I thought Missive #10 might be a good time to introduce myself. If you’ve been in meetings with me, you know I’m the one to skip intros and dive right into the agenda, only to realize later that I skipped intros. I fully acknowledge my excitement for the work. I’m thrilled to have you on the journey :)
I’m Rachel Kimber, Managing Director of Full Circle Impact Solutions. For almost two decades, I’ve been deep in the trenches, operationalizing strategies, mitigating risks, and ensuring compliance within nonprofit and philanthropy organizations. But somewhere along the way, I realized the work isn’t just about improving practices—it’s about reimagining how philanthropy can truly meet the needs of stakeholders and communities, leveraging both vision and technology.
At Full Circle, we know that effective grantmaking happens at the intersection of people, processes, and tools. Technology is part of that equation, but only when it’s used to enhance the human experience, not replace it. People have called me a “techie,” but my real passion is for people—ensuring their needs are heard, valued, and met — and vision, breathing innovative ideas to life. My academic research in human decision-making at the PhD level gives me a unique perspective to blend technical know-how with human-centered design. It’s not just about the tech; it’s about what happens when we bring values, tech, and practice into alignment.
So, why do I do this work? Like many of you, I believe that philanthropy’s potential is vast—capable of shifting the very structures that shape our lives. When we tie our social sector values to our practices, we nurture ecosystems that are more just, equitable, and liberated. As a biracial woman, I’ve lived the pain of exclusion—whether from my skin color, gender, or socioeconomic background. These experiences fuel my commitment to creating change, and my background in cognitive science, moral philosophy, compliance and decision-making lets me approach these challenges through a human and technical lens.
At Full Circle, I’ve partnered with consultants, vendors, and philanthropy leaders to build tech-supported, people-centered initiatives that are transforming our sector. Because let’s face it: when we talk about data, AI, and innovation, we have to ask ourselves the tough questions: Whose ethics are we upholding? Whose voices are we amplifying? What metrics are we tracking—and who do we risk leaving behind? These questions are at the heart of my work every day.
Leadership, Nonprofits, and AI in NYC
In June 2024, I had the honor of speaking at the Fund for the City of New York’s Nonprofit Leadership Forum, where we dove deep into the intersection of AI and nonprofit leadership. Some powerful themes emerged, and they weren’t just about adopting the latest shiny tech tool—they were about real transformation.
The Adoption Mindset
The biggest question for nonprofits shouldn’t be, “How do we adopt AI?” but rather, “What problems are we solving?” As I shared on the panel, the dynamic between people, processes, and tools is critical when navigating organizational change. Jake Porway from Decoded Futures talked about the "hype cycle" surrounding new technologies and urged us to think critically about slow, thoughtful adoption. And speakers from the Fund for the City of New York reminded us that focusing on challenges, not just the tech itself, is how we find effective use cases.
AI, as Dr. Meisha Porter from The Bronx Community Foundation pointed out, should be human-centered—augmenting, not replacing, our work. This shift gives staff more time to connect deeply with clients and communities. It’s about aligning people, processes, and tools in a way that allows us to navigate change meaningfully. Relationship over transaction; supported by AI.
Practical Steps for Implementing AI
We also explored practical steps for integrating AI into nonprofit operations. Simple starting points included: Creating an AI use policy; Identifying AI champions and leading edge advisors on staff; Learn collaboratively across departments; Show your staff how they’re already using AI in their daily lives—whether it’s FaceID, chatbots, or Netflix recommendations. Then begin learning how AI functionality can support your workflows.
Lianne Remen from The Robin Hood Foundation shared a clever tactic: encourage nonprofits to write arguments against their AI use policies to identify risks ahead of time. And Lisette Nieves from the Fund for the City of New York suggested forming AI affinity groups within HR to develop peer-to-peer training and cultivate a culture of learning. These “secret cyborgs”—staff already using AI—are invaluable in driving adoption internally.
“The innovation groups and strategy councils inside organizations can dictate policy, but they can’t figure out how to use AI to actually get work [done], only the workers, experts at their own jobs, know that.” -Ethan Mollick
Real-World AI Use Cases in Nonprofits
AI is already making a difference in nonprofit work:
Rich Leimsider discussed how ChatGPT is being used for survey data analysis, offering faster and more insightful results.
Karen Tan from Vera Institute of Justice showed how Perplexity helps with data source citations, streamlining research and reporting.
Jina Braynon of Accenture highlighted Microsoft Copilot, which drafts emails and reduces administrative burdens.
Peter Gault from Quill.org demonstrated how proprietary AI supports literacy coaching, offering students new learning opportunities (as seen on the Today Show).
Nick Javaid from NPower showcased how Agility Writer aids in curriculum development and video script generation.
Lisa Springer and Fiona Jaramillo had one of my favorite use cases where they utilized Lisa’s PhD research on social media adoption at nonprofits to create frameworks for AI-adoption … using AI tools to digest the findings and synthesize insight. What’s old is new!
These are just a few examples of how AI is transforming our sector. But as exciting as these tools are, it’s not just about adopting the latest technology. It’s about using AI to empower our missions, advocate for our communities, and ensure that adoption is equitable.
Thoughtful AI Adoption
As Sarah Di Troia, Senior Strategic Advisor at Project Evident, noted, many funders are still unsure about AI’s participation in the social sector. The longer we wait to experiment with AI, the greater the delay in understanding its role in civil society. And the development of an explicit technosocial contract.
“Many funders remain in a holding pattern, unsure how to respond to the relative ease of access by staff and grantees to generative AI, let alone experiment with it for mission attainment for themselves and their grantees or take a position on its impact on society … The longer it takes for philanthropy and nonprofits to gain experience with AI, the greater the delay in having a strong, experience-based voice about AI’s role in civil society.” -Sarah DiTroia
As Beth Kanter advises, we need to practice Slow AI—thoughtful, intentional adoption that centers people at every step. Timnit Gebru reminds us, “Why not think about the good you want to do, and then see if AI can be helpful?” See Philip Deng’s post on The AI Imperative for more detail on how we can “ensure that we’re buckled in with helmets on” so that “nonprofits can step on the accelerator too.”
We need to explore and articulate what we need AI tools to do for our sector. Or else … the tools will not support our passion, our purpose, our vision for a more equitable and just world.
The forum was a powerful reminder that while AI offers new possibilities, the true transformation will come from how we apply it from grant seeking to grant making. Philanthropy will play a critical role in supporting AI adoption that aligns policy with our values. Collaboratively, we can reimagine our work in ways that foster more just and compassionate outcomes and accelerate the path to insight.
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Let’s keep the conversation going. How can we use AI to serve humanity with curiosity, care, and collaboration? And how can I help you navigate this new frontier? Whether you’re looking for AI training or need guidance on developing your people, processes, and tools strategy, I’m here to help. Let’s transform our sector together.
Happy New Year Wishes to those celebrating!
Will you make an AI resolution? Maybe Fall into AI with me :)
