49f85d63d99 Build Consulting 5 Category AI Implementation Framework by Kyle Haines: https://buildconsulting.com/blog/a-strategic-framework-for-nonprofit-ai-investment/ 1: Return on Investment - what are you trying to do, and is an AI tool the best...

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 tradit...

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 mat...

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...

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 bas...

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,...

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...

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,...

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...

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,...

As AI tools become more integrated into our nonprofits' daily workflows, it can feel as though the technology is moving faster than our ability to evaluate it. However, for mission-driven organizations, technology adoption isn't just a matter of efficiency—it’s a reflection of our values.  This episode steps back from the technical aspects of AI tools for nonprofits and explores the sign...