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 into the practicalities of AI adoption, from the potential automation of administrative tasks to the specific challenges faced by healthcare nonprofits. Alex provides a clear framework for ethical AI use, focusing on well-being, transparency, and data security. You will also learn actionable tips for mastering the art of prompting and how to know when to iterate on an AI project versus when to walk away.

Alex and Carolyn discuss:

• Why project managers are the natural leaders for AI initiatives in the nonprofit sector.
• Four key pillars for an ethical AI framework: Human Well-being, Human in the Loop, Transparency, and Data Security.
• Practical strategies for better prompting, including the use of context, constraints, and prompt libraries.
• How to determine when to pivot or quit an AI project early to save organizational resources.

Resources Mentioned:

• Tuck Consulting Group
• Anthropic Report on AI and Employment
• PMI CPMAI Framework

_______________________________
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
• on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagement
• on the Community IT website

Thanks for listening.

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 environmental organizations. This episode covers:

• How Microsoft Copilot Cowork acts as an executive assistant by managing calendars, drafting meeting briefs, and researching donors.
• The capabilities of Google Workspace Studio to also act as an executive assistant creating meeting prep and summarizing unread emails.
• Key findings from a recent Harvard Business Review study finding 93% of leaders identify human factors as the primary barrier to AI adoption.
• "Several leaders observed that anxiety was particularly pronounced among experienced professionals whose authority had been built on deep expertise."
• "The risk is treating AI as a narrow tech project. In reality, it’s a cultural shift and we need to embed it into how we think, manage, and lead, not just into workflows."
• The launch of a new AI literacy program specifically designed for climate and nature professionals from Climate Collective and CIVIC.

Resources Mentioned:

• Microsoft Copilot Cowork Announcement
• Google Workspace Studio Overview
• HBR: Senior Leaders Are Struggling with AI Adoption
• Climate Collective AI Literacy Program
• Community IT Subreddit

_______________________________
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
• on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagement
• on the Community IT website

Thanks for listening.

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 Projects. In pt 2 they finish up the fourth bridge: Communications, and take questions from the webinar audience.

If you never applied to a tech job, but somehow you are the person everyone turns to for tech help and assistance at your nonprofit, you may be the accidental techie of your office. Learn how to transform your valuable experience as a problem-solver into a professional career as a nonprofit tech leader from two people who have lived it.

Hugo and Gozi share what separates reactive problem-solvers from strategic technology leaders, and give you practical frameworks for repositioning yourself professionally. You’ll discover how to communicate your value differently, build the right relationships, and choose projects that showcase your strategic thinking.

Learning outcomes

• Build a transformation roadmap using four pillars: skills, relationships, projects, communication
• Identify your position on the accidental-to-intentional spectrum and key mindset shifts needed
• Reframe how you communicate your work to position yourselves as strategic advisors, not tech fixers-for-free.

_______________________________
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.