Breaking Down Barriers and Building Bridges in the AI Revolution

In our recent ALC ChangeMakers Podcast episode, host Jennifer Sconyers sat down with tech innovator and author Cheryl Contee to discuss her groundbreaking new book, AI for Nonprofits. The conversation revealed crucial insights for mission-driven organizations navigating the artificial intelligence landscape.

The Reality Check: You're Already Using AI

One of Cheryl's most striking revelations challenges the common nonprofit stance of "we don't use AI." As she puts it with characteristic directness: "There's no not using AI."

From Amazon deliveries to online banking, from email platforms like MailChimp to fundraising tools like Blackbaud, nonprofits have been utilizing AI technologies for over a decade. The question isn't whether to adopt AI, it's whether to take control of how you use it.

"AI's using you, so why not get into the driver's seat?" Cheryl emphasized. This moment presents a unique opportunity for nonprofit leaders to shape AI adoption rather than simply react to it.

A Comprehensive Guide for Mission-Driven Leaders

Cheryl's book, co-authored with Darien Rodriguez Haman, represents two years of research and includes insights from 57 contributors across various sectors. At 600 pages, it's designed as a practical field guide rather than a theoretical speculation.

Key approach: Don't read it cover to cover. Instead, use the table of contents to identify your organization's specific challenges and dive into relevant sections. Think of it as a reference tome you can return to as your AI needs evolve.

Addressing the Environmental Concerns

For environmental and conservation nonprofits grappling with AI's energy consumption, Cheryl offers both perspective and solutions:

The Environmental Reality:

• Clean energy adoption is accelerating globally

• California now runs on two-thirds clean energy

• The Netherlands has achieved 50% clean energy

• Even Saudi Arabia plans 100% clean energy for their grid by 2030

The Practical Solution: Cheryl co-founded Change Agent AI (https://thechange.ai/), an environmentally conscious alternative to mainstream platforms like ChatGPT. This platform offers:

• Energy-efficient operations

• Nonprofit-tailored language and thinking

• Diverse image and video representation

• Private data protection

• Freedom from political speech restrictions

Types of AI: From Behind-the-Scenes to Front-and-Center

Cheryl breaks down AI into accessible categories:

1. Classifier AI: Already running behind the scenes in e-commerce, banking, and digital platforms

2. Predictive Analytics: Analyzing website usage, social media performance, and campaign effectiveness

3. Generative AI: Creating content drafts, slide presentations, and social media snippets

Tools Worth Exploring:

• Opus AI: Transforms raw video into optimized social media clips in minutes

• Pop AI: Creates presentation decks from imported text

• Grammarly: Enhanced writing assistance (many nonprofits already use this)

The Human-in-the-Loop Principle

Perhaps most importantly, Cheryl emphasizes that AI should augment, not replace, human expertise. She describes AI as "a really smart intern": capable of handling tedious, repetitive tasks but lacking the experience, sophistication, context, and passion that humans bring.

Best Practice: Always maintain "human in the loop" (HITL) oversight. Use AI for first drafts and initial processing, but ensure human review for quality, accuracy, and alignment with your mission.

The Competitive Advantage

Cheryl shares a contributor's insight that resonates: "AI's not gonna take your job, but someone who knows how to use AI well is gonna take your job."

For nonprofits competing for attention, funding, and impact, AI offers the ability to be more prolific and louder with nutritious content—a crucial advantage in countering misinformation and harmful narratives.

Getting Started

For organizations ready to embrace AI responsibly:

1. Assess current usage: Identify where you're already using AI unknowingly

2. Choose your platform: Consider values-aligned options like Change Agent AI

3. Start small: Use AI for content drafts, social media planning, or data analysis

4. Maintain oversight: Always keep humans in the decision-making loop

5. Scale thoughtfully: Expand usage as your comfort and expertise grow

Resources

• Book: AI for Nonprofits (available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble)

• Website: ai4np.org for additional resources and a 5-minute podcast overview

• Platform: change.ai for environmentally conscious AI tools

• Connect: Find Cheryl Contee on LinkedIn

The Bottom Line

The AI revolution isn't coming; it's here. For nonprofits committed to maximum impact with limited resources, the question isn't whether to engage with AI, but how to do so ethically, responsibly, and effectively. As Cheryl demonstrates, the tools exist to align AI adoption with progressive values while dramatically expanding organizational capacity.

The choice is clear: remain a Luddite and fall behind, or step into the driver's seat and shape how AI serves your mission.

Listen to the full ALC ChangeMakers Podcast interview with Cheryl Contee for deeper insights into AI adoption for mission-driven organizations.